I'm obsessed with @cmatbaby.bsky.social right now , love the song Running/ planning open.spotify.com/track/65Csu3...

With all the research I'm doing for the panels and pulling together a speech for toastmasters to present after Easter on hosting a geocaching event , it's all go at the moment

There is lots on the programme for Eastercon, I found lots of panels on horror , I'm also on a panel about Irish horror films and moderating a panel on Irish mythology & horror , looking forward to both and a panel on Jurassic park, lots of fun for the weekend

Time to get back into the swing of posting now that Eastercon is getting closer and I'm a programme participant

Eddie Jordan, former F1 team owner and TV pundit, dies aged 76

Banging tune about giving up sweets & cursing youtu.be/ig0-aP9oHPw?...

Just finished reading The book of gold by Ruth Francis Long

I reached my reading goal this year, delighted, joining book clubs and the library have encouraged me to read more, setting a higher goal for 2025

Haven't been on here in ages no idea what to post, i might stick to my toastmaster journey. I'm doing a leadership development pathway and I'm on level 2. My last speech was about leadership style. I have to work in the next section which is an intro to mentoring trying to think of I was a protégé

Scotland-based fantasy writer Carl Bayley let his curiosity get the better of him and grabbed a ticket to Fantasycon. Here's how it went. britishfantasysociety.org/my-first-fan...

Overhead at a con - sexy people with fangs

Had a lovely time on a panel talking about traveling for conventions

Second panel of the evening, The Dark Forest in Fantasyland #Fantastika2024

Currently at a panel on the strong Female character, very interesting panel on different types of female characters through the 70s up to current time.

Unfortunately my panel on housekeeping in space at Swecon-fantastika 2024 was cancelled this evening, 2 of the panelists were not able to make it. Oh well maybe another time

This weekend I'm heading to Stockholm for Swecon - Fantastika 2024. These are the panels I'm on, looking forward to it

The contest went very well and I did very well chairing my first contest, the confidence is good after being at Fantasycon, now to get cracking on writing my speech on leadership style for Monday week.

Today I'm going to be hosting a contest for toastmasters for the first time, thankfully there is a script , for me it's about having the confidence to be the Contest Chair, rescue remedy in my pocket as that helps for me

I love lots of new followers and nothing to talk about, still tired after the weekend at Fantasycon. Working on my personal laptop to make some space as baldurs gate took up so much memory, need to move some stuff to the older laptop, hours of fun ahead this evening

Eugh, back to normal life, thinking about what will we have for dinner and why is my work so busy after being off for 3 days

What a day, travelled back to Athenry from Chester, got home around half 3, had a nap then dinner and back out the door for Toastmasters. Tonight was the humorous and table topics contest, thankfully I was the timekeeper for the meeting so it wasn't too taxing on the brain, just home ready for sleep

I picked up this Dr who book at Galway library, the reason was I was a panelist for the Dr who panel at Fantasycon and I thought this will be helpful to talk about. I managed to start the book before the con and then finish it today. I enjoyed it but would only rate it 3 out of 5.

I had an interesting chat about my parents last night and how they were born in the late 30s before the war and how I love getting little bits of information from them about their life. I'm currently traveling home thinking maybe I should actually interview my parents about their life

9am on a Sunday morning is a little early for a panel on Doctor who, I made it and enjoyed being a panelist

When I go to panels, I always get inspired to re-read books or study more about the topic. I'm at the lord of the rings panel and I'm making plans to become more of a Tolkien fan , this is not the first time I've made that plan

A special guest turned up for the panel on the Muppets makes things better at Fantasycon

Made it to Liverpool from Knock okay, managed to get to the train for Chester with 5mins to spare. Thankfully I did as the next train is not til 8pm and its only 4 now

At knock airport, getting ready to fly to Liverpool and then get a train to Chester for Fantasycon this weekend

For this evenings activities I'm heading to Galway library for the discworld bookclub, we read The amazing Maurice and his educated rodents

I get to practice public speaking this weekend at fantasycon moderating a panel on cosy fantasy and then being a panelist on 3 panels - Dr who, The mummy turns 25 & what have I read since last October. I'm looking forward to the weekend, it should be fun

Stretched my public speaking by moderating a panel on the Disneyification of history and mythology, this was an interesting panel with a short film shown in the middle. I've learnt to not panic when the mind goes blank, be able to adjust to tech difficulties and maybe prep a bit more than I did

Back on bluesky after a bit of a break from social media, last weekend was Octocon, I was there for the Saturday. Ran the icebreaker session at 10.30am, it was a nice little session with conversation and teaching a game called Codinca

Delighted to buy my ticket for @athventurecon.bsky.social , looking forward to February

Best Novel goes to Nettle and Bone by T. Kingfisher (Ursula Vernon)

Best Series goes to Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

Best Related Work goes to Terry Pratchett: A Life With Footnotes, by Rob Wilkins

Made it the Irish Discworld convention at the Cork international Hotel, sitting at the opening ceremony

Only an hour or so of work, counting down to tomorrow, traveling to Cork for the Irish Discworld convention, can't wait to hang out and talk all things discworld

The Invisible Girl, by @clfarley.bsky.social . Available to pre-order now. #LunaNovella 19 February 2024. www.lunapresspublishing.com/product-page...

The weekend is over, stamp exhibition Friday, Octocon Saturday and Sunday, lots of fun and chat about all things geeky. I'm on the train heading back to Athenry. Hoping to finish reading Soul Music for the Galway Library bookclub 2moro evening

Attending @octocon.bsky.social today, currently enjoying the Agent of Chaos panel with Ruth Francis Long moderating, Sarah Rees Brennan and Harun Siljax as panelists

Finally sitting in the audience @octocon.bsky.social to watch a panel, on soap operas in space

Visiting the an Stampa exhibition I Griffith college, one of the organisers introduced himself as a nerd, I replied that's okay I'm a nerd too

I'm on the train yay, changed into my dry jeans thankfully, can't imagine sitting for 3 hours in wet jeans. Last minute social media work for octocon on the train to past the time. I will be there all weekend, I'm looking forward to it

Busy morning eventually finished my packing for Dublin , travelling without my car is hard cos I have to limit everything. Got absolutely soaked walking to the train station, currently standing in wet jeans waiting for the train, once on I'll be switching to dry jeans, the joy of traveling 😁

So excited I'm on the program for @octocon.bsky.social , here is my schedule, looking forward to it 😁

My dad is a stamp collector and I have picked up this hobby from time to time, my collection is not as impressive as my dad's but I joined Stampa and I love receiving the stamps they send out after I pay my membership. In today's post is a lovely collection of stamps

Mindful moment from Headspace for today - Feeling tense? Overwhelmed? Inhale for four seconds. Exhale for six. Repeat five times.

Attending Galway toastmasters tonight for the first time to see their new venue, got handed a speech to do for creative corner, it is a quote by Marianne Williamson, wish me luck 😁

@carolyns.bsky.social yay welcome 🤗