I'm not the best of drawers (the right hand, ugh) but I'm going to commit to doing this #inktober2025. Dwarf with axe.

In food history, we notice how super-refined foods--gelatin, vienna sausage, white bread--lose class and become horrifying once they become industrialized. Suddenly, fingermarks in bread dough demonstrate skill, not clumsiness. Post-chatGPT, I'm feeling this about writing. Smoothness feels gross.

The new issue of Wyrd Science (@wyrdscience.bsky.social) has just thumped onto my doormat, and it looks incredible. So many cool articles and for them to be analogued onto ink and paper. Viva Print! Thanks to editor @johnpower.bsky.social for allowing me to write for this one.

One Battle After Another was a hell of a wild ride. Absolutely loved it. Immediately one of PTA's best. DiCaprio running across the rooftop and falling out of the tree, Del Toro's Sensei and Sean Penn's deeply uncomfortable walking anywhere were particular highlights. More of this please.

Could I introduce you to Warhammer? #warhammercommunity

@royalastrosoc.bsky.social question from my 4yo son this morning, do other planets have more than four seasons? Or are seasons something that only happen on Earth?

Calamitous decision for artists if done. We *will* see Arts used for party political ends, funding "the Right kind of Art" dependent on political trends. Will be especially hard on trans/minority group artists Arts Council funding decisions likely to be handed to mayors share.google/LYekLAOJdtn1...

There's the old saying that writers write the same story over and over again. I feel like that about my theatre productions closest to my heart: The Last March (about Capt Scott), Don Quixote, I Want My Hat Back, all feature a naïve narrator, failure, death. Do #ttrpg games writers feel the same?

How the hell could that report about Trump and Starmer on Radio 4 Today be considered anywhere near impartial?!

Ready for a new issue? Pre-orders for The Mirror Issue are now open worldwide! ✨🪞✨ Mirror magic, ritual masks, films that cast a spell, doppelgängers and fetches, changelings, evil portraits, spirit traps and much more. 👉🏼 helleborezine.com

@danthurot.bsky.social Dan, apologies if you've been asked this before: your children frequently appear in your writing, and my son is 4, are there any sure fire hits that you'd recommend? Spots I always think looks good but I'm wondering if there's anything more high energy?

Very cool to finally have ahold of @brookletgames.bsky.social Beetle Knight 🪲🐛🐌🐜🐝🐞🦋🦗🦟 Really looking forward to exploring this world and great to see @evlynmoreau.bsky.social artwork featuring in the pack.

Oi oi! An evening spent putting the first daubs of paint on @badsquiddogames.bsky.social Mushroom Ladz. Adore these lil lairy boys! 🍄

Could probably manage this by just buying two or three more minis from Games Workshop #warhammercommunity

Horrendous that Angela Rayner has been hounded out by a frothing at the mouth Right wing press and commentariat. Labour should have used her more the last year and perhaps it wouldn't be circling an idea-less, spineless, moral-less cul-de-sac.

Weird and unpleasant Donut Daddy vibes about this.

Hugh Bonneville started his live ITV London News interview on Downton Abbey by talking about Gaza.

Loved #ToxicAvenger tonight @princecharlescinema.com - everything I hoped it would be and more. Grotesque, hilarious, politically sharp and completely unhinged. Peter Dinklage is excellent as Roxie, but the standout is Taylour Paige - who manages to make understated work in a Troma flick.

Curious whether there are skirmish/rank and file wargames that engage with this? It could, of course, be argued that historical wargaming (BA, Napoleonics etc) are playing out the violent politics of an era. But others? There was the recent attempt with Fight! For America. Could we argue 40k does?

Via Variety: 'Guillermo del Toro refused to make #Frankenstein with too much visual effects and green screens: "I want real sets."' variety.com/2025/film/fe...

Incredible few days @greenmanfest.bsky.social - highlights were CMAT, Jasmine.4.T, Boss Morris, Kneecap, Wet Leg, and The Warriors live DJ scored - and its brilliant Little Folk! Its independence of spirit is lived and loved. See you next year 💚

since we don't have kickstarter to kind of provide some kind of exciting goal/target/sense of urgency I'm thinking maybe we do something really depressing like this instead

Something I've been thinking about AI recently is that it is actually solving a problem that human beings have been wrestling with for centuries or maybe more. It's filling in the gaps. Blank page, it fills in the gaps. Don't understand, it fills in the gaps. Bored? It fills in the gaps. But..1/

Saw #Weapons tonight and am still chewing it over, but really enjoyed it. Sinister, uncomfortable, parts enjoyable left unexplained and open-ended. Also felt oddly prescient given what's currently in the media with children. Thoroughly unnerving and that is exactly what I want from a horror film.

Happy International Cat Day from Oliver.

Sad to hear of Sally's passing. She was incredible supportive and wonderful fun when I trained at Central. She'll be much missed.

@tommortonsmith.com may I shoot you a thought about a show? I think Jen might have my email from eons ago when we did Tamasha stuff.

Saw GoldenEye back in '95, when Bond smashes through the wall in the Russian tank some bloke in the audience yelled "Go on, Bond!"

Absolutely loving @themerrymushmen.bsky.social Knock #5. Such inventive, imaginative and hilarious #OSR bric-a-brac. Particularly enjoying these ones, especially @evlynmoreau.bsky.social lil folk!

Well there goes my #GenCon pitch...

More playgrounds in general! But some with a ready supply of alcohol is also greatly encouraged.

The youngest's nursery's fees are going up 15% from Sept. Which will mean, after tax, once I've paid for her to be in nursery I will take home around £25. And we wonder why young people aren't having children and struggling to get on the property ladder 🪜

Oh cool, so this has been announced. On Oct 18 I'm at the Canterbury Festival talking with the renowned Dr Irving Finkel about the history of boardgames. Both excited & nervous! canterburyfestival.co.uk/whats-on/tim...

"In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only bor...ing graphic design"

Eek! How exciting is this! Loads of nominations for a brilliant show! @idgnicholson.bsky.social @littleangeltheatre.bsky.social #SamWilde #JimWhitcher #SherryCoenen #SimonLyshon ##puppets #iwantmyhatbacktrilogy #polkatheatre #theFTA #TYA #PYA

Congratulations Simon Lyshon (TYA Performance), Jim Whitcher (TYA Music), Sam Wilde (TYA Design - Set and Puppets) & Sherry Coenen (TYA Design – Lighting), Little Angel Theatre & Sam Wilde with Ian Nicholson in the Play I Want My Hat Back Trilogy. polkatheatre.com/event/i-want...

Incredible commitment from @royalcourt.bsky.social to the future of directors (as well as the future of writers obvs) with *EIGHT* directing roles (2 full time trainees and 6 assistant directors). Really needed right now, great work. royalcourttheatre.com/directors-re...

A class of 6 teenagers getting in the History teacher's car and driving out of school without seatbelts on and no parental permission, on a spontaneous trip.

Got these today! Loving my new rowdy lil fungi weirdos from @badsquiddogames.bsky.social 🍄

Could you help us out? It's been one of the quietest months in a decade, and partly I believe it's because people don't know we exist! Hi! I'm Annie! I run Bad Squiddo Games! We hand sculpt & hand cast 28mm scale models of women, critters, scenics & occasionally a man! www.badsquiddogames.com

If you're interested in #TTRPG and the like, give yourself a treat to start your week off with and subscribe to the print version of Wyrd Science.

YES. I was given 10 days parental leave. Why do I, because I am a Dad, only warrant ten days with my child?!

Played #FightForAmericaGame today with #mesbg 's Alessio Cavatore! Fascinating mix of wargame and performance. Played as a Proud Boy tasked to storm the Capitol. An exciting, knotty, compelling, unsettling, Brechtian environment, where immersive play was punctured by horrendous first-hand accounts.

Very excited to finally get my paws on Scurry! from @stoutstoat.co.uk and the wonderful Border Riding too. Look forward to playing both of these.

That holly doesn't start life prickly. It turns prickly as a reaction to being eaten by animals. If you look high enough up a holly tree you'll see non-prickly leaves.

I hope everyone has had a joyous Midsummer / Summer Solstice ☀️

DEEP COVER on Amazon Prime is an immensely silly British comedy, that at times borders on farce (in the best way). It reminded me of 𝘓𝘦 𝘋î𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴 in its ratcheting up of ridiculous plot choices. Was great to watch something that has actual jokes rather than cringe comedy - a long overdue change.

@rossydoesdrawings.bsky.social I remember on Twitter you posted to goblins that were shinybright (or bright shiny?) did you ever cross post to Bluesky?

#TTRPG and #Skirmish folk! What other combative/competitive scenarios are there that don't require combat/violence/killing? i.e. sport (blood bowl), Jousting (hair foot) - others? Racing perhaps? Open to both real world and fantastical/historical suggestions.

Heinrich Kemmler says asking villagers for corpse permission would ‘kill’ the necromancy industry