Get your peepers on our newest peeps 🦝 The Trash Family Portrait Gallery has most of our Feline Flash contributors displayed in all their loveliness. Portraits are assembled using their spirit animal and the things they covet/collect. trashcatlit.com/trash-family...

British citizens and UK-based folks: please consider signing and sharing this petition: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/75... #RefugeesWelcome

The Brick, where my beer had good company

A thought occurs: Benoit Blanc totally sounds like he’s the love child of Foghorn Leghorn and Senator Tankerbell (compliment).

My latest newsletter is about the spiked 60 Minutes story and the reactionary psychology of Bari Weiss.

Time to panic!

He’s a complicated man / but no one one understands but Athena: Odysseus!

I am pleased to announce that I will be joined by at least 2 very speical guests for my Winterval storytelling, online event on Monday 29th December. Emma of @GhostCatcherIsles.com and @StephLay.bsky.social will be joining me to spin you some spooky stories. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/winterval-...

In fairness, Ovid does tend towards the saucy.

…which is why the French Republican calendar was undoubtedly sexier, but alas too illogical for this world 😭

I also learned ‘raze’ from "World Leader Pretend!" And obsequious from They Might Be Giants (“Turn Around”).

Show me how your 2025 went

If you want good art - excellent movies, compelling series, incredible novels, any kind of story at all - we need a model that pays writers and artists properly, not one that prioritises a privileged few while feeding shareholders by the billion and throwing scraps to everyone else.

Merriam-Webster’s human editors have chosen ‘slop’ as the 2025 Word of the Year.

My spoiler-free thoughts on Plur1bus S01E07 is that I really love how *spacious* the show is generally, but this one in particular was freaking expansive!

Nina and Simone watch Indy and Chewie play on the luxury version of their cat tree.

Firey sunset today 🔥⛅

I really wish my brain would finally understand that perimenopause brain fog notwithstanding, I am unlikely to leave the house without my keys or phone, go all the way to the tube station, down the escalator & onto the train and realise I’m barefoot. So quit serving up that anxiety dream already.

So many, but of late, the entirety of The Sleeping Wound by Moniza Alvi, from “Europa”, a collection I return to constantly.

Hi friends. City of Sanctuary are a fabulous organisation in need of funds to continue their work supporting organisations to create welcoming environments to those fleeing persecution and war. donate.biggive.org/campaign/a05...

my LRB blog-post on the weird kingston mural: www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2025/de...

This was an excellent evening 👍

I ditched Spotify three months ago, so no Wrapped and my Apple Music year-end is understandably less educated about the year, but top artists seem accurate: The Mars Volta and Wet Leg (together at last!)

November reading: 49. The Accidentals - Guadalupe Nettel (translated by Rosalind Harvey) 50. Mouth - Mona Arishi 51. The Silence of the Girls - Pat Barker 52. The Voyage Home - Pat Barker ongoing - The Odyssey, translated by Emily Wilson Book IV: What the Sea God Said

Athena: the original manic pixie dream girlboss.

You just died. The 6th picture in your phone gallery is what killed you.

Righto my chums, hit me up with pub recommendations in the City (walking distance to the Guildhall). Bonus points if they have hot snax but not a deal breaker.

Righto my chums, hit me up with pub recommendations in the City (walking distance to the Guildhall). Bonus points if they have hot snax but not a deal breaker.

The good news is I found my pen (my pen!!!!) however I found it while looking for something else. Seriously, perimenopause brain fog: pistols at dawn.

Vote Labour

What ARE the haps?

I saved this issue for a rainy day to read cover-to-cover and was not disappointed. I particularly loved Jill Hopper’s riposte to Samuel Pepys, and Anna Shelton’s dressing down of anatomical eponyms. But as ever, the whole issue is filled with brilliant poems, and thoughtful essays and reviews. <3

Has there ever been a Taskmaster series where it could be anyone’s game right up to the finale? I kind of want Sanjeev to casually stroll away the winner despite (lol actually because of) his insouciance and total lack of fucks when morally is should by rights be Ania.

Okay so I said I wanted a gif of this to accurately reflect my brain….have just realised I’ve mislaid one of my favourite pens, the ballpoint pen with “Write Your Story” printed on the side, and I’m both genuinely gutted and feel way too aligned with Pauline Campbell-Jones for comfort 😬

This workshop sounds incredible.

Unsolicited writing advice, no. 18181999: "Write what you know" is limiting advice, which leads to limited writing. Instead, know what you're writing about. That means due diligence: good research, wide reading, specialist help and advice if you need it. Stay curious. Try new ideas. No limits.

I am so excited for this!!!! Yes it does merit multiple exclamation marks ‼️

While I’m okay with the cats re-establishing the litter Into Which We Do Not Pass Solids, I’m less keen on the recent practice of them demanding an audience for their pooping. Come on gals. You’re 7/8 months old, and big brave kitties do not need this kind of encouragement.

For sale: two cat beds, never slept in.

Two different approaches to radiator maximisation.

A film you’ve seen more than seven times with a gif.

October reading: 45. The Island of Missing Trees - Elif Shafak 46. The Women of Troy - Pat Barker 47. Birding - Rose Ruane 48. The Artist - Lucy Steeds

Gal pals enjoying a loafing session near the toasty radiator.

Current listening: Technique, proven by Science as the best New Order album - this is Fact not opinion, and anyone who disagrees is a certified jackass. I can say this cause I got loooove technique, innit.

Simone wants to play, too.

This week in Instant Classics Bookclub, we take a step back & think about the repeated adjectives used to describe characters in the Odyssey. What is their point? Join the Bookclub here instantclassics.supportingcast.fm (& you can get an earlybird offer to our first live event on 25 Nov)

An excellent three-card spread: first card (past) the Ten of Coins reversed, second card (present) Knight of Coins, third card (future) The Sun.

What’s it like inside your head?

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