Labour win the Hamiltion by-election from SNP, Reform finish 3rd, and the first thing the BBC do is, yep, interview Richard Tice..

First thought.

Stock markets today: Hong Kong: -13.6% Taiwan: -9.6% Japan: -9.5% Italy: -8.4% Singapore: -8% Sweden: -7% China: -7% Switzerland: -7% Germany: -6.8% Spain: -6.4% Netherlands: -6.2% Australia: -6.2% France: -6.1% UK: -5.2%

2 free places Online Writing Workshop! A regular participant is generously sponsoring 2 places in my next online workshop Power of Imagination (either 6 April 2-4pm, or 12 April 10am-12pm) for someone who needs the support of a free place. Message me in Chat to ask about it. Please share! #Writing

For my Welsh rugby supporting friends: Do you think maybe we should bring back Delilah???

Independent 🇨🇦 forever. There’s a position I never thought I’d have to declare.

Driving home from an excellent day of teaching and working with aspiring writers. Caught Keir Starmer’s statement in Parliament on Ukraine and I’m feeling a rare and unusual pride in an elected leader. And the opposition is behaving really well too! #itsagoodday

Proud to be Woke

I truly believe that US citizens will never accept anything other than democracy. It is a dark, dark time but there will be a red line. I hope it’s the disgusting attack on Zelenskyy. I hope it’s the cynical capitulation to Putin. But I think it will be the price of eggs.

I would love to know if there are Republicans (not MAGA- the other kind) who voted for him because they thought it was genuinely a better option than Harris who are regretting their vote yet?There must be GOPs in the civil service who have lost their jobs, GOPs who are worried about SS benefits ?

As a journalist who covers extremism at the local level, I think it’s a mistake to view Trump’s Napoleonic statement as solely about presidential power. Consider if it’s interpreted as a wink and a nod for any extremist to act outside the law to “save” the country as they see fit

This is probably the most accurate take.

#followbackfriday Looking for blue skiers who are as appalled as I am. Is #followbackfriday a thing here?

Sent to me by a friend in Europe ...Who asked me how did we end up with a South African Racist President Elon Musk..NEO APARTHEID Titled: HOW TO DESTROY A COUNTRY

To distract myself from all the evil shit I switched on the the Boyzone doc #nomatterwhat I thought it would warm my heart to look back at the cozy 90s. Wrong. Different kind of evil shit. Louis Walsh - not a nice man and he doesn’t care who thinks so.

Delighted to have co-authored a chapter for this important book to be published in June.

Presented my annual Raymond Carver, short story writer and poet, lecture to my marvellous 2nd year students today. Never dates, always inspires - even with the discussion about Lish and the role of the editor. What a story Now this fan girl is off to bed with Carver’s collected poems, All of Us.

Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble. ~ John Lewis

Jim Acosta announces on air that he's leaving CNN and says, "it is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant ... don't give in to the lies."

On January 20, let’s all be Michelle. Don’t watch the inauguration. Instead, tune into MLK Day programming.

This week’s fantasy involves staying in watching bad tv and eating all the snacks with Michelle Obama.

You know why I love reading? These days it’s one of the few respites from being constantly advertised to.

So Musky is in charge of the asylum then. #stayingintheuk

'Buckle up, everyone': Jen Psaki on Trump and Musk tanking bipartisan spending deal www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFrc...

I’m still buzzing because a student called me a ‘top tier lad’ last week.

I've been saying this since the last time and before... Sadly "I told you so" plays out here.

This is what my ‘work’ looks like. #bestjobintheworld

@booksky📚💙. Looking for recommendations for an immersive read for a long plane ride. My preferences are: #literaryfiction #creativenonfiction #contempory Actually two long plane rides 🙏🏼

Today’s poem is considered to be the world’s oldest surviving love poem, written 1.5 million years ago by one of our earliest ancestors, homo unrequitus. It’s called ‘The Caveman’s Lament’.

#writingforwellbeing The prompt for today is inspired by my friend Jo McCusker who tells me she has enough ground cumin to see her through Armageddon. What do you have a lot of/hoard/can resist and what does it say about you? Why not set a timer and write for 7 minutes without editing!?

In case any of my American friends are wondering what we’re up to today. Not much! If the power doesn’t go it’s #Nottinghill #Loveactually #fourweddings

🥹

It’s #followbackfriday I will if you will!

What if, let’s just imagine for a moment, the press just stopped reporting his antics for one day, maybe two days. What would happen? Would he wither? Do all the commentators and newscasters check him? Or enable him?

How good is this poem.

another Substack recommendation 👇🏼👇🏼👇🏼 For writing advice no one better than my friend: emmadarwin.substack.com

Another Substack recommendation incoming: open.substack.com/pub/sophiamo... for pure delight. This one has a fabulous embedded video. Enjoy!!

Publication day! Academic publishing, but still, always a thrill.

It’s our 3rd anniversary of living here. And I appreciate my good fortune every single day! #home #penarthmarina #cardiffbaybarrage

Whose #Substack do you read every day? Me: @hcrichardson.bsky.social, @rbreich.bsky.social @rbhubbell.bsky.social for political insights. (I know this is one sided)

It’s a good day when you open the book you just collected from the library and the smell and feel of it tells you that you’re its first reader. #booksky📚💙

#cardiffbay #walesmillenniumcentre #hamilton The long walk home is so worth it.

#writingforwellbeing What song/music did you inherit? What did that piece teach you? And: What one song or musical piece would you like to pass down? Why? You don’t have to share your thoughts here, but did you enjoy the exercise? I’m sure lots of us would be curious to know what you chose.

How lucky am I to live here! #notaquestion #cardiffbaybarrage #severn #latelunchtimebreak #wfhperk

‘Sometimes I think I need to eat or sleep, but what I really need to do is write.’ #writingforwellbeing #creativityforwellbeing #writing

This needs to be said, loud, and often.

@cherylstrayed.bsky.social #wisewords

#booksky💙📚 #booksky📚 Current read, also my longest read in terms of time - at least a month on this one. I like it and will finish it. But it’s a plod and I’m not sure why?