Here's my How we made... piece from today's Guardian. I held out a little too long in the hope make-up effects maestro Craig Reardon would materialise as the 2nd interviewee, but without marvellous Marty Casella I wouldn't have heard about maggot handlers or got to include the phrase "ghost semen."

Heads-up for those in or around the Scottish capital: The phantasmagorical new feature by maverick artist, filmmaker and drum-banger Andrew Kötting gets its world premiere in Edinburgh on Friday, with additional screenings next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I appear as a badger-faced folklorist.

For this week's My best shot, I talked to Michael Rababy about his 30 years spent photographing casinos and those who frequent them.

When Yes turned 30 recently, I saw some suggesting it was the best song of 1995 - a bold claim given that Common People, Farmer in the City, C.F. Kane, Game of Pricks and Boombastic also came out that year. But it's up there, isn't it? I asked Mr McAlmont and Mr Butler how it happened.

What links Chappell Roan, a 72-mile penis and a cocker spaniel? Read my fearless four-page investigation from this week's Guardian Saturday magazine to find out.

"It's hard to find help in this country." For this week's My best shot I spoke to Dutch photographer Robin De Puy about her project American in general, and Indiana twins Derek and Quentin in particular.

For this week's My best shot, I talked to Baldwin Lee about the remarkable body of work he accumulated across the American south in the 1980s, before concentrating on teaching photography rather than diluting his reputation. " I really felt that I had done my best work, and I was exhausted.""

Thinking about the time an interview I did for this column led to me being followed on Twitter by a Dimbleby. If either of us still posted on there, I suspect this would have been the day that David finally, wearily clicked 'block Chris Broughton'. www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

In today's My best shot: nature conservation photojournalist Thomas Nicolon. No space, alas, to include his rhapsodies on Lake Télé, which sounds like the kind of place explorers used to stumble upon in Jules Verne novels (reportedly home to Mokèlé-mbèmbé, the Loch Ness Monster's Congolese cousin).

Had a chat with 'Raymondo', during which we tried to determine who the daddy is. Conclusion: it's him. He was quite insistent on this point. Phil Daniels also dropped in to offer guidance to anyone seeking advice on how to get "kicked in the arse rather than the balls."

For this week's My Best Shot I talked to Niccolò Rastrelli about how, an age where many rock and pop stars look more conservative than their parents, he's found a latter-day equivalent to John Olson's 70s portraits of Frank Zappa and Grace Slick 'hanging out with the folks'.

This week's My best shot: Richard Sharum on a dramatic photograph from his Spina Americana series.

I must confess to still deriving a mild tingle of childish glee whenever I smuggle a swearword into the national press. Disappointing, then, that when I got a full 12 minutes talking to Samuel L. Jackson for this piece he didn't say "m☠️therf🦈cker" once - even when I mentioned Snakes on a Plane.

I've been every bit as bad at remembering to post occasionally on Bluesky as I was with the broken place but here, if any of you are interested, is my most recent interview for the Guardian's My best shot page.

In today's My best shot... Ragnar 'Rax' Axelsson. We talked about how climate change is affecting the Arctic regions and what Greenlandic Inuits make of recent deranged proposals made by some blowhard golfer, but the chosen photograph captures one of Rax's fellow Icelanders.

I wrote this months ago, but an article about bickering insurgents opposing a totalitarian regime is perhaps more timely now and will hopefully provide any would-be rebels with the encouragement they need. (Luckily the director and cast member I spoke to didn't mention the baddies win at the end.)

I know envy is a deadly sin and I'm very happy with the lovely books I received for Christmas. Nevertheless, I can't stop thinking about this (spotted yesterday) and wondering if it's too late to ask for a time machine for my birthday so I can go back and amend the list I wrote to Santa.

The first 'animal assault' interview I've done for a while - even after covering big cats, bears, snakes and hawks there's always new ground still to be broken. I did wonder at one point, "Is this too James Herbert?" but these are Mariasella's actual words, so truth is sometimes stranger, etc.

Available now from Entropy Press: the new book from roving folktographer Max Reeves. This time he's been following the tinkling of bells and the clash of sticks and look! Introduction by Ben Edge and Hastings RX Morris are the cover stars.

As Guardian & Observer journalists go out again on strike today, it felt like a good moment to write about journalism. And the philosophical crisis that comes with understanding its limits. Inc details of bloodbaths in both Syria & liberal news orgs. open.substack.com/pub/broligar...

Celebrating all the new followers with a giveaway. Win a signed hb of my 'weird, astonishing' debut, THE NORTH SHORE, limited edition ON MIRRORS (Nightjar) and DISSOLUTION (The Aleph). To enter just like, follow and repost. I'll draw a winner on 8 Dec. Good luck! #booksky #weirdfiction #folkhorror

The Electric Palace, Hastings will be showing the BBC's 1984 adaptation of The Box of Delights over two Sunday afternoons in December (15th and 22nd). I'll be introducing the first three episodes and Roger Limb, who composed the incidental music, will share his memories before the second screening.

(Internal monologue while waiting for Judi Trott to appear on Zoom): "You may have had a childhood crush on Maid Marion, but you're not 13 now. Don't say anything stupid." (Actual voice as Judi Trott appears on Zoom): "Oh, look! We're both wearing green jumpers!" www.theguardian.com/culture/2024...

Ahead of The 80s: Photographing Britain exhibition which opens at the Tate on Thursday, Charlotte Jansen and I each spoke to five of the photographers whose work is included.