Bill Bailey is auctioning his rather good drawings of swifts, to raise money for conservation
Auction for Bill Bailey’s swift drawings
We’ve got swifts around where we live. They are lovely to see flying around…but they make a horrible racket when they’re not
It’s very hot in The Shire today
I’m wondering whether it’s better to read a book set somewhere else hot, or somewhere cold in such conditions
Olivia Rodrigo introduced Robert Smith of The Cure as “perhaps the best songwriter to come out of England”.
Must have had a touch of sunstroke.
winding — day 29 of the #mbjune photoblogging challenge
A slightly winding path at Hengistbury Head, at the start of the Bournemouth half marathon. It doesn’t really have anything to do with the Juteish Hengist
Micro.blog challenge word for day 28: “ephemeral” #mbjune
According to the signs this is an “ephemeral pond”. At the time I took the photo it was more ephemeral then pond
📷 #mbjune Day 27: Collective 2 photos
The plaque is from Magna Carta. The barons collectively got King John to accept limits on his power. It wasn’t #NoKings , but it was a start
The slightly knackered signposting features the NHS logo. The NHS is marvellous, and it was made by collective action


I’m still watching Endgame in Ireland, and it struck me that building the peace process involved subtlety, emotional intelligence, occasional tactical dishonesty and just hard work, over many years
I can see why Mr Trump is getting a bit sweary
Endgame in Ireland, Series 1: 1. Bomb and the Ballot Box - BBC iPlayer
decay — day 25 of the micro.blog june 2025 photoblogging challenge 📷
You can just about see that there was a Led By Donkeys poster here
I’m watching Endgame in Ireland. It’s excellent.
Endgame in Ireland, Series 1: 1. Bomb and the Ballot Box - BBC iPlayer
I just created a time-shifted version of a podcast.
I got the rss feed - https://feeds.megaphone.fm/GLT4787413333
Then mucked about a bit with it in vim
:%sort
:%s/<Enclosure url="//
:%s/?..*//
…then pasted the list of mp3’s into Create a Podcast | Fourble
This gives me a feed for the podcast beginning at the beginning - The Rest is History (Goalhanger) podcast | Fourble
I’m not yet sure if it will be in the right order :)
I was talking to someone about a film the other night, but I couldn’t remember what it was called
I’ve remembered the name of the film now, but I can’t remember who it was I was talking to
Day 22 Day of the Micro.blog photo challenge - hometown
This is the High Street Gate of the Cathedral Close. I think I’d been running when I took the photo, which might explain why it’s a bit wonky
Day 21 of the Micro.blog photo challenge - silhouette #mbjune
I took this at a (London) tube station - you can probably guess which one!
I was pleased to learn that Marc Bolan was a nice bloke and that Bowie had a stupid sense of humour
Rick Wakeman in Mojo magazine
One week you were so skint that Marc Bolan asked you to play piano glissandos on Get It On, just so you could get the session fee?
He did. I was nine quid short on my rent, so I went in to do Get It On. He said, “All I want is… when I nod at you, do a gliss.” After, I said, You could have done this. He said, “You needed your rent. I could have lent you the nine quid, or given it to you, but you wouldn’t have taken it.” I loved Marc. All the guys around Trident Studios were absolutely fantastic.
Later, I got a call from Tony: “I’m at Trident Studios with Gus Dudgeon and David Bowie. David desperately wants the mellotron to go with the other strings, and nobody can keep the effing thing in tune.” So I walked into Trident and met David for the first time. He said, “Gus and Tony say, for you, this is a piece of cake. Ever played a piece of cake before?”
Day 19 of the Micro.blog photo challenge — equal
This stone is about a mile from where I live. It’s beneath Old Sarum, and marks the fact that until the Great Reform Act, Old Sarum (population: 3 people and a dog) returned two Members of Parliament, whereas Manchester returned none. #mbjune


Of all of the good days of the year, fixture list day is one of my favourites.
A day of hope and optimism, of innocence and expectation
Every Premier League player saying their own name, twice
The Chelsea players start at about 21minutes
(‘recommended’ on The Rest is Entertainment podcast)