Unsolicited writing advice, no. 71616: If you're struggling to stay creative during the dark part of the year, go back to what you love. Re-read, re-watch, rediscover old favourites. Remind yourself why you're doing this. Find your joy.

Words of wisdom from a time when politicians actually had integrity.

Ben Daniels as Santiago in the second season of IWTV is absolutely rocking my world right now. This man can do no wrong.

Absolutely howling at this.

The kids return to our school this morning now that we have completed our training days. I am running on three hours of fitful sleep. It's going to be a little wild.

Second day back at work and we are all a l'il bit like this.

Bookmarking.

Bookmarking.

I've just finished the first season of Fallout and am trying to fathom why on earth I didn't get around to watching it sooner. Very much looking forward to the second season.

I am absolutely going to want a copy of this in my life.

Big day tomorrow. GCSE results. I'll be heading in to see how my Y11s have done. I'm nervous and excited for them and hope they're managing to stay calm tonight. For me, it's an evening of comfort horror. A favourite.

I've spent a whole morning & into lunchtime watching this fabulous Spanish thriller. I'm spending the afternoon switching between housework and reading. I'm going to spend the evening on a virtual date with the hottest man I know. Days like this are my favourite thing about the long summer break.

More big event news! The UK Ghost Story Festival will be back in Feb/Mar 2026, and returning to its original venue at QUAD - Derby for three days of talks, workshops, interviews, panels and more! www.derbyquad.co.uk/events/ukgho...

The way this woman’s colleagues supported her is genuinely heartwarming. It’s also reality! Most people ARE supportive of trans women and men. It truly is a tiny, loud minority creating all the noise.

Sad to hear of Terence Stamp's passing. I watched Priscilla, Queen of the Desert last night. This afternoon it's The Company of Wolves - it might be the shortest of cameos but it's a damn powerful one. I also want to catch Superman 2 and Far From The Madding Crowd this week.

Oh, hell yes!

I will be grabbing myself a copy of this.

Bread, made. Toast, tomorrow. Kitchen, aromatic.

Homemade falafel (okay, I found an organic falafel mix packet in the cupboard), creamed spinach, sweet chilli houmous. I've ended up with an already-blistering finger for my troubles, but it was worth it for the heavenly taste. #FoodPorn #falafel #houmous #hungry

Today has been exceptionally hard work but I've had great company. Still better than most humans. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Friday morning tunes. Turning down the volume on my family for a day or two, a wellbeing thing.

Processing some hefty health news and talking it through with family requires shouty tunes and comfort food. Laibach, Ministry, Rammstein.

I've been up for a couple of hours now. Houseworking, packing for a weekend away, wishing the rain would sod right off so I can dry my laundry. I want it to be Friday already.

New tune, but I am instantly transported back to clubs in Coventry and Birmingham back in the early nineties. Just heard it played on #6Music.

Minecraft advertising budget is insane!

Everyone has different budgets and purchasing power, so I’m sharing this as Waterstones is again offering 25% off preorders for the next couple of days.

Bookmarking.

Highly recommended read.

I've never seen *anything* like this, either. Joint statement from BBC, Reuters, AFP, AP about their journalists literally starving.

We are signatories to this important letter organised by @voice21oracy.bsky.social “calling on him to establish oracy as a core part of Labour’s revised national curriculum & make it the 4th ‘R’ in education, alongside reading,writing & arithmetic. “ www.theguardian.com/education/20...

If you love supernatural fiction, then do we have a summer treat for you! A big weekend of ghost story writing workshops and author interviews coming your way with SPECTRES OF SUMMER this August... www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/spec...

Look 👀👀 Take this brilliant opportunity to showcase your work ! ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Nice reminder in here of value of public transport in helping people build physical activity into their daily routines: “People using public transport clock up 19 minutes of walking daily just getting around.” Investing in integrated public transport & active travel = better public health.

teacher. of. the year.

I remember reading all these books as a kid and passing on that love of reading to my own child in time. She doesn't read as much now but her own daughter loves to read. She's beginning to get a feeling for horror fiction as well. It's a wonderful thing.

BlueSky has just verified my existence as an adult. Now, if my brain could also realise this and begin acting like one, that'd be great.

Of course, finishing work for the summer on a Tuesday means I am now certain that it is a Friday evening and that I shall wake up to a Saturday morning. This confusion will persist. It cannot be stopped. #TeacherLife #SummerHoliday

My favourite Black Sabbath tune. So long, Ozzy.

New addition to my tribe. This is Pedro. This is Smol Boy. This is The Unbearable Weight of Massive Feline Talent.

One of my favourite things about this time of year is how students write thank you notes to their teachers. This is a selection delivered to my pigeonhole this morning. When you're on your knees from end-of-year exhaustion these are such a tonic.

A world of homemade chocolate orange cookies for my Y7 class this morning. Must. Resist. Stealing.

I really enjoyed writing this blog about our brilliant Year 12 students' work on their NEA text, Brotherless Night by @sugi.bsky.social - their responses to the novel have been so powerful and it's been a lovely culmination of my work with @engmediacentre.bsky.social this year.

Up late; houseworking & dog walking & sorting the logistics of next year's Y8 set. I don't know who's in it yet, other than one student who works particularly well with me. I have, however, just offered to take on another one who is difficult to place. It's a minefield but it's worth getting right.

Recommended reads.

Private Eye hits the nail on the head

New TES piece from me and back to an old bugbear of mine. I thought we'd started to put it to bed, but it's marching back into lessons www.tes.com/magazine/tea...

Plotting and planning for my birthday in September. Perhaps a gig would be a thing. Music, stand-up comedy, a book launch, a poetry jam. There's Edge-Lit in Derby, of course, so that might do nicely.

I love @edyong209.bsky.social's newsletter so very much. Besides being an avenue for his compassionate & thoughtful voice, it's always full of wonderful links to fascinating & important things that I wouldn't have found on my own, as well as gorgeous bird photography.

One to show my mum.