Me: ‘I came home bruised and bloody more times than not. We built huts and had fights and rolled down stone filled fields. Talked myself out of a stabbing many a weekend. My partner who grew up in a nice part of London: ‘and that’s an aspiration for our child?’ Me: …’well now that you say it..’

Had a conversation, in spoons of course, with mates of mine about how any kids of ours growing up would have vastly different lives to us due to class and location. Basically, if they’re ashamed, then we’ll have failed.

True credit to the families here, who just refused to be fobbed off and pushed for a proper investigation into the state failures that led to tragedy

Good article that tracks with personal experience over the last ten years of teaching.

Had a coffee in Spoons with a mate recently and they’re trying to reduce their news consumption to a newspaper every Sunday over breakfast. Just because of the amount of pure muck we see online every single hour of each day.

Here's this year's first big charity push, pals. I'm running the Leeds Half in May in support of @mariecurieuk.bsky.social and in memory of my lovely mum-in-law Sue, who so sadly died this month. It's an amazing charity. Throw all your spare money my way, please. www.justgiving.com/page/richard...

They see us as batteries?

It was evil and wrong what we did to students over the pandemic. We shouldn’t have closed unis and the scenes in Manchester were a disgrace. But this isn’t feasible. Decisions were made, bad ones. Die were cast, bad ones. Is what it is. Only thing we can do is plan better for the next hell we find.

It’s the same picture

@deargodwhatnow.bsky.social had an idea about a mafia guy. Not sure why or how but I decided to write that up into a short scene. Now forms part of my 10 minute writing challenges. Here’s mickegan1.wordpress.com/2026/02/21/f...

Mate Chris is an absolute gent and well deserves this. Please do follow him and read his work. It’s also 2026 and he’s freelance so hire him too.

Morning

Shot and chaser

Progression of the day by reading and drinking, but not location.

Simple pleasures in Spoons and reading @anooshc.bsky.social

Bedford Council, apparently

Morning, half term edition. I’ve spent most of it working

We are so cooked bro

The spot is an underrated social grace. I’ve been skint recently, mates have helped me out. Same mate is out of work, I’m doing okay at the mo, so it’s my turn. Not deep this post, but it’s something I like, and not sure appreciated by those who’ve never been without. Or maybe I’m being naive.

Key thing the Left needs to recognise is too many on the Right are venal, sleighs, craven, vicious conmen. And they’re terrifyingly good at politics.

Head banging? Have the fear? Go to your local place of reverence and sit and have tea with the very surprised, if pleasantly so friend who didn’t think you were serious about helping out when you were 6 into your cups the evening before. Theh, down 3 coffees and have a dog walk with more old friends

We should be tbf.

Reform in 29

It just wasn’t meant to be like this. This government will I think have a lot of things in its legacy that we don’t see now, but they just don’t get how disappointed and how disgusted people are at their incompetence and venality.

I do find myself getting increasingly radicalised on stuff like this. The government has just shown no interest in holding its allies accountable, regardless of their behaviour, particularly when it comes to those committing misogynistic violence.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6mR... There’s a firefighter that green screens himself into this show to demonstrate how so much of what they say is both insane, and actively harmful. Rob Lowe starred in it. It’s on season 9.

Self preservation instincts of a moth and less self awareness than a whelk that one

Thing is everything is 50% more expensive than it was 5 years ago what we’re used to things bring 5% more expensive every 7 years.

Love pub. Hate bookies. Love helping down the church nd local park. Proper live like.

@deargodwhatnow.bsky.social the beacons are lit!

Tried this with 6/7. The kids are delighted each time I do it and now insist I do it at least once a lesson. Help.

Unrelentingly grim how these traitors are determined to destroy the US piece by piece.

Reminds me of a mate who posted Springsteen’s ‘41 shots’ on a friends birthday as they presumed it was a drinking song.

If I haven’t followed you back, you’re amazing, but I’m very boring, and I cull worse than the famine.

Honestly thought this show had died years ago.

Morning Rich

God he wants to be so hard doesn’t he?

We need to start charging people who refuse to escalate concerns like this. To brush away parents with no review, and apparently no supervision of the relevant staff is utterly shameful. The fact he used iPads that belonged to the nursery’s shows his brazenness and lack of care to the children.

With some very good lads this evening @jamesrball.com @columnist.bsky.social @tpgroberts.bsky.social amongst many others. Thank you @t0nyyates.bsky.social

Again, next question needs to be: ‘well you’ve been made aware now. Is this corruption acceptable?’

Really don’t think enough political elites get how utterly vile abusing children is. Any normal person becomes rabid at even the idea of children being hurt. But senior politicians? Ah sure it’s no big deal.

So much has been tilted towards workers and, this is bizarre for me, I really don’t think the lack of threshold for ballot action is at all a good thing. But it’s a major change! And if you’re going to do it, act proud. Or scrap it if you think it’ll harm more than do good.

So they’ve kept the syphilitic Admiral, because all the other ambitious captains are infected with varying degrees of the same disease? And I’ve seen they’ve had to shoot another Lord.

His supporters are stupid enough to believes tho, but enough of them hate him too much to make a difference

See them also call for more children while limiting any opportunity to allow women flexible working conditions.

Both of them sauntered onto the bus buzzing to see eachother. Like this is the best part of their day clearly, to see each other first thing.

Two cracking young men on the bus today: ‘Good morning, how are you btw. I forgot to say that’ ‘It serves no purpose anyway (could hear the size of the smile on the kids face when he said that) (Big over the top gesture). ‘Get to the point am I right?’ (X2 due to how much they both enjoy this).

Under discussed element of dying nightlife in the capital is the huge drop in bus users in the last half decade or so. @londonermag.bsky.social reports a 23% drop in ridership. So more car users, fewer opportunities to have a pint further afield. Make sense, sadly, as buses are getting worse.