Ben Southwood

Full Post List

Nov 20, 2024: Might give focus modes and calendar blocking another whirl to get over yet another lengthy period of procrastination.😐

Nov 20, 2024: Right then, I’m definitely going all in with growing my beard for the winter. Will I look homeless? Dashing? Dashingly homeless? Anything could …

Nov 19, 2024: Right then. Bluesky; I’m starting to get it now.

Nov 19, 2024: First dog walk in ten days after a pretty horrendous run of illness in the house. 🐕

Nov 19, 2024: There’s no snow here, bugger off!

Nov 18, 2024: Trying to grab a routine once it has fizzled out is something I’ll always struggle with. 😐

Nov 14, 2024: I think I have a sinus infection that’s making my tooth filling throb and pulsate. This is not conducive to my happiness.

Nov 13, 2024: Currently Reading: The Dog Sitter Detective Takes the Lead by Antony Johnston 📚

Nov 13, 2024: Finished reading: Men At Arms by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Nov 12, 2024: Fog really seems to be getting foggier of late.

Nov 12, 2024: My sinuses are doing that ‘raw throbbing pain’ thing.

Nov 12, 2024: Currently Reading: Men At Arms by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Nov 12, 2024: Finished reading: Nation by Terry Pratchett 📚

Nov 10, 2024: Jammy Burnley. ⚽️

Nov 8, 2024: All the Young Dudes - Pet Shop Boys Like this, nice cover version.

Nov 8, 2024: My lurcher is snoozing off a meal with his head nuzzled against my leg. I’m not a people person, but dogs are brilliant. 🐕

Nov 8, 2024: Nursed my daughter through a heavy cold this week, now she’s gone back to her day service and I have her lurgie. 🤧

Nov 6, 2024: Absolutely mental from Tyrone Mings.

Nov 6, 2024: Finally started on Season 25 last-night.📺

Nov 2, 2024: That Bigfoot Podcast. I have a longstanding interest in cryptozoology and adore this no-nonsense podcast about bigfootery. 🦑🎙️

Nov 1, 2024: Dollar Girl - OMD A cracking pop-song from one of their least-loved albums. ABBA-esque gorgeousness. 🎶

Nov 1, 2024: Currently Reading: Nation by Terry Pratchett 📚

Nov 1, 2024: Finished reading: Lords And Ladies by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Oct 31, 2024: It’s here. 😍📺

Oct 30, 2024: Currently Reading: Lords And Ladies by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Oct 30, 2024: Finished reading: Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley 📚

Oct 29, 2024: Currently Reading: Starve Acre by Andrew Michael Hurley 📚

Oct 29, 2024: Finished reading: Flock Horror (Dread Wood, Book 3) by Jennifer Killick 📚

Oct 28, 2024: Back To The Future Haven’t watched this classic in the longest time. 🍿

Oct 28, 2024: Currently Reading: Flock Horror (Dread Wood, Book 3) by Jennifer Killick 📚

Oct 28, 2024: Finished reading: The Masquerades of Spring by Ben Aaronovitch 📚

Oct 27, 2024: Pulp-Happy Endings🎶

Oct 26, 2024: Just finished a disappointing cup of coffee. ☕️

Oct 26, 2024: Gary Numan-Dream Corrosion (Live) I was obsessed with this on release. It’s odd to hear the tail end of Numan’s self-acknowledged wilderness years, …

Oct 23, 2024: No idea how we didn’t score that late chance. Hull 1-1 Burnley. ⚽️

Oct 23, 2024: Currently Reading: The Masquerades of Spring by Ben Aaronovitch 📚

Oct 23, 2024: Finished reading: Midnight Treasure by Piers Torday 📚

Oct 23, 2024: Erasure - Oh L’Amour My favourite Erasure song? Probably.

Oct 22, 2024: OMD - Live at the Liverpool Empire

Oct 22, 2024: Currently Reading: Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman 📚🎧

Oct 21, 2024: Finished reading: Small Gods by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Oct 21, 2024: It seems my recent NordVPN purchase and download may well be responsible for the missing emails. 💻

Oct 21, 2024: My first (as far as I know) experience with important emails disappearing who knows where? in Apple Mail. Company definitely sent them, but they’re …

Oct 20, 2024: Look at me using microhooks to customise my new blog, like a big-boy. 💻

Oct 20, 2024: Gutted for Wolves there.

Oct 19, 2024: Sheff Wed 0-2 Burnley. Good to see we haven’t forgotten how to score after all. ⚽️

Oct 18, 2024: Finished reading: The Wizards of Once: Twice Magic by Cressida Cowell 📚🎧

Oct 17, 2024: Doing some writing to this absolute beauty of a soundtrack. Killer Klowns From Outer Space

Oct 16, 2024: Had a delicious veggie quiche this evening. I live a dangerous and thought-provoking life, I really do. 🌱

Oct 16, 2024: I need more silliness in my social-media feeds.

Oct 14, 2024: My back is feeling a little better. Started my walk with the dogs and feared I’d made a terrible mistake, but slowly the pain and discomfort eased up …

Oct 14, 2024: Currently Reading: The Wizards of Once: Twice Magic by Cressida Cowell 📚🎧

Oct 13, 2024: My back has seized up. Not a fan of middle-age, walking like I have a stick clenched ‘twixt my bum-cheeks. 🍑

Oct 13, 2024: Watched the first episode of Time Bandits yesterday and enjoyed it. Knowing it’s now been cancelled doesn’t exactly fill me with a desire to fully …

Oct 13, 2024: Finished reading: Where the Dark Stands Still by A. B. Poranek 📚🎧

Oct 12, 2024: I’ve also set up another blog that I plan on using to show how I use Apple native apps and Ulysses to plan my writing. 💻

Oct 12, 2024: Right then. Now I’m back using Micro.blog as my primary hub, I’ll spend a few hours tomorrow making sure everything is up to date (reading list, etc). …

Oct 12, 2024: Such a beautiful serial is Fang Rock. Four is great, Leela hilarious, and the supporting cast play it beautifully. 📺

Oct 12, 2024: Watching Doctor Who ‘Horror of Fang Rock’. 📺

Oct 11, 2024: Cross-posting to Threads is now working for me, thanks for all the help Micro.blog.

Oct 11, 2024: The Double Tap gesture on Apple Watch 10 is beautiful. 💻

Oct 11, 2024: Might grow my beard long for the winter.

Oct 11, 2024: I don’t know why I keep drifting away from Micro.blog, the drama never takes long to unfold elsewhere. I look back at this place and appreciate the …

Oct 9, 2024: My AirPods Pro have give up the ghost.

Oct 2, 2024: Hibernation mode is kicking in. Putting on the chunk ahead of what’s likely to be a cold, hard, winter.

Oct 2, 2024: Does anyone else still use Apple Journal and are you also having issues since iOS 18? Mine won’t show Podcasts in ‘recents’. Generally it had ‘Morning …

Sep 26, 2024: Some photos of my dogs. 🐕

Sep 26, 2024: First proper autumnal day of the year. Cold, wet, and miserable. I have knitwear on and am toying with lighting a fire.

Sep 17, 2024: My Apple Watch is suffering horrendous battery drain since I updated it to 11 this morning. 💻

Sep 17, 2024: They’ve removed the Siri watch face on WatchOS 11. Not happy at that move. 💻

Sep 17, 2024: Delighted to see Reminders finally visible in the Calendar app with iOS 18. Apple may be slow, but they get there eventually. 💻

Sep 14, 2024: Right then. Dog walk in the drizzle, then Leeds v Burnley. ⚽️

Sep 13, 2024: Does anyone have a rough timeline for Threads in Ireland (and I presume the EU?) to join the Fediverse?

Sep 13, 2024: Just realised how much I miss this place.

Apr 28, 2024: A lovely walk with these two. 🐕

Apr 27, 2024: A typical Burnley game, mistakes costing us and poor finishing. That said a point and penalty at Old Trafford can’t be sniffed at. ⚽️

Apr 27, 2024: The genius of the Pound Shop Boys.

Apr 26, 2024: I think we’re dangerously close to bringing a third dog into our home. I might have to mute the animal rescue pages, I want to adopt all the dogs. 🥺🐕

Apr 24, 2024: Currently Reading: The Whisperwicks: The Labyrinth of Lost and Found by Jordan Lees 📚🎧

Apr 22, 2024: Finished reading: Winter’s Gifts by Ben Aaronovitch 📚

Apr 22, 2024: Again, having to Google how to do something that should be simple on an Apple device (deleting all downloads from Apple Music) shows that it’s an …

Apr 20, 2024: The Mighty Clarets give themselves an outside chance of Premier League survival. ⚽️

Apr 20, 2024: Just consumed a dreadful vegetarian breakfast. Rank. 🤢🌱

Apr 18, 2024: Currently Reading: Winter’s Gifts by Ben Aaronovitch 📚

Apr 18, 2024: My, quite frankly, promiscuous flirtation with whatever app looks pretty at any given time is stopping me from actually being productive. 💻

Apr 17, 2024: Finished reading: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 📚🎧

Apr 16, 2024: Currently Reading: Nation by Terry Pratchett 📚

Apr 15, 2024: Finished reading: Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Apr 9, 2024: Currently Reading: Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett 📚

Apr 8, 2024: Finished reading: Fear Ground (Dread Wood, Book 2) by Jennifer Killick 📚

Apr 7, 2024: Currently Reading: Fear Ground (Dread Wood, Book 2) by Jennifer Killick 📚

Apr 7, 2024: Finished reading: Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Apr 4, 2024: I’m starting to see the benefits of using Scrivener over Ulysses for my planned novels. Don’t get me wrong I still adore Ulysses, but once the way …

Mar 31, 2024: Hoping the upcoming week is more conducive to garden work. 😐🌱

Mar 29, 2024: Currently Reading: Reaper Man by Terry Pratchett 📚

Mar 29, 2024: Finished reading: A Mind Full of Murder (Skulduggery Pleasant, Book 16) by Derek Landy 📚

Mar 28, 2024: Currently Reading: A Mind Full of Murder (Skulduggery Pleasant, Book 16) by Derek Landy 📚

Mar 28, 2024: Finished reading: The Dog Sitter Detective by Antony Johnston 📚

Mar 21, 2024: The new ‘Ghostbusters’ is receiving woeful reviews. Was planning on seeing it, but might wait until it’s on streaming. 📺🎥

Mar 19, 2024: Currently Reading: The Dog Sitter Detective by Antony Johnston 📚

Mar 19, 2024: Finished reading: Doctor Who: Rose (Target Collection) by Russell T Davies 📚

Mar 17, 2024: What. A. Game!

Mar 16, 2024: Burnley win a game! ⚽️

Mar 15, 2024: Currently Reading: Doctor Who: Rose (Target Collection) by Russell T Davies 📚

Mar 15, 2024: Finished reading: Hell Breaks Loose (Skulduggery Pleasant) by Derek Landy 📚

Mar 15, 2024: My health hasn’t been the best of late, nothing serious but enough to warrant me needing to hit a reset button of sorts. Bad diet, not enough exercise …

Mar 11, 2024: My girl Leela joined our family five years ago today. Despite her bravado, she’s still that scared little girl that hid under the table. 🐕

Mar 10, 2024: West Ham v Burnley. Not confident. ⚽️

Mar 8, 2024: And Apple autocorrect is adding random words and letters again, terrific. 💻

Mar 8, 2024: Just when I dip my toes back into Ulysses for writing, for the first time since I started using it the app is glitching. I’m not losing anything, but …

Mar 6, 2024: Currently Reading: Hell Breaks Loose (Skulduggery Pleasant) by Derek Landy 📚

Mar 6, 2024: Finished reading: Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Mar 3, 2024: Well the performance was there, but same old otherwise. ⚽️

Mar 3, 2024: A few hours footy, then a bit of cleaning.

Mar 3, 2024: Right then Burnley, a win please. ⚽️

Mar 2, 2024: I’m neglecting this place of late through no other reason than I’ve gotten out of the habit. 😐

Feb 24, 2024: Oh, Burnley. What a terrible season. ⚽️

Feb 23, 2024: My wife has brought me Leffe 0% home, haven’t tried this one before. Given how nice the original is, not to mention the relatively high alcohol …

Feb 22, 2024: Trying to get back into a regular walking routine with my best-friends. 🐕🏃🏻

Feb 21, 2024: Having a dig around Scrivener again. No idea why, as I love Ulysses, but I stilll have that nagging doubt in the back of my mind that I’m missing out …

Feb 19, 2024: Currently Reading: Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 📚

Feb 19, 2024: Currently Reading: Moving Pictures by Terry Pratchett 📚

Feb 19, 2024: Finished reading: Dread Wood (Dread Wood, Book 1) by Jennifer Killick 📚

Feb 14, 2024: Watched the first episode of ‘Foundation’ last-night and found it hard-going. 📺

Feb 13, 2024: Finished ‘Silo’ yesterday, after ‘Severance’. Thinking either ‘For All Mankind’ or ‘Foundation’ next. Apple TV has some corking series. 📺

Feb 12, 2024: Seeing as the kids are off school this week (I’m sure they’ve only just gone back) I think I’ll spend my time decluttering.

Feb 9, 2024: Currently Reading: Dread Wood (Dread Wood, Book 1) by Jennifer Killick 📚

Feb 9, 2024: Finished reading: Eric by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Feb 8, 2024: Does anyone have any experience with the Starling hub? Sounds a bit too good to be true to get Google Nest products working in HomeKit. 💻

Feb 6, 2024: Still liking the feel of Apple’s Journal app, particularly the way it pulls in Activity, Podcasts, Music, etc. Find it a little irritating that it …

Feb 6, 2024: Making a concerted effort to get my health back on track again. Put on a stack of weight, lots of overeating due to boredom and poor mental health. …

Feb 6, 2024: Currently Reading: Infinity Son by Adam Silvera 📚

Feb 6, 2024: Finished reading: Best Nerds Forever by James Patterson 📚

Feb 4, 2024: Haven’t been spending a lot of time on Micro.blog recently, which I’m beating myself up about because I started the year with such high aims. Nothing …

Feb 3, 2024: Apple products are fantastic until something so irritating that it makes me want to gnaw my arm off falls through the gap. 💻

Feb 1, 2024: Currently Reading: Eric by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Feb 1, 2024: Finished reading: The Vile Desire to Scream by Oisín McGann 📚

Jan 31, 2024: Liking the new Ulysses widgets. 💻

Jan 27, 2024: Currently Reading: The Vile Desire to Scream by Oisín McGann 📚

Jan 27, 2024: Finished reading: Relight My Fire by C. K. McDonnell 📚

Jan 27, 2024: Finished watching ‘Severance’ last-night. What a magnificent show. 📺

Jan 25, 2024: Trying to wrap my head around how I can use the new Micro.blog premium feature.

Jan 25, 2024: Currently Reading: Relight My Fire by C. K. McDonnell 📚

Jan 24, 2024: Finished reading: Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Jan 23, 2024: Lost electricity for 24-hours due to the storms, only came back on 10pm last night. So I’m behind with planned posts (weekly update and a book …

Jan 19, 2024: Still farting around with my desk setup. 😐

Jan 18, 2024: Currently Reading: Guards! Guards! by Terry Pratchett 📚

Jan 18, 2024: Finished reading: Stitch by Padraig Kenny 📚

Jan 18, 2024: I’m going to give running with my dogs another whirl. I miss my 5km jaunts with my terrier, since our lurcher joined us they fell away due to his …

Jan 17, 2024: This is the most discombobulating time of year. 😐

Jan 17, 2024: Micro.blog is the right place to ask this. Is using my iPhone as a webcam as good as buying a separate camera? 💻

Jan 15, 2024: I posted a photo of a sheep skull last week, I think more bones may be sitting in the overgrown corner of the garden. My lurcher laughed at my attempt …

Jan 14, 2024: Moved a tonne of bark mulch before lunch, now watching the football. 🌱⚽️

Jan 12, 2024: Burnley v Luton in a couple of hours. But gutted about this one, it was moved from Saturday to the Monday, so I had to cancel my trip, then moved to …

Jan 10, 2024: Currently Reading: Stitch by Padraig Kenny 📚

Jan 10, 2024: Finished reading: Lockwood & Co: The Empty Grave by Jonathan Stroud 📚

Jan 9, 2024: I’ve let my health slide this past year or so, really need to get back on top of things. Don’t want to be that wheezing middle-aged man, grunting when …

Jan 7, 2024: Can I pick your brains? Best series to watch on Apple TV+? I like weirdness, sci-fi/fantasy based. Have a few series earmarked, but no idea which one …

Jan 7, 2024: This might explain what the dogs have been interested in at the top corner of our garden.

Jan 5, 2024: Currently Reading: Lockwood & Co: The Empty Grave by Jonathan Stroud 📚

Jan 5, 2024: Finished reading: Lockwood & Co: The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud 📚

Jan 3, 2024: Currently Reading: Lockwood & Co: The Creeping Shadow by Jonathan Stroud 📚

Jan 3, 2024: Finished reading: Lockwood & Co: The Hollow Boy by Jonathan Stroud 📚

Jan 3, 2024: Weird ‘Find My…’ glitch. My wife’s location is static at ‘home’ and has been counting down for a few weeks now (currently ‘in 10 hours’). She is to …

Jan 3, 2024: My dogs have found some fox poo in the garden. At the time of writing I have not located said shizzle. 🐕

Jan 2, 2024: Grimwood — Attack of the Stink Monster! By Nadia Shireen. The third in the incredibly silly Grimwood series sees our heroes hunting for a smelly Bigfoot who is loitering with presumably horrid intent around …

Jan 2, 2024: My replacement Nanoleaf Shapes controller is on its way. I’ve missed using it. 💻

Jan 1, 2024: Finally added a bit more information to my blog today. 😐💻

Dec 31, 2023: Watching ‘Elvis - Aloha From Hawaii’ Peak Presley. 🎶📺

Dec 31, 2023: Year in books for 2023 Here are the books I finished reading in 2023.

Dec 31, 2023: I think I’m going to give Veganuary another whirl this January. 🌱

Dec 30, 2023: Villa 3-2 Burnley. Late penalty by Villa to secure the win, but a strong performance from the mighty Clarets. Still think we’ll go down, but at least …

Dec 29, 2023: Beard trimmer attachment brain fart. 🦍

Dec 28, 2023: Currently Reading: Lockwood & Co: The Hollow Boy by Jonathan Stroud 📚

Dec 28, 2023: Finished reading: Grimwood 3 by Nadia Shireen 📚

Dec 28, 2023: It’s a full-time job trying to keep up with reading/TV/movies/podcasts. I know it sounds pathetic, but it starts to overwhelm me at times and I end up …

Dec 28, 2023: I’d like to thank past me for having the foresight to take a picture of the Nest Protect QR code. Well done that man, I’d have definitely fallen …

Dec 27, 2023: Sad news about Bill Granger. I have a few of his cookbooks and they are gorgeous.

Dec 26, 2023: Burnley 0-2 Liverpool. Not unexpected, but we could have made life a lot more difficult for them at times. ⚽️

Dec 25, 2023: A nice Christmas so far. Good vegetarian food, surprisingly palatable alcohol-free fizz. Winding down until the new ‘Doctor Who’ now. 📺🌱

Dec 25, 2023: Got a fancy M&S cardigan for Christmas. Feel like a male model.

Dec 25, 2023: Currently Reading: Grimwood 3 by Nadia Shireen 📚

Dec 24, 2023: Finished reading: The Shop of Impossible Ice Creams by Shane Hegarty 📚

Dec 24, 2023: Go on then. I’ll cave.

Dec 23, 2023: Eddie Howe will be sacked in January, I feel. ⚽️

Dec 23, 2023: Fulham 0-2 Burnley. Did not see that coming. ⚽️

Dec 23, 2023: Butterflies seem popular for app icons.

Dec 22, 2023: Currently Reading: The Shop of Impossible Ice Creams by Shane Hegarty 📚

Dec 22, 2023: Finished reading: Pyramids by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Dec 20, 2023: I’m quite liking Apple’s Journal app. I know Day One is better, but as it goes for fast documentation of things I’ve been doing during the day, it’s …

Dec 19, 2023: I wish I had more confidence in tinkering with my blog. I mean, the worst that can happen is I mess it up and some kind soul advises me how to fix it. …

Dec 19, 2023: A gorgeous kestrel just landed in our garden, but typically my camera was in another room.

Dec 18, 2023: Could any kind person on Micro.blog please explain in simple terms what a ‘Webring’ is?

Dec 18, 2023: Managed to add ‘Countries Visited By’ to my blog. Proud of myself.

Dec 17, 2023: I enjoyed Wonka. A big soppy hug of a film, zero of the darkness that the Gene Wilder and later Johnny Depp version had, but that’s OK - it’s just not …

Dec 17, 2023: Finished reading: The PARA Method by Tiago Forte 📚

Dec 16, 2023: Absolutely bullied by Everton. ⚽️

Dec 16, 2023: Tough game ahead for the Clarets. Can’t see a win on the cards, Dyche teams are notoriously stubborn. ⚽️

Dec 15, 2023: Finished reading: Zen: The Art of Simple Living by Shunmyo Masuno 📚

Dec 15, 2023: If there’s anything better than the affection of a dog, I’m yet to find it. 🐕

Dec 15, 2023: Currently Reading: The PARA Method by Tiago Forte 📚

Dec 14, 2023: They are. That’s good.

Dec 14, 2023: Are accounts I blocked on Insta automatically blocked on Threads?

Dec 14, 2023: Taking my youngest to see ‘Wonka’ on Sunday. Have heard mixed reviews, so we’ll see. 🍿

Dec 14, 2023: Final thought (for today) on Threads; it’s the most likely to replace Twitter given the existing base of users. Not perfect, but neither was Twitter …

Dec 14, 2023: Threads is already irritating me. Glad to get clarification rather than supposition on that, however. 💻

Dec 14, 2023: Threads app is kind of there, but isn’t; at least for me. Stuck in a loop of trying to set up an account, with no sign of the app in store yet. I’ll …

Dec 13, 2023: My terrier has a very naughty bottom. 🐕

Dec 12, 2023: Currently Reading: Pyramids by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Dec 12, 2023: Finished reading: Lockwood & Co: The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud 📚

Dec 12, 2023: Well, Apple’s Journal app certainly has scope for improvement, doesn’t it?

Dec 10, 2023: I checked my micro.blog posts from a Mastodon account and it still shows an old profile picture. The bio I updated today is showing there as saved. Is …

Dec 10, 2023: There’s been a tornado 20km up the road. Totally normal weather for Ireland.

Dec 10, 2023: Front page of my iPhone and iPad. Pretty similar apps really, though I’m trying to keep both devices separated in terms of usage. Particularly happy …

Dec 9, 2023: Doctor Who was brilliant. An unexpected happy ending for The Doctor. 📺

Dec 9, 2023: Brighton 1-1 Burnley. Good point, backs to the wall performance against a strong team. James Trafford a colossus. ⚽️

Dec 9, 2023: Brighton 0-1 Burnley at half-time. Tough, tough, game but we’re due some fortune. ⚽️

Dec 9, 2023: Can’t get this song out of my head. Struttin’ - Thumpasaurus🎶

Dec 8, 2023: Currently Reading: Lockwood & Co: The Whispering Skull by Jonathan Stroud 📚

Dec 8, 2023: Finished reading: Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Dec 8, 2023: I love the omg.lol community, but I’m not using it with just under one month left on my subscription. Truth be told, I don’t think I’ve fully got to …

Dec 6, 2023: Finished reading: The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud 📚

Dec 3, 2023: On a whim, after a long time, I’ve resubscribed to Fantastical. 💻

Dec 2, 2023: I never doubted you for a moment Burnley. ⚽️❤️

Dec 2, 2023: Burnley 2-0 Sheff Utd H/T. Utd down to ten men. Don’t mess this up Clarets!⚽️

Dec 2, 2023: There’s snow due at 09:00hrs apparently.

Dec 1, 2023: Been foraging for snacks for several weeks now ahead of my winter hibernation.

Nov 29, 2023: I’m going to give the Apple ‘Focus’ modes another whirl, I think. 💻

Nov 25, 2023: Did quite well ignoring Black Friday emails. Only thing I treated myself to are some Lyre’s alcohol-free ‘spirits’.

Nov 23, 2023: ‘Black Friday’ is perhaps the handiest time to sort those newsletter subs out. From nowhere, a deal sent from a company you forgot existed. It’s been …

Nov 18, 2023: I’m back from the talk. Still digesting large parts of it.

Nov 18, 2023: I’m off to a presentation about energies at ancient megalithic sites later. Should be interesting.

Nov 17, 2023: Shane and I today. 🐕

Nov 17, 2023: Listening to Vince Clarke’s Solo Debut.

Nov 16, 2023: I’m toying with the thought that the only posts I’ll engage with anywhere outside of micro.blog are ones about dogs. Had a bad experience a while …

Nov 16, 2023: Operation ‘sneak tablet into dog’s food’ unsuccessful. He got more food, but little of the tablet. We are bereft of cheese, but I will win. 🐕

Nov 12, 2023: Red weather warning for this neck of the woods courtesy of the incoming Storm Debi. Schools are opening later due to the potential for injury. …

Nov 12, 2023: Currently Reading: Zen: The Art of Simple Living by Shunmyo Masuno 📚

Nov 11, 2023: A better performance by Burnley, but still three conceded. ⚽️

Nov 10, 2023: Was there an issue with Micro.blog yesterday, or is my WiFi up the pole?

Nov 9, 2023: The less twitter-y twitter becomes, the more twitter-y BlueSky becomes.

Nov 7, 2023: The Amazon ad with the sledging older ladies is really quite lovely.

Nov 5, 2023: Just watched Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark’s performance on ‘Jools Holland’ from last-night. 🎶😍

Nov 2, 2023: I’ve almost finished painting. The mess I’ve made is incredible.

Oct 31, 2023: I’m tidying before painting and can’t help but think I’ve made a huge mistake. The clutter. The absolute clutter I’ve managed to hoard, the hidden …

Oct 27, 2023: Current position. 🎶

Oct 27, 2023: What a gorgeous song. ABBA-esque. Look At You Now

Oct 27, 2023: New Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark album day! Bauhaus Staircase🎶

Oct 26, 2023: Premier League have moved the Burnley game I booked to attend, which has irritated me no end. ⚽️

Oct 20, 2023: If I could have one super power, it would be to communicate with my lurcher friend Shane. He’s so riddled with anxiety and trauma, even now, and I …

Oct 19, 2023: I have high hopes for NaNoWriMo this year. Maybe I’m a naive fool, but this time it feels different. 📝💻

Oct 18, 2023: Any Aeon Timeline users here? I’ve had it a little while, but thinking of diving in for fine-tuning NaNoWriMo. 💻📝

Oct 18, 2023: Although I’m trying to minimise the amount of social media I’m on, I am intrigued by the new Ulysses message board and have joined up. 💻

Oct 16, 2023: Had a filling (of the dental, not deli, kind) and my mouth feels weird.

Oct 15, 2023: Currently Reading: Wyrd Sisters by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Oct 15, 2023: Finished reading: Something Terrible Happened Last Night by Sam Blake 📚

Oct 14, 2023: I used to adore this daft film back in the eighties. Listening to the synth heavy soundtrack as I write and plan for NaNoWriMo. Killer Klowns From …

Oct 13, 2023: Well, the new ‘Frasier’ is by no means terrible; apparently it starts to take off four or five episodes in. 📺

Oct 12, 2023: Planning on doing NaNoWriMo again this year and have been setting things up in Ulysses. In a moment of curiosity I opened Scrivener and quickly …

Oct 7, 2023: A rare live televised game for the mighty Clarets.

Oct 7, 2023: I’m going to tinker with my blog this coming week, make the info more informative and posts more posty. 💻

Oct 5, 2023: Well late to the party (as usual) but I’m working my way through the ‘Uncanny’ podcast ahead of its TV debut in a week or so. Great listen for anyone …

Oct 3, 2023: Doofus face. 🐕

Oct 1, 2023: Currently Reading: Something Terrible Happened Last Night by Sam Blake 📚

Oct 1, 2023: Finished reading: Mort by Terry Pratchett 📚

Sep 30, 2023: Tried to fix the WiFi, made it worse and put it back exactly as it was again.

Sep 29, 2023: Listening to this today. While I think it’s fair to say that other British synth-pop bands have a stronger back-catalogue, there’s no other band quite …

Sep 29, 2023: Shane and Leela. 🐕

Sep 27, 2023: I haven’t forgotten about Micro.blog, I’m just distracted by squirrels again. 💻

Sep 25, 2023: Shane is sleeping. 🐕

Sep 24, 2023: I might not be running, but I’m getting the dog walks in. 1000km this year. 🏃🏻🐕

Sep 23, 2023: That ‘Doctor Who’ trailer. 😍📺

Sep 22, 2023: A day off from the dog-walk as both my babies seem to be under the weather. 🐕

Sep 21, 2023: Does anyone else have this rattling around their head at the moment?

Sep 20, 2023: There’s a horsefly in the house that has been torturing me all week. I hate it.

Sep 20, 2023: OMD tickets secured, too. 🎶

Sep 19, 2023: Off to see the wonderful John Grant in November. 🎶

Sep 16, 2023: Shane had a wash and trim yesterday. 🐕

Sep 15, 2023: Dropped the dogs to the groomers. All I could hear was Leela crying as I went to drive away. 🐕🥺

Sep 15, 2023: The ‘Frasier’ trailer doesn’t fill me with much hope. I hope I’m pleasantly surprised. 📺

Sep 12, 2023: Will try and pick up on the photo challenge today. My wife has Covid and had to drop my boy to uni, so just haven’t been online enough to get …

Sep 8, 2023: The new series of ‘Curse of Skinwalker Ranch’ started this week, so I’m going to catch up tonight. I know it’s television, I know it’s entertainment, …

Sep 8, 2023: 📷 Day 8. Yonder. #mbsept

Sep 8, 2023: My Discworld Odyssey.🦧 As I’ve posted before, I was late to the work of Terry Pratchett, namely his Discworld series, and am working through them in order. I enjoyed the …

Sep 8, 2023: Currently Reading: Mort by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Sep 8, 2023: Finished reading: Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Sep 7, 2023: Currently Reading: Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Sep 7, 2023: Finished reading: The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Sep 7, 2023: 📷 Day 7. Panorama. #mbsept

Sep 7, 2023: Too hot to walk the dogs. Where was this weather during the actual summer holidays? Every year when the schools start back, the weather is gorgeous.

Sep 6, 2023: 📷Day 6. Well. #mbsept

Sep 6, 2023: I’ve struggled with my weight since the initial lockdown, going from training for a marathon to elbow deep in a tube of Pringles. I think I’m finally …

Sep 5, 2023: The Stream Deck iPad app is great fun. 💻

Sep 5, 2023: Forgot to take a photo today while walking the dogs in an actual flippin’ forest - so had to improvise from my garden.

Sep 5, 2023: 📷 Day 5. Forest. #mbsept

Sep 4, 2023: The sun’s out.

Sep 4, 2023: 📷Day 4. Orange. #mbsept

Sep 3, 2023: 📷 Day 3: Precious. #mbsept

Sep 2, 2023: 📷 Day 02 : buildup #mbsept

Sep 2, 2023: Hoping for a first point or three for the mighty Clarets today. ⚽️

Sep 2, 2023: I am ruminating on cross-posting once again. I wish there was some simple solution, I know the Fediverse makes it ‘easier’ but it by no means means …

Sep 1, 2023: 📷 Day One: Abstract. #mbSept

Sep 1, 2023: Currently Reading: 42 by Kevin Jon Davies 📚

Aug 31, 2023: Seeing the state of that England squad, it’s no wonder I’ve lost interest in international footy. ⚽️

Aug 30, 2023: Sweet and sour crispy tofu tonight. My fingers smell like garlic and ginger, despite several hand washes. 🌱🍍🌶️

Aug 28, 2023: Thanks everyone who gave advice on rice cookers.

Aug 28, 2023: I’m thinking of buying a rice cooker, are they worth the money? I’m actually not bad at cooking rice on the gas hob but anything for an easy life. 🍚

Aug 27, 2023: I would appreciate it if my Fantasy Footy players stop getting injured or sent-off.

Aug 26, 2023: Trying to get the remainder of bark mulch down in the veg patch. I’m too pretty for manual labour. 🌱

Aug 25, 2023: Maybe I need to get their walk done, then head out when we get home from the trail? That means a 5km run straight after a 5km walk. I prefer running …

Aug 25, 2023: I am utterly racking my brains trying to work out how to get my running routine back on track. I used to run with my terrier, but since getting our …

Aug 25, 2023: Goodness knows, I’ve seen some rough times at the Turf over the seasons - I’ve earned basking in a bit of reflected glory. ⚽️📺

Aug 25, 2023: Also finished ‘Mission to Burnley’ documenting the fall and rise of my beloved Clarets. While I’m incredibly happy that I’ve made rural Ireland my …

Aug 25, 2023: I don’t watch wrestling these days, but I’m absolutely gutted at Windham ‘Bray Wyatt’ Rotunda’s passing at the age of 36. Took my son to see him …

Aug 24, 2023: There are so many channels and streaming platforms now, it’s impossible to keep up with everything. 📺

Aug 24, 2023: Finished the first series of ‘Only Murders in the Building’ last-night and thoroughly enjoyed it. What a clever, funny and warm programme it is. 📺

Aug 24, 2023: Got up at 6am, walked the dogs, breakfasted and relaxing with a coffee now. Good job, Benji. Good job. 😐🐕

Aug 23, 2023: Still, tomorrow is another day and all that. 😐

Aug 23, 2023: I’m kicking myself for not getting up at 6am to take the dogs out for their walk. 8am rolls around and I can’t help but think ‘I would have been back …

Aug 23, 2023: Bluesky is a rollercoaster. I’m not sure I like the direction it’s going after a nice few weeks, those little irritations that made Twitter an awful …

Aug 22, 2023: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Bauhaus Staircase

Aug 22, 2023: New Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song released at 19:00hrs tonight😍🎹🎶

Aug 18, 2023: Renewed my passport. Forgot they were now blue, reminded me to push on with becoming an Irish citizen.

Aug 18, 2023: For the first time in months, maybe years, I feel I’m approaching a state of being in control of my days rather than becoming overwhelmed with …

Aug 17, 2023: I’ve turned off cross-posting to Bluesky. I think I need to simplify matters and concentrate mostly on micro.blog until I get back into a blogging …

Aug 17, 2023: Going to spend the morning making a base curry sauce and garlic and chilli paste from The Curry Guy’s book. My fingernails are likely to be yellow for …

Aug 15, 2023: Up at 6am the past two mornings to get the dog walk done and dusted early doors. Horrible going out at that time, but great to get my exercise …

Aug 14, 2023: Soft Cell - Say Hello, Wave Goodbye - Live.

Aug 11, 2023: The excitement is building as Burnley’s return to the Premier League begins with the visit of Man City tonight. I am positively bubbling over with …

Aug 11, 2023: Going to take a break from procrastinating today and upgrading to some good old ‘mooching’. 😐

Aug 10, 2023: After the avocado unpleasantness yesterday, my label printer is playing up. Why do you mock me, life?! Why?!

Aug 9, 2023: We planted multiple fruit trees many years ago and I’ve pretty much left them alone, more through laziness than design. Anyway just had a plum, my …

Aug 9, 2023: Shane the lurcher had another wobble this morning and hid, shaking, in the garden. Leela the terrier and Shane managed to escape the garden last night …

Aug 9, 2023: Underripe avocados are one of the most frustrating things in life. Middle class problems, I know.

Aug 7, 2023: Squeaky wheelbarrow, laughing at my attempts at manual labour. 🌱

Aug 6, 2023: Decided to bite the bullet and book a ticket for a Burnley game. Most home games are sold out already, but I found a solitary ticket for Luton in …

Aug 6, 2023: One of the all-time classic penalty shootouts. ⚽️

Aug 5, 2023: And now it’s raining. 😂

Aug 5, 2023: Unlike the rest of Ireland, the next few days are promised dry here. I have three tonne bags of bark mulch to tidy up the paths around the raised …

Aug 4, 2023: Will this procrastination never end?😐

Aug 2, 2023: Seeing as I was in Roscommon town for an ENT appointment, I ordered in my own weight in Indian food to accompany me home. Stuffed now.

Aug 2, 2023: The weather can go cloud itself.

Aug 1, 2023: Nailed my passport photo.

Aug 1, 2023: Received a delivery of bark mulch and ended up having a 20 minute conversation about UFOs.

Jul 31, 2023: Our dishwasher broke and flooded the place a few days after the commencement of the first lockdown. We have just managed to get a new fully …

Jul 30, 2023: A successful beard trim. My moustache looks particularly perky.

Jul 29, 2023: Painting a room. Something anyone can do, or get a ‘proper person’ in? I’m clumsy, I’m impatient and despite giving the impression of being utterly …

Jul 28, 2023: One of the most enjoyable aspects of having a dog is aiming passive aggressive asides when one’s significant other is just within earshot. ‘Oh, the …

Jul 28, 2023: It’s great having my son home from university. The conversations we have!

Jul 28, 2023: Treated myself to some Nanoleaf lightstrips, but they don’t have the U.K./Irish plug with it. Because I’m in the E.U. and that’s the store I was …

Jul 28, 2023: Procrastination is incredibly time-consuming.

Jul 27, 2023: Had a manly morning buying windscreen wipers and then washing my car. I hate stereotypically ’male’ spaces, particularly when it has to do with cars …

Jul 26, 2023: Still decluttering. I have a Kilner jar problem, even though I haven’t bought one for years. One is never fully recovered, the urge lies there …

Jul 23, 2023: Turns out IKEA isn’t the place to head for relaxing ‘me’ time.

Jul 22, 2023: I’m a dog person, but just made friends with a lovely ginger cat at the garden centre.

Jul 21, 2023: Does anyone subscribe to MasterClass? Is it worth the money?

Jul 21, 2023: Twenty-two years married today.

Jul 20, 2023: We’re getting the kitchen cupboards repainted and everything is in boxes. I can’t find the marmite, nor the peanut rayu, so I’ve just had plain toast …

Jul 17, 2023: Kind of tempted to box it all up, stick it in the attic and leave it to future me to sort out.

Jul 17, 2023: Seems almost odd to go through my old DVD collection as I’m decluttering. The large majority of it is on streaming services, it’s just taking up space …

Jul 17, 2023: Got some samples for my increasingly disappointing Nespresso machine. Can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that caramel espresso tastes as terrible …

Jul 16, 2023: Fairly sure I didn’t ever have a mojito when I was drinking, but this is a gorgeous tasting alcohol-free tipple.

Jul 16, 2023: Just decluttered my dongle drawer. 💻😐

Jul 15, 2023: Ordered myself a new meditation cushion set. I plan on turning my back room, with writing nook, into a more peaceful space. Was planning on getting a …

Jul 14, 2023: Every now and again my anxious, trauma infused lurcher will have a little wobble and sit in the garden, refusing to come in. He did this often when we …

Jul 13, 2023: Going to make a vegetarian chilli this evening. Haven’t made one of those for ages. 🌶️🌯

Jul 13, 2023: Stopped feeling sorry for myself and got up at 6am to take the dogs up the local trail. Saw some hares, my arms are an inch or two longer after Leela …

Jul 10, 2023: I wish I’d stop beating myself up for ‘wasted days’. Genuinely not looking for any ‘U OK hun?’ responses, just a little reminder from myself to myself …

Jul 9, 2023: I think I’m going to knock Mastodon on the head, seeing as it’s so easy to keep track from Micro.blog and, in fact, I follow mostly the same accounts …

Jul 9, 2023: Finished reading: The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett 📚🦧

Jul 9, 2023: I love Apple’s Focus modes, but wish they were a bit more intuitive. 💻😐

Jul 8, 2023: Is anyone looking for a Bluesky invite code?

Jul 6, 2023: Replacement straw fedora has just arrived.

Jul 6, 2023: I dug my Nespresso machine out of storage and bought some pods from the local supermarket. The coffee is abysmal, so I’m trying an online place with a …

Jul 4, 2023: Micro.Camp sticker arrived today. Thanks @Jean.

Jul 4, 2023: Well I did my first yoga practice for around a year. Plenty of inadvertent grunting, farting and sweating - so like any other day since I last did a …

Jul 4, 2023: Going to do some yoga later this morning, the first time in around a year.

Jul 3, 2023: Tidying up is the worst. I refuse to do any more, ever.

Jul 3, 2023: Cross-Posting Blues. Cross-posting is becoming increasingly tricky to maintain. I follow some on Micro.blog and Mastodon , then factor in BlueSky and it seems to become …

Jul 3, 2023: Just had a lovely FaceTime with my mother’s forehead and her ceiling. #makingmemories

Jul 2, 2023: Managed to do the ‘Kudos’ button all on my lonesome. I’m a computerer genius and plan on hacking into the pentagon after lunch. 💻

Jul 2, 2023: Missing my Runs. I adore my walks with Leela and Shane, but my body misses my runs. I think Leela misses our runs, too. Shane, bless him, loves his sprints around the …

Jul 1, 2023: The laziest of lazy days. But that’s OK.

Jun 30, 2023: Took Leela the terrier to get her yearly vaccination. Somehow between getting her out of the car and going into the vets, I cut my thumb and bled …

Jun 29, 2023: Just inadvertently inhaled a fly up my right nostril. Do not try this at home.

Jun 29, 2023: www.rte.ie/news/news…

Jun 29, 2023: Orangutans can make noise similar to beatboxing - study

Jun 29, 2023: Stream Deck now optimised for iPad?🥹😍

Jun 29, 2023: Well, that’s better. 🐕

Jun 29, 2023: Son woke at 5am and started playing music loudly in his room. Tired, grumpy and hoping I stop being so soon.

Jun 28, 2023: I have a BlueSky invite going if anyone is still looking for one?

Jun 28, 2023: Placing Those Stickers. 💻📝 Bought some stickers for my MacBook Air that I, ultimately, couldn’t bring myself to use (aside from the ‘Don’t Panic!’ one I placed on the trackpad). …

Jun 27, 2023: The cable tidy box has arrived. It makes the MacBook stand a little cramped, so I’ll do away with it for a while. Patty the Sasquatch and the yeti …

Jun 27, 2023: I would like attention please, kind sir. 🐕

Jun 27, 2023: Up at 6am on a drizzly day to walk the dogs. My workout didn’t start properly, so by the social media code it didn’t actually happen. Came home to …

Jun 26, 2023: Currently Reading: The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett 📚 Feeling a bit ‘meh’ about reading at the moment, so am planning on purchasing and reading …

Jun 25, 2023: Finished reading: Finding My Voice by Aoife Dooley 📚

Jun 25, 2023: Stand down, I’ve ordered a cable tidy box. 😐💻

Jun 24, 2023: I’m overthinking cable management again. 😐💻

Jun 24, 2023: Micro.blog seems like the right place to ask about cable management (filth!). Despite being a small space, my writing area is getting untidy looking …

Jun 23, 2023: It’s incredibly warm again.

Jun 23, 2023: Safari bookmarks sorting, take two.

Jun 22, 2023: Well I finally got all my Apple devices syncing in Safari, but lost a load of research and ideas that were on my iPad. I swapped from Google WiFi to …

Jun 22, 2023: I tried to get clever with Focus modes and ended up overcomplicating matters, missing calls from a number I didn’t allow access, but not seeing the …

Jun 22, 2023: The most recent iOS beta update is glitchy as flip!

Jun 22, 2023: Sky News got Josh Gates, someone I admire greatly, on to talk about the missing sub.

Jun 21, 2023: I’ve tried every bit of advice to try and get my Safari reading list and bookmarks to sync, but have now given up. iPad Mini refuses to sync with …

Jun 20, 2023: Took my son to McDonald’s after his dental appointment, bought my usual double McPlant meal. My stomach has been in knots since, I’m putting it down …

Jun 19, 2023: Storms and Stuff. The day started with another power cut (I’m boring myself now, too) and at the time of writing the double espresso I consumed this afternoon is …

Jun 18, 2023: It’s a power cut, again…

Jun 18, 2023: Alright weather, we get it. You’re in a rainy mood.

Jun 18, 2023: While this is an awful and traumatic story, I find stuff like this fascinating. Woman who knocked on coffin at her own funeral dies.

Jun 18, 2023: Another power cut last night, which is why I was so late responding to people. Stayed in the living room with my lurcher for a while as my he was …

Jun 17, 2023: Will it be palatable? Will it taste like it’s been filtered through a tramp’s sock? Roll up, it’s alcohol free beer bingo! 🍺

Jun 17, 2023: Getting a few glitches now on the devices iOS17 is installed. Trying to sort out Focus modes and it’s all over the place.

Jun 17, 2023: One minute you’re taking your boy to Dublin so he can cheer on John Cena at a WWE event, the next he’s off to the same city with friends to watch a …

Jun 15, 2023: Wowsers.

Jun 15, 2023: Another storm on the way. 🌩️

Jun 15, 2023: how do you sleep? - LCD Soundsystem

Jun 15, 2023: Trying to digitise my kids’ old baby photos. 📸

Jun 15, 2023: I’m going to start using my omg.lol page, seeing as I pay for it and everything (not to mention how much I adore the community there). Checking out …

Jun 15, 2023: Man City at the Turf on the opening day of the Premier League. Of course it is. ⚽️😂

Jun 15, 2023: Managed to drag myself out of bed at 6am for the dog walk. It’s good to get it out of the way, but I’m not half tired.

Jun 14, 2023: Had quite a productive day. Learned that not all quotation marks are the same, cleared out DEVONThink, tidied up Notes and redownloaded Native …

Jun 14, 2023: That’s DEVONThink emptied, with hundreds of bits of information split between Notes, Safari (Bookmarks & Reading List) and photos in the Apple …

Jun 14, 2023: When there’s sausages cookin’ she always comes lookin’. 🐕

Jun 14, 2023: As much as I like my small working space, my recent urge to start doodling with music again proves tricky regarding the set up. 🎶🎹

Jun 14, 2023: Ugh, the storm has snapped a couple of fence posts around by the veg patch. Spent an obscene amount of time securing the netting with clips at the …

Jun 13, 2023: There’s the storm, then.

Jun 13, 2023: I might be in a position to take a weekend break in Europe this year. No idea if I’ll be able to afford, but it’s nice to look anyway. :-)

Jun 12, 2023: I’m going through my long abandoned DEVONThink and deleting/distributing everything I dumped in there over a couple of years. It’s mostly ideas and …

Jun 12, 2023: Ordered some new aromatic oils. Manly aromatic oils.

Jun 12, 2023: Up at 6am for the dog walk (again). There’s a mist sitting ominously around the hill, which usually means the day is going to be hot later on. Took a …

Jun 11, 2023: One, or both of the dogs got the thundering shitskies in the kitchen last night. It was like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, only not a world of pure …

Jun 10, 2023: Rain. 🌧️

Jun 10, 2023: Starting to get a little overwhelmed with everything I want to do, ending up doing absolutely nothing as a consequence. I’ve been here before, I’ll …

Jun 9, 2023: Readwise and Reader - Irreplacable? After cancelling almost every subscription in favour of the Apple ecosystem, I’m struggling to find a workflow to replicate the majesty of Readwise …

Jun 9, 2023: I think I’m on the cusp of finally streamlining my bits, bobs and email within the Apple ecosystem. Also, the farmer has been spreading slurry. 💻

Jun 9, 2023: The XXL hat is slightly too big. More developments as they happen…

Jun 9, 2023: A crow is cawing to its buddy in the neighbour’s garden. Now they’ve flown off together, the foghorning slowly fading away.

Jun 9, 2023: Hat roulette is on today. I have a huge cranium and hats generally look ridiculous on me, so most sit atop my noggin in a hilarious manner. Will the …

Jun 9, 2023: Got up at 6am and took the dogs out for a walk. Might make this a routine until the schools re-open, or I’ll struggle to get out. 🐕

Jun 8, 2023: ‘Once you’re in the beta, there’s no leaving. You’re our’s now.’

Jun 8, 2023: Aww no, R.I.P. The Iron Sheik. 😢

Jun 7, 2023: Another power-cut. Alone with my thoughts and 3G.

Jun 7, 2023: Ordered a load of geeky stickers for my MacBook Air. 💻

Jun 7, 2023: ‘If everyone on Micro.blog installed IOS17 Beta, then jumped off a mountain - would you do it too?’ ‘Yes. Yes I would.’💻

Jun 5, 2023: Apple better introduce this as an external screensaver for their headset.

Jun 5, 2023: I’m only taking occasional glances at the WWDC, but pleased to see Family Passwords on its way. Gave up 1 Password recently and this is one thing that …

Jun 5, 2023: Leela. 🐕

Jun 5, 2023: Shane the lurcher went for his morning poop when we went out for a walk, but got a clanker caught in his bum hair so I used some weeds to de-clank and …

Jun 5, 2023: Since around the time of Brexit/Trump things have got progressively muddy. Before that there were clear ‘sides’, ‘that person is definitely on the …

Jun 4, 2023: We might have plums this year. 🌱

Jun 4, 2023: My pretty Leela. 🐕

Jun 4, 2023: Shane, the anxiety ridden lurcher. 🐕

Jun 4, 2023: Insignificant things that irritate me:- any song that has ‘featuring…insert name here.’ I don’t know why, it just annoys me.🎶

Jun 4, 2023: Fallen back in to poor dietary habits this past week, combined with a lack of exercise due to the heat. Back on it from tomorrow.

Jun 3, 2023: Buddhism and Me. Watching Monty Don’s Japanese Gardens This episode concentrates mainly on Zen Buddhism and zen gardens. I awkwardly refer to myself as ‘an atheist …

Jun 3, 2023: This heat is going to be around another week or so. While I won’t complain about a hot summer, I would appreciate a little respite for an hour or two.

Jun 3, 2023: I’ve ordered a straw fedora. The model in the photo looks wonderful, I’m sure I will too. 🤠

Jun 2, 2023: Another Google Home update, still no support for Nest Protect. Oh, and it turned off all notifications for my doorbell as well, which is handy. Trying …

Jun 2, 2023: Polytunnel weather. 🌱

Jun 2, 2023: Dog walk, before it gets too hot. 🐕

Jun 2, 2023: I have a Bluesky invite code going if anyone wants it?

Jun 1, 2023: A bluebottle is bullying my lurcher.

Jun 1, 2023: Ron Mael is the greatest lyricist of all time. 🎶

Jun 1, 2023: Sparks - Nothing Is As Good As They Say It Is. 🎶

Jun 1, 2023: I love the sun.

May 30, 2023: Intermittently on my iPhone, the ‘New Post’ button that should be in the top right isn’t there. If I close the app it reappears. @manton

May 30, 2023: Insects are trying to pollinate the egg yolk festering in my moustache. 🧔🏻‍♂️

May 30, 2023: I don’t want to go all ‘Growing up, I only had four channels to watch…’ but how can one possibly watch and digest everything of interest? I suppose …

May 29, 2023: I’ve ordered pizza, because it’s been one of those days. One of those mornings anyway. I just want pizza, basically.

May 29, 2023: Walking ‘round the DIY store lip-syncing to Wham’s ‘I’m Your Man’. Manliness levels reached that haven’t even been written about.

May 29, 2023: In your face Spain!

May 28, 2023: Alcohol free gin and tonic in a veg patch approximately five weeds down. So that’s five less I have to pull over this coming week. 🌱

May 27, 2023: Penalties. ⚽️

May 27, 2023: Think I might have to do polytunnel stuff earlier in the day before it becomes too hot. 🌱

May 27, 2023: Coventry v Luton in the play-off final. Should be a good game this, no preference to who gets promoted but I think Luton will prevail. ⚽️

May 27, 2023: I’ve pulled up approximately 1,362 blades of grass. That’s enough for now. 🌱

May 27, 2023: Note to self :Polytunnels get hot in the midday sun.

May 27, 2023: Right then polytunnel, we’ll see just how much I can clear you before the play-off final starts. 🌱⚽️😐

May 27, 2023: Got the dog walk in early before the temperature rises. 🐕

May 26, 2023: Friday is my ‘Shove fattening food down my mouth-hole’ day and I am making the most of it.

May 26, 2023: After seeing @Vincent achieve ‘Inbox Zero’ (and my own quest to move away from Hey email) I’ve been digging a bit more in the iCloud Mail system and …

May 26, 2023: My dogs. 🐕

May 26, 2023: Is it possible to add ALT text to a photo after posting?

May 26, 2023: Shane the dog strikes again. 🐕

May 26, 2023: One of my favourite bands release their 25th album today. 🎶 The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte - Sparks

May 25, 2023: Posting this to try and bully myself into starting to clear what once was a beautiful vegetable patch and polytunnel. 😐🌱

May 25, 2023: It’s incredible how moving junk from one place to another just puts off the inevitable need to tackle said pile of crap. 😐

May 25, 2023: I’ve set up a new account on Mastodon. Same name, but @social.lol. Edit Worded awkwardly first time.

May 25, 2023: Although it’s nice to have it, I’m not sure the cross-posting from Micro.blog is doing anything other than confuse me. 💻😐

May 25, 2023: Gorgeous few days on the horizon, a great opportunity to get the veg patch and polytunnel cleared. So will I?🌱😐

May 24, 2023: First time in ages the pollen has made my eyes swell.

May 24, 2023: New Sparks album out this Friday. 🎶

May 24, 2023: Just found out that Soccer AM is finishing, for good, this Saturday. Essential viewing before the footy in the ‘90s. ⚽️

May 24, 2023: My face when I finally saw the ‘Include Replies’ tickbox on Micro.blog and actioned it. 💻

May 24, 2023: New Queer Eye on Netflix! Love that show. 📺

May 24, 2023: How come, when using various themes, some plug-ins work/show up immediately after installation and some don’t? 💻

May 23, 2023: Logic Pro is on my iPad Mini. 💻🎶

May 23, 2023: With the themes, and links to GitHub; is it pretty much expected that others will use it and make it their ‘own’? Is there etiquette to this? Probably …

May 23, 2023: I’m not sure I’ll keep it, mind, but it’s been a lot of fun anyway.

May 23, 2023: After my recent post about ‘finding the right blog look’ I got brave and had a tinker with one I liked. Loads of trial and error, and there’s one …

May 23, 2023: Logic Pro for iPad day!🎶💻

May 23, 2023: Shane the dog chewed the (unplugged) plug off my wife’s favourite lamp last night while she was away. I believe I’m in the doghouse now. 🐕

May 22, 2023: I treated myself to a(nother) HomePod Mini for the back room and have set them up as a stereo pair. I’m sure audiophiles would turn their noses up, …

May 22, 2023: Finished reading: Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman 📚

May 22, 2023: Mexican spiced feta and pea omelette that didn’t end up as Mexican spiced scrambled eggs. What majesty!

May 22, 2023: Leela’s face sums up what it’s like to be friends with a needy, hairy, bloke like me. 🐕

May 21, 2023: It’s been a polarising few years for the show, good to see everyone excited for the RTD return. 📺Doctor Who - 60th Anniversary Specials.

May 21, 2023: Helen of Troy - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark.🎶

May 20, 2023: Good to see the Apple Watch update has fixed the ‘Now Playing’ glitch. 💻

May 20, 2023: I’ll catch up on Micro.camp in a few days, my concentration is shot.

May 20, 2023: Are the Micro.camp sessions until ‘The State of…’ pre-recorded?

May 20, 2023: Had an erupting, voluptuous, chocolate eclair as a post-booster treat.

May 20, 2023: Might spend an hour or so refining the myriad of apps that sit, hiding, on my devices. 💻

May 20, 2023: I’m off for yet another Covid booster this afternoon as I’m classed as ‘vulnerable’.

May 19, 2023: Great few hours on micro.camp. Off to bed now.

May 19, 2023: Micro.camp ready.

May 19, 2023: Big thank you to Maique for the Bluesky invite. I’m there anyway and will see how grumpy it makes me. :-)

May 18, 2023: Is it worth learning a basic knowledge of programming to make my experience on Micro.blog a little easier? I often feel well out of my depth with …

May 18, 2023: I spent yesterday morning thinking it was Thursday and today we’re getting a new sofa delivered. If anyone tells you middle-age is boring, they’re …

May 18, 2023: My former colleagues at work thought I was a computer genius because I could switch a computer on. Reading some comments on here that are only vaguely …

May 17, 2023: Two great games on tonight. Decided to watch the Man City v Real Madrid game rather than the ‘Boro v Coventry play-off. ⚽️

May 17, 2023: The water is going to be off overnight so they can clean the reservoir, so I’ve just eaten a full takeaway veggie pizza. These things are definitely …

May 17, 2023: A smug faced, bearded, middle-aged man in a hat. I’ve used that as the post, and the ALT description.

May 17, 2023: My gardening year was threatening to fizz out before it had even started. The polytunnel and veg patch are still overgrown, but I potted on a few …

May 16, 2023: Enjoyed the Luton V Sunderland game. I was convinced that Sunderland would win the play-offs, but Luton were immense tonight. People look down their …

May 16, 2023: I posted a picture and added alt-text, but can’t see the text on the photo. Have I done something wrong?

May 16, 2023: Leela and Shane post walk. 🐕

May 14, 2023: Despite not being able to fit in running, my walks with the dogs are progressing well this year. 🐕🏃‍♂️

May 14, 2023: Watching the EFL Championship play-offs. Thought Sunderland looked good yesterday and they’re my tip to get promoted. ⚽️

May 14, 2023: Just a few, consecutive, dry days is all I ask.

May 13, 2023: Hannah Waddingham. 😍

May 13, 2023: Two hairy friends, just hanging out. 🐕

May 12, 2023: Does anyone use Arc Browser on here?

May 12, 2023: Sun’s out, frankly weedy guns out.

May 11, 2023: They’re slightly skewiff, but I love them. 📝💻

May 11, 2023: My Nanoleaf lights are being delivered today. Just the five hexagonal as it’s only a small area I need to place them.

May 10, 2023: Shane the dog. 🐕

May 10, 2023: Every time I remember that Google still hasn’t rolled out support for Nest Protect in the Google Home app, I get mildly cross.

May 9, 2023: ‘The Amazing World of Gumball’ is brilliant. It reminds me of those classic Cosgrove Hall cartoons of my childhood. Dramatic Moon.

May 9, 2023: I need to renew my British passport and apply for Irish citizenship.

May 8, 2023: If I were a wrestler, this would be my entrance music. 🎶Sparks - More Than a Sex Machine

May 8, 2023: ‘Hawk The Slayer’ is on telly. I know it’s a steaming pile of cack, but I loved that film as a kid. 📺📽️

May 7, 2023: Fair play Arsenal, I didn’t think they had that in them. ⚽️

May 7, 2023: Burnley News ⚽️. Great news for us Clarets. With the investment from JJ and Kealia Watt, it really seems like we have stepped up a level off the field as well.⚽️ …

May 7, 2023: Having gone ‘all in’ here, I’m starting to realise how few people actually stuck with Mastodon after the initial rush.

May 7, 2023: Garden stuff planned. Actually, I need to move beyond planning and actually start gardening. 🌱🌶️🍅

May 6, 2023: It’s big and camp and poppy, right up my street. Apparently Stephin Merritt’s love-letter to OMD (musically). 🎶The Magnetic Fields - Let’s Pretend …

May 6, 2023: I’m warming up some TGI frozen stuffed potato skins. Last time I had them, it was like eating a shoe insole covered in cheap cheese. Yum. 🥔🧀

May 5, 2023: A remix of one of my favourite songs. Quite like the way it puts the vocal to the forefront.🎶 Saturn 5 (High Energy Mix - Inspiral Carpets

May 5, 2023: And in that geeky news, I’ve ordered some Nanoleaf hexagons and plan on pretending my writing area is a Tardis. 💻📝

May 5, 2023: The world is not geared towards those with additional needs and frustrates those trying to communicate on their behalf. That said, when you speak to …

May 5, 2023: Manton wasn’t kidding about the length of time it takes to redirect a Mastodon account to Micro.blog.

May 5, 2023: The lurgie has entered my humble abode.

May 4, 2023: Reader by Readwise really is a nifty little app.

May 3, 2023: Having another go at creating a ‘Capsule/Minimalist Wardrobe’. I’ve given over most of our meagre storage to my wife, so space is limited. This is my …

May 3, 2023: Shane, my buddy. 🐕

May 3, 2023: My dog-walk audiobook companion for the next couple of weeks. Currently Reading: Good Omens by Neil Gaiman 📚

May 2, 2023: Bought a digital postage stamp for the first time. Old school with a twist.

May 2, 2023: Going back to Apple Music has bubbled up some old playlists and bands I’d not listened to for ages. Like this Greek synth-pop duo with a cover of a …

May 1, 2023: One of these seasons Everton will get relegated. This might be the one. ⚽️

May 1, 2023: Does anyone here subscribe to Apple One (the full shebang tier) and would they recommend? I know one chap I spoke to a few days back on here …

May 1, 2023: The quest to simplify/reduce the amount of apps and services I use will never fail to frustrate and gnaw at my very being. Maybe the endless reach for …

May 1, 2023: Procrastination Ruminations. Football (soccer here in Ireland, and the U.S., but it will always be ‘footy’ to me) season is almost over, so what will I procrastinate to now? Will …

May 1, 2023: I adore big, campy, beautiful songs. This is gorgeous. Child Star - Marc Almond

Apr 30, 2023: Working my way through @mattgemmell ‘s writing podcast and thoroughly enjoying.

Apr 29, 2023: Watching ‘The Curse of Peladon - Doctor Who’. 📺

Apr 29, 2023: Trying some new brands of alcohol free beer, Bud and San Miguel. Not impressed at all. :-/

Apr 29, 2023: Haven’t been to a gig for a while, these were all pre-Covid.

Apr 29, 2023: More synth-pop perfection. Pandora’s Box - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark.

Apr 29, 2023: I’m considering experimenting with modal scarves this summer.

Apr 28, 2023: Took me a couple of months to finish one book (which I enjoyed) and then a couple of days to finish the most recent.

Apr 28, 2023: Currently Reading: The Notorious Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud 📚

Apr 28, 2023: Finished reading: Love Will Tear Us Apart by C. K. McDonnell 📚

Apr 28, 2023: I also really wanted the purple suit he wore in the publicity photos.

Apr 28, 2023: I was obsessed with this album on release, now Almond has released his preferred version. By all accounts, the making of the album was fraught with …

Apr 27, 2023: Having Mastodon and Micro.blog is starting to confuse me now. Seems a bit unnecessary really, replying on here to Mastodon accounts, going over there …

Apr 26, 2023: Currently Reading: Love Will Tear Us Apart by C. K. McDonnell 📚

Apr 26, 2023: How, in the name of flip, did they not realise these were two different shoes when they packed them?

Apr 25, 2023: Burnley secure the title, at Ewood Park. Perfect. ⚽️

Apr 25, 2023: In middle-age news, I bought a merino wool hoodie I’ve been lusting after for months and it’s every bit as gorgeous as I dreamed.

Apr 25, 2023: Resubscribed to Readwise/Reader. There’s some apps that become invaluable, these are two of them. Seeing Micro Blog users talk about RSS feeds fired …

Apr 24, 2023: My new MacBook Air is on its way and I am planning my new setup in the tiny cubbyhole I write in.

Apr 24, 2023: Pulp - She’s A Lady.

Apr 24, 2023: Coming into my garden, eating my grass and taking my women.

Apr 23, 2023: Apparently the running shoes I bought deteriorated so rapidly ‘because they’re unsuitable for gravel’. OK.

Apr 23, 2023: It’s weird how often the Irish weather surprises me, given that it’s always unsurprising. Maybe I’m just dumb?

Apr 23, 2023: Despite deactivating Twitter yesterday, having not even looked at it since Christmas time or so, I still need to find that sweet spot for social media …

Apr 22, 2023: Why is food so delicious? Even rubbish food is delightful given the right circumstances.

Apr 22, 2023: Deactivated Twitter. I mean, I haven’t used it since Christmas - so why not?

Apr 21, 2023: Arsenal will Arsenal.

Apr 21, 2023: I haven’t so much as looked at Mastodon for months. Are MicroBloggers generally keeping things separate, or using one account for both? Must admit, …

Apr 21, 2023: I’m off to an Indian restaurant this evening. The only thing I miss about living in England is the excellent choice of Indian food and the ability to …

Apr 19, 2023: Late-ish to try, but the recent update to Ulysses with the ability to add sketches is very nice indeed.

Apr 17, 2023: I wish Apple wouldn’t dick about with things for the sake of dicking about.

Apr 15, 2023: I ate the whole pizza, with onion rings. I have the self-discipline of a toddler left unsupervised in a sweet shop.

Apr 12, 2023: My not-so-old MacBook Pro now starts only when it feels like it. Several goes at switching it on, seeing the error, trying again until it finally …

Apr 11, 2023: Technology doesn’t need my stupidity to help confound. I gave it a good go today in a moment of laziness.

Apr 10, 2023: I spoke too soon. If my MacBook was a dog, it would be sent to ‘live on a farm’ in the very near future.

Apr 10, 2023: Despite significant improvements with my MacBook since a total reset, it’s still a little laggy.

Apr 9, 2023: Might spend tomorrow morning sorting the spaghettified cables in my computer area. My MacBook Pro is truly banjaxed, so I’ll have to save up for a new …

Apr 7, 2023: Get. IN!!!!

Apr 7, 2023: So if Burnley win tonight, we’re promoted back to the Premier League. Come on you Clarets!

Apr 6, 2023: The older I get, the crankier I get about selfishness and rule-breaking. I am morphing into my hero Victor Meldrew.

Apr 5, 2023: Then factor in messages on my watch I just ignore. Things have improved massively since I’ve culled applications and email subscriptions. My Apple …

Apr 5, 2023: I’m trying to cut down on the amount of electronic clutter I receive. It’s insane how many emails I subscribe to that I don’t actually read.

Mar 31, 2023: My MacBook Pro is well and truly banjaxed. Can I hook up an iPad Mini 6 (which has a USB port for charging) to an external monitor? 💻

Mar 29, 2023: Pretty gutted about Paul O’Grady’s passing. Dog people are my people.

Mar 28, 2023: My cancelling of apps and seeing how I get on within the Apple ecosystem is nowhere near as traumatic as I thought it would be.

Mar 25, 2023: Synth pop perfection. The song that convinced Vince Clarke to go full on synthesiser. Almost - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Mar 25, 2023: Going to spend the weekend trying to make my Apple Watch less annoying. I exercise every day, be it a walk or (in the past anyway) a run a few times a …

Mar 24, 2023: My ‘Doctor Who - The Collection. Season 9.’ Blu-ray arrived this afternoon. 📺

Mar 24, 2023: My terrier barks so ferociously at anything that passes, she drops the most noxious farts in her state of anxiety. 🐕

Mar 24, 2023: Has anyone here stopped wearing an Apple Watch and gone back to a regular time telling only device? Any regrets?

Mar 23, 2023: Hey email really is beautiful, though. 😍

Mar 23, 2023: As much as I love Hey email, I’m not sure I can justify paying for it. I’m not a businessman and most of my emails are newsletters and receipts. My …

Mar 22, 2023: I put on a stack of weight after the initial lockdown, like many. Realised I’ve dipped in to bad eating habits again, namely throwing meals down my …

Mar 21, 2023: Oh, that incessant rain.

Mar 19, 2023: Further to the ‘procrastination’ post, I’ve been lazily refining apps while watching the footy. I’m edging very close to going ‘all in’ with the Apple …

Mar 19, 2023: I’m procrastinating again, need to get back to basics.

Feb 19, 2023: The longest period of procrastination. Anyway, I sowed some chillies and tomatoes today. 🌶️🌱🍅

Jan 25, 2023: As much as I love Ivory and Tapbots, I’m not sure I need Mastodon in my life at this moment in time.

Jan 24, 2023: Ivory is looking lovely, I have to say.

Jan 21, 2023: Currently Reading: How to Sit by Thich Nhat Hanh 📚

Jan 20, 2023: Shane the dog and I were the only ones up the local trail today. There’s still snow everywhere up there, he had great fun sniffing and snuffling.

Jan 15, 2023: I’m hoping next week will be the week where I manage to get some routine back in my life. Such a weird time of year anyway.

Jan 8, 2023: My eldest, Dylan, turns 21 today. I feel old.

Jan 7, 2023: Currently Reading: The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud 📚

Jan 6, 2023: ’The Satsuma Complex’ - Bob Mortimer. Review. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ An enjoyable novel debut proper from the delightfully daft Mortimer. It took a little while to get into the rhythm of the story, …

Jan 6, 2023: Finished reading: The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer 📚

Jan 6, 2023: Shane managed to escape the garden again. 🐕

Jan 5, 2023: 🎶Sailing on the Seven Seas - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Jan 4, 2023: The stickers arrived today, thank you very much. @Jean

Jan 4, 2023: Made some tofu scramble for the seven days ahead. I generally make a burrito with it, which has just been devoured. Vegan cheese, vegan cheese spread …

Jan 2, 2023: Swansea 1-2 Burnley. ⚽️

Jan 2, 2023: Watching this at the moment. I’ve had the DVD for a little while but it’s been sat in a drawer. Arthur C. Clarke’s World of Strange Powers.📺

Jan 1, 2023: Using Epilogue, does the ‘2023’ reading goals kickstart once I’ve finished that first book? I can’t see a way to add ‘2023’ on the existing page, just …

Jan 1, 2023: Currently Reading: The Satsuma Complex by Bob Mortimer 📚

Dec 31, 2022: I’ve registered with omg.lol. I hate both abbreviations ‘omg’ and ‘lol’, so I’m trying not to gnaw my hand off in agitation at being there.

Dec 31, 2022: Neu!-Lilac Angel🎶

Dec 31, 2022: The mighty Burnley F.C. go into the New Year top of the league and fourteen points clear of third place. ⚽️

Dec 30, 2022: Trying out Freeform after a few here have mentioned it. The app just crashed and lost my work, is this a regular occurrence? 💻

Dec 29, 2022: Things that scared Shane during our walk this morning:- a pug snorted in his face and a branch moved unexpectedly. 🐕

Dec 29, 2022: I’ve come to the realisation that my dogs are incompatible for walks together. They love each other so much, but with one moocher and one runner it’s …

Dec 28, 2022: Planning the veg patch. 🌱

Dec 28, 2022: Nasty old day out there.

Dec 27, 2022: 2-0 Burnley. ⚽️

Dec 27, 2022: 1-0 Burnley with only 50 seconds gone. ⚽️

Dec 27, 2022: Random musing, but does anyone use Ulysses for journaling?💻✍️📝📔

Dec 27, 2022: I’ve ordered some chilli seeds. I used to have the best time growing chillies, but lost focus these past few years. I’m a lot calmer when I spend time …

Dec 27, 2022: As much as I love MicroBlog, as soon as someone mentions a new app I have the willpower of a dog left alone with a freshly roasted chicken.

Dec 27, 2022: I think I’ve managed to block the hole in the hedge that Shane the dog has been escaping through. Wish I had the cash to properly fence, or rebuild …

Dec 26, 2022: Haven’t had chance to properly exercise for months and I’ve been eating far too much due to stress. I’ve put on an extraordinary amount of weight as a …

Dec 25, 2022: I think I’m going to give Veganuary another whirl.

Dec 25, 2022: Happy Christmas MicroBlog people.

Dec 24, 2022: The elastic pants are in-situ.

Dec 24, 2022: I’m still trying to get my head around the best way to use both MicroBlog and Mastodon, or even if Mastodon is worth using. Has anyone come up with a …

Dec 24, 2022: Watching a programme about orphaned orangutans. I don’t know why I do it to myself. 🥹

Dec 24, 2022: Desperately need to book myself in for an eye test. My eyesight is deteriorating rapidly.

Dec 24, 2022: The mighty Clarets, Burnley F.C., are top of the Championship for Christmas. ⚽️

Dec 23, 2022: I love MicroBlog, but the coding and suchlike goes way over my head and trying to get plug-ins to work goes confuses me at times. Should plug-ins work …

Dec 23, 2022: Currently Reading: Coraline Anniversary Edition by Neil Gaiman 📚

Dec 23, 2022: Currently Reading: The Bad Guys in Mission Unpluckable by Aaron Blabey 📚

Dec 23, 2022: Finished reading: The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey 📚

Dec 23, 2022: Resolutions time. Refinement of my online time and apps, mostly. Cutting down on subscriptions that Apple’s stock apps do a decent enough job of, less …

Dec 22, 2022: Does anyone else use Readwise Reader? Seems like a decent little app.

Dec 22, 2022: Scaling down on subscriptions like a frugal grinch.

Dec 20, 2022: My friend Shane. 🐕

Dec 19, 2022: Need to chop down my social media and refine my writing apps. It’s on my ‘to do’ list over the Christmas period. I also need to fix a malfunctioning …

Dec 16, 2022: Back using Ulysses again for my writing. 📝💻

Dec 14, 2022: Doggies. 🐕

Dec 13, 2022: Crappy few weeks there, but trying to get some semblance of a writing routine going again now.

Nov 30, 2022: Shane side-eye.

Nov 29, 2022: I did a thingumy using a wotsit for Spotify.

Nov 28, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 1,113 today and 50,127 total. 💻📚📝🥇

Nov 27, 2022: Decided to disable cross posting from here.

Nov 27, 2022: Tidied up my writing area a little today. 💻📚📝

Nov 27, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 1,548 today. 49,014 total. 💻📝📚

Nov 26, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 1,199 today. 47,466 total. 📝📚💻

Nov 26, 2022: I need to refine my social media usage. MicroBlog, Mastodon, Twitter, Insta, FB… Apps I’ve registered with, but don’t use. Spending time scrolling, …

Nov 25, 2022: Today, technology has conspired against me. Tomorrow, I shall be its master again.

Nov 25, 2022: OK techy people, I think it’s my external hard-drive that’s the issue. In the age of storage clouds like Dropbox and iCloud, is external storage …

Nov 25, 2022: My MacBook is playing up again. Oh dear, hopefully it’s nothing too serious. Running diagnostics now, like I understand what that means.

Nov 25, 2022: Dude thinks he’s a terrier or something. Big lummox.

Nov 24, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 1,226 today and 46,267 total. 📚📝💻

Nov 24, 2022: I’m having a little tinker with Aeon Timeline 3. Had the app for a while, but didn’t dive too deeply as it seemed to be so utterly complicated. I’m …

Nov 23, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 1,493 today and 45,041 total. 💻📝📚

Nov 22, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 1,199 today and 43,548 total. 💻📚📝

Nov 21, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 1,289 today and 42,349 total. 📝💻📚

Nov 21, 2022: NaNoWriMo—Week Three. Just over 41,000 words written and despite running out of road, I haven’t stopped driving. Or learning, there’s been plenty of that as well. Things …

Nov 20, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 1,607 today and 41,060 total. 📚💻📝

Nov 19, 2022: I still think those ‘Magic Eye’ pictures from the ‘90s were a scam.

Nov 19, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 1600(ish) today. 39,453 total. 📝💻📚

Nov 19, 2022: Accidentally killed off the human race and welcomed humans mk II in my NaNo draft. I think I might roll back on that one.

Nov 19, 2022: Went about as well as I anticipated. Scalded my paw trying to switch a nozzle.

Nov 19, 2022: If anyone sees a mushroom cloud over Ireland, I’m about to fire up a steam cleaner for the first time.

Nov 18, 2022: Had a delightful breakthrough when writing just now. Total brain fart initially, then pretty much stumbled, then flowed, in to a decent start for the …

Nov 18, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 1,669 today and 37,795 total. 📚💻📝

Nov 18, 2022: I’m waiting for a delivery. Time has stopped in my little bubble.

Nov 18, 2022: I’m wearing a hat with a bobble and I’m off on the school run. Wish me luck.

Nov 17, 2022: NaMoWriMo. 1,511 today. 36,126 total. 📝💻📚

Nov 16, 2022: Had a lazy day with NaNo, but plenty behind me and a long-day at home tomorrow.

Nov 16, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 445 today and 34,616 total. 📚💻📝

Nov 15, 2022: NaMoWriMo. 2,632 today and 34,167 total. 💻📝📚

Nov 15, 2022: 🎶Wonder if you know the score, it’s just the touch of your paw…🎶 🐕

Nov 14, 2022: NaMoWriMo. 1,521 today and 31,539 total. 📚💻📝

Nov 14, 2022: Just received my first agent rejection. Am I a proper writer, now?

Nov 13, 2022: NaNoWriMo - Week Two. 30,008 words down in just under two weeks so I am slightly ahead of the curve. In the grand tradition of the affectionately named vomit draft the …

Nov 13, 2022: NaMoWriMo. 2,229 today and 30,018 in total. 📝💻📚

Nov 12, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 1,519 today and 27,785 total. 📚💻📝

Nov 11, 2022: NaMoWriMo. 1,265 today. 26,266 total. 💻📝📚

Nov 10, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 3,318 today and 25,003 total. The half-way to 50,000 point!💻📝📚

Nov 9, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 1,477 today and 21,683 in total. 📚💻📝

Nov 9, 2022: My MacBook, having been fine at 1:30pm, reset to 2020 and the settings/apps I had then. It was awfully slow, restarted when I pressed the button, and …

Nov 9, 2022: Hello! We are Shane Bum Cushion, are you ready to ROCK!?

Nov 9, 2022: So Stephen Fry closing his Twitter account and joining Mastodon seems like quite the seismic shift.

Nov 8, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 2,874 today and 20,206 total. 📚💻📝

Nov 8, 2022: Not guilty.

Nov 7, 2022: Is it appropriate to laugh at your own jokes while writing? #NaNoWriMo 📚💻📝

Nov 7, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 2,354 today and 17,359 in total. 📚💻📝

Nov 6, 2022: I know I’m late to the party, but ‘She-Hulk’ is one of the best things I’ve seen in ages. Hilarious and wonderful.

Nov 6, 2022: I know I’m late to the party, but ‘She-Hulk’ is one of the best things I’ve seen in ages.

Nov 6, 2022: open.spotify.com

Nov 6, 2022: NaNoWriMo Week One. Surprisingly, it’s gone well. Even on the more difficult days, I’ve powered through and written something that drags the story forward. …

Nov 6, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 1,853 today and 15,005 in total. 📚💻📝

Nov 6, 2022: Hoping to break the 15,000 word mark on NaNo today and will try and blog about my first week.

Nov 5, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 2,315 today. 13,152 total. 💻📝📚

Nov 5, 2022: I’ve been socialising, like a big boy. Spent a couple of hours there until my cup of sociability empty-eth, then departed.

Nov 4, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 2,921 today. 10,839 total. 📝💻📚

Nov 3, 2022: NaNoWriMo. 2,583 words today and 7,919 in total. 💻📝📚

Nov 2, 2022: 5,336 words total, 2,949 words today for NaNoWriMo. 💻📝📚

Nov 2, 2022: That weather. Ugh!

Nov 1, 2022: Elon Musk trying to haggle with Stephen King over King’s refusal to pay for verification is hilarious.

Nov 1, 2022: First day of NaNoWriMo. 2383 words. 📝💻📚

Oct 31, 2022: So then, I’ve just sent my children’s story off to my first choice agent. A massive step for me, genuinely. I’ll sent it off to another four agents …

Oct 31, 2022: Can anyone please tell me in simple terms what ActivityPub is and how it would effect my MicroBlog if I ‘set it’ in settings. I saw it mentioned …

Oct 30, 2022: Further to my blog post, I’ve spent the day planning scenes in Scrivener for NaNoWriMo. Started great, but I’m a bit stuck now. I think as …

Oct 30, 2022: NaNoWriMo. Like many of you on MicroBlog, I’m going to give NaNoWriMo a good go this November. Like some of you, I’ve tried before and like a few of you I’ve …

Oct 30, 2022: I’ve sent a few request on the NaNoWriMo site to those I can find from here. The search function is hopeless on there. Anyway, I’m Ben Southwood on …

Oct 29, 2022: 94th minute winner to stay top? Well done Burnley!

Oct 29, 2022: The weather suggests that it’s a day for watching the footy, doing a bit of writing and prep for NaNoWriMo and decluttering my geeky writing area.

Oct 28, 2022: Currently Reading: Thief Of Time by Terry Pratchett 📚

Oct 23, 2022: Trying to get my writing space decluttered ahead of NaNoWriMo. 💻📝

Oct 22, 2022: The mighty Burnley F.C. coming back from 2-0 down at half-time to win 4-2. 😍

Oct 21, 2022: I’ve deleted my habit tracker, I think it does more harm than help in the long run.

Oct 20, 2022: I’m in the market for a new iPad having sold my Pro last year. Does anyone have experience of the iPad Mini, because that’s what I’m leaning …

Oct 16, 2022: I’m still trying to work out how I can integrate this wonderful place with my other social media accounts (without tying myself in knots). Facebook is …

Oct 16, 2022: Mischief. 🐕

Sep 30, 2022: 🎶We’re a furry family, we’re a furry family, we’re a furry family, me and my doggies.🎶🐕

Sep 20, 2022: My dogs posing like a Tears For Fears album cover. 🐕

Sep 18, 2022: Shane needs a trim. 🐕

Sep 10, 2022: Drafting and drafting again. At the end of the month I’m going to send my children’s story off to some agents. 📝

Sep 6, 2022: And lovely Leela.

Sep 6, 2022: My boy Shane. 🐕

Sep 4, 2022: Here I am, once again trying to consolidate all my notes and ideas into one place. I wish I was more organised, there’s stuff all over the place.

Sep 2, 2022: open.spotify.com

Aug 31, 2022: Hopping between Ulysses and Scrivener like an indecisive idiot. Pick one, Benjamin. Love it and caress it, don’t be turned by the other’s shapely …

Aug 26, 2022: The lake was glass this morning, not a ripple. I’m back home now, but has a lovely time.

Aug 24, 2022: Some more photos from Kylemore Abbey, Connemara.

Aug 24, 2022: Finished reading: Midnight (Skulduggery Pleasant, Book 11) by Derek Landy 📚

Aug 23, 2022: As bedroom views go, it’s not bad is it? Love this part of the world, such a lovely break.

Aug 22, 2022: Finished Reading: Resurrection (Skulduggery Pleasant, Book 10) by Derek Landy 📚

Aug 17, 2022: I was being grumpy in the kitchen and my Google Hub Max remarked ‘Good Morning Sunshine!’ Less sass, computer voice.

Aug 16, 2022: Going to spend an hour or so today decluttering apps.

Aug 14, 2022: Waiting desperately for the rain and thunder to come in so my brain gets rid of this fuzziness.

Aug 12, 2022: Anyway, the mighty Burnley F.C. kick-off at 8pm on telly - so I’ll have a few alcohol-free beers and (hopefully) enjoy.

Aug 12, 2022: The quest to hone my productivity apps to the fewest possible is never-ending. Another pretty app flashes its pixels at me and I go gaga.

Aug 10, 2022: Last night I learned that just because a boy dog has been neutered doesn’t mean they have no ‘desires’. Our spayed girl was surprised, too. 🐕

Aug 6, 2022: Seeing as I’m back; our new doggie, Shane the lurcher, is settling in well after a few dodgy weeks. He’s not a runner like Leela, sadly, as he’s too …

Aug 6, 2022: I’ve been having a ‘social-media break’ and, unsurprisingly, have found that I’ve not missed Facebook or Twitter at all. It’s brought me back here, …

Apr 28, 2022: I have a pocket-full of doggy treats and I’m ready to kick some bottom. 🐕

Apr 26, 2022: I’ve been paying a sub for this wonderful place for ages and not actually using it. Hope everyone is well; we adopted another dog (Shane) a few weeks …

Oct 10, 2021: Had a bit of a crisis of confidence with my writing of late, but received word that I’ve been longlisted for Searchlight’s ‘Best Children’s Bedtime …

Sep 19, 2021: More of Leela and I after our run this morning. 🐕🏃🏻

Sep 16, 2021: A few photos of Lady Leela Doggington after our run. 🏃🏻🐕

Sep 14, 2021: Trying to get some kind of routine going again for writing, running, gardening and - quite basically - anything apart from sitting down and watching …

Sep 10, 2021: I, unashamedly, adore this song. Better Best Forgotten - Steps

Sep 4, 2021: What a song! Don’t Worry Baby

Sep 2, 2021: Oh, ABBA. Brilliant new songs. 😍🎶

Sep 2, 2021: Waiting patiently on the ABBA announcement. 🎶

Sep 2, 2021: Oh, procrastination is kicking my arse at the moment. 📝

Aug 28, 2021: I’ve been teetotal for around seven years now. This is my first time trying this, and it really does taste like Guinness (though my mind may be …

Aug 22, 2021: Still dipping my toe into Obsidian, may well go for a nice paddle next week. Although it still appears to be complicated, it still has my attention. 📝

Aug 22, 2021: Another run up the mountain with my best friend. 🐕🏃🏻

Aug 20, 2021: Leonard Cohen does synth-pop. Leonard Cohen - First we Take Manhattan

Aug 20, 2021: I think I’m going to spend a few hours decluttering all the productivity apps I have on all my devices. I’ve had some eye-opening conversations on …

Aug 17, 2021: Here’s me looking like a proper writer, with moody setting in the background.

Aug 16, 2021: I had a bit of time away on a writer’s retreat in beautiful Connemara this weekend. 📝📷

Jul 31, 2021: I forgot to have a nap today.

Jul 21, 2021: 20 years married today. I’m a lucky man.

Jul 19, 2021: I sat on my reading glasses yesterday. Might be time for that bit of rope that keeps it around my neck at all times. #wonkyspecs🤓

Jul 19, 2021: The ‘Freedom Day’ footage of maskless people jammed shoulder to shoulder in clubs is absolutely terrifying. Britain is in for catastrophe over the …

Jul 17, 2021: Am I too late to mention how warm it is?

Jul 16, 2021: A gorgeous synthy song. Heaven Opened

Jul 12, 2021: Obsidian mobile has been officially released. I was put off by how complicated it seems, but will try and dive in today.

Jul 11, 2021: Had an incredibly soggy run with my dog this morning. 🐕🏃🏻

Jul 4, 2021: I’ve been eating terribly this week and my stomach is in bits. Even a vegetarian diet can be unhealthy and I don’t think the lack of exercise helped, …

Jun 30, 2021: Decided not to renew Hey email. I’ve actually found it a pretty decent app to use and love what they are doing, but can’t justify paying that for …

Jun 30, 2021: I’m going through some subscriptions and cancelling them to save money, like a real grown up.

Jun 28, 2021: So then? Will this be the week when I finally get that writing routine in place? No school runs, nothing much else to do other than housework and a …

Jun 25, 2021: If anyone wants me, I’ll be rehydrating a coir block. 🌱

Jun 21, 2021: Well, I got up early and did some yoga. Blimey, I’m stiff and crackly again; but, it has to be said, still look good in yoga shorts.

Jun 20, 2021: I think I’m going to start up my yoga practice again next week. Haven’t done it for ages and can feel my joints and muscles crying out for some …

Jun 19, 2021: Went out for a first proper ‘take-out/sit-outside’ coffee in months and it was an abysmal cup of coffee. So sad, so sad. ☕️

Jun 18, 2021: I’ve fallen out with my dog. We’ve had a cuddle and kiss, but there’s still an uneasy atmosphere. Damn my sensitive nature.

Jun 17, 2021: To be honest, eating snacks and having an early night is pretty much my default setting.

Jun 17, 2021: My wife is away for the night on a well-earned beak with friends. I’m planning on eating snacks and having an early night.

Jun 13, 2021: Trying to get my fitness levels back up to speed again. Another lovely run with Leela the dog up the local mountain.

Jun 7, 2021: I’ve had my running gear on all day, but I have not run.

Jun 6, 2021: Had a little wander in the garden today, seeing as it’s a nice day. As with every year, the garden has got away from me a little due to …

Jun 4, 2021: We have a lot of work going on in the house and grounds at the moment, it’s been incredibly noisy so I haven’t been on social media as much. The …

Jun 2, 2021: Second vaccination done and, aside from a sore arm, I feel grand.

May 29, 2021: Time to make the most of the weather and do a bit of work in the overgrown veg patch. 🌱

May 27, 2021: This unpredictable weather is incredibly predictable. Every spring it knocks me for six, summery this morning and horrid this evening. I don’t know …

May 24, 2021: Gary Numan nails it again. Great to hear him crafting confident and great sounding material again. He’s a lovely chap, too.Intruder - Gary Numan 🎶

May 20, 2021: I’ve got an oil diffuser on the go and have just demolished a vegan pizza. I am a happy hippy. 🌱🍕

May 20, 2021: One can’t be glum while listening to Sparks. open.spotify.com/track/6TF…

May 20, 2021: ‘There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.’ However I am NOT going out in that.

May 18, 2021: Gorgeous day in which I ran with my dog, did some gardening, and ate a doughnut. 🍩🐕🏃🏻

May 18, 2021: Leela was in mischievous form during our 5km this morning. 🏃🏻🐕

May 17, 2021: Currently Reading: Diggers (The Bromeliad Trilogy) by Terry Pratchett 📚 I listened to the audiobook of the first book a few years ago and loved it. No …

May 17, 2021: Finished reading: The Last Bear by Hannah Gold 📚

May 15, 2021: Haircut day!

May 14, 2021: Finished reading: The Hitchhikers’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 📚 I’ve read this more times than I can remember, the new …

May 13, 2021: Made an incredibly tasty vegan keema aloo, recipe by Bosh!🌱🥔🥘

May 13, 2021: Most productive run with my dog for months. 🐕🏃🏻

May 11, 2021: Currently reading: The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams 📚 Re-reading the book, the new illustrated version. Adams passed away …

May 10, 2021: Battling Procrastination and Fear.📝 In August 2018, I left mental health nursing to stay at home full time with my kids. Including my training I had been nursing from October 1996 and …

May 9, 2021: Absolutely soaked to the skin. 🐕🏃🏻

May 7, 2021: I need to desperately declutter my living space, my writing space and my digital apps. Everything is so messy, my mind is wrecked and I end up doing …

May 6, 2021: Sun’s out, but it’s nippy. Loads of gardening to do, but content in procrastination at the moment.

May 2, 2021: Passed the business end of the horrid cold and have done some gardening.

May 1, 2021: I’ve got a rotten cold and am craving something spicy.

Apr 30, 2021: I have a rotten cold.

Apr 29, 2021: I had washing on the line, it started raining, so I ran out to retrieve the washing and now it’s sunny again. My life is one long rollercoaster.

Apr 26, 2021: Took my dog for her yearly vaccination and was told she’s a lovely, well-behaved, girl. 🐕😍

Apr 25, 2021: A great run/walk with my dog to start the day, a superb Burnley performance to lift my mood higher, and plenty of seeds ordered. What a lovely day …

Apr 25, 2021: Sunday up the Mountain. Lockdown has been a pain in the arse for routine and particularly the routine of running. Around this time last year, I went from training for …

Apr 24, 2021: Maincrop spuds in. 🌱🥔

Apr 24, 2021: The garden beckons. Potatoes to plant, seeds to sow, weeds to eradicate, dreams to dream. 🌱

Apr 23, 2021: Shoes and dog. 🐕

Apr 23, 2021: Trying a new (to me) alcohol free wine. Probably the closest to proper wine I’ve drank - which is a bit weird actually. 🍷

Apr 23, 2021: The brighter days don’t half make me happy.

Apr 22, 2021: Loving the Ulysses integration.

Apr 22, 2021: The Four Squirrels of Procrastination.📝 We have all, at some point, battled procrastination. Honestly, me typing this is a clever and ultimately pointless attempt at avoiding doing the …

Apr 22, 2021: Slowly building our fitness levels. 🐕🏃

Apr 19, 2021: I was, apparently, making a sound like a startled sloth as I slept last night.

Apr 18, 2021: About to go for another 5km run with Leela the dog.

Apr 17, 2021: Battled with a backed-up septic tank, put clean sheets on the bed and ate a vegan pizza. I’m a complex and smelly individual.

Apr 17, 2021: Leela the Dog. Running is a lot more fun with a little furry buddy.