Desert Island Discs, of a sort
February 15, 2019
An interview with me on my life and my rather unconventional career. … More Desert Island Discs, of a sort
Normal service will be resumed as soon as I’ve got my zen back
February 14, 2019
I got exhausted, full-on mind and body exhausted, and blogging two thousand words a day didn’t help. It was fun, but it became almost maniacal, and in the end I burned out. So I’m having a bit of a rest, from everything, to try to get some perspective back. I started practicing mindfulness a few … More Normal service will be resumed as soon as I’ve got my zen back
Discipline Your Mind
February 12, 2019
When I first read this, having just gone through a few days of personal hell – which I may or may not write about when I’ve got some energy back – I thought “yeah right, easy for you to say”, but you know what, he’s right. “You should use your energy and time and effort … More Discipline Your Mind
Somerset People
February 9, 2019
A most glorious short film that makes you ask the big questions – why are we doing this? Why are we beating ourselves up every waking hour, merely to survive? There has to be a better way, surely, if only we had the courage to escape from the safety of drudgery. Edit: as it turned … More Somerset People
The legend that was Bob Godfrey
February 5, 2019
And this, folks, is animation… A producer acquaintance just shared this on Facebook, and I had to do the same on here. I’ll never forget the first time I met Bob, mid 90s in a pub in Soho, we had a long conversation about negative equity. He was talking, but all I could hear in … More The legend that was Bob Godfrey
No politics, just dogs in the snow
February 4, 2019
Might not be writing too many long polemics for a few days – day job to go back to after a busy weekend off, boiler to get working, house to clean after the weekend influx of friends, relatives and dogs (all of which was fun of course, if exhausting!), aged parents to sort out, again, … More No politics, just dogs in the snow
The Flying Monk
February 3, 2019
A pub full of alcoholic psychics, an apprentice witch who prefers vacuum cleaners to broomsticks and a ghostly black dog that houses the spirit of an eleventh century monk called Eilmer, who history states once built himself wings and flew from the roof of the Abbey, and who has been trying to recreate the feat … More The Flying Monk
A little housekeeping
February 1, 2019
I’m doing a bit of tidying on the blog site, slowly converting all the old posts to the new ‘blocks’ format, which on balance I do like. Hopefully it will make it read and work better. I haven’t really delved into the depths of WordPress formatting before – I really should have done, of course, … More A little housekeeping
Brexit and the Irish border
January 30, 2019
An investigation into the realities of Brexit and ‘the Irish border question’. … More Brexit and the Irish border
Full Fact on Brexit
January 29, 2019
Full Fact (for me, THE fact-checking organisation), and Brexit. … More Full Fact on Brexit
Absent friends
January 27, 2019
Remembering my oldest and dearest friend on what would have been his birthday. … More Absent friends
The Writer: Episode #8
January 27, 2019
You don’t have to write like this to be a writer, but it helps. … More The Writer: Episode #8
Decluttering Part Two
January 25, 2019
I’m cutting back down to one email address – please read to know which one! … More Decluttering Part Two
What Really Sells a Book?
January 25, 2019
This pretty much sums up the whole shooting match. Basically, there’s no substitute for hard work and knowing what you’re doing!
A question about duplicate Gmail notifications
January 24, 2019
I could use some help with multiple duplicate email notifications, please! … More A question about duplicate Gmail notifications
What’s in your head, zombie…?
January 24, 2019
This one may seem like it’s about photography, but it’s not, it’s about how my head works sometimes. Took the dogs to Ninesprings this morning, as I often do. For those who don’t know Yeovil in Somerset (England), it’s an old Victorian estate bought by the District Council a good while ago, and converted into … More What’s in your head, zombie…?
Feel Like Giving Up? Read this.
January 24, 2019
Sound advice from one of the top bloggers. … More Feel Like Giving Up? Read this.
Nifty Fifty
January 23, 2019
This one is for birdwatchers and photographers only, really. I bought myself a Nikon 50mm 1.8D after Christmas. It has autofocus, but this only works on the later Nikons that have an autofocus motor in the body. If you have, say, a 3200, you need the 1.8G, which is way more expensive. I thought it … More Nifty Fifty
Water Rail, Ninesprings
January 23, 2019
Well, the Water Rail is still at Ninesprings, the jewel in South Somerset District Council’s Yeovil Country Park. He was certainly there last year, so the theory is that he’s overwintering here. He likes the shadows of the scrub at the bottom of the stream, just before it enters the lake. Park by the playground, … More Water Rail, Ninesprings
Accidental publicity
January 23, 2019
Networking, Somerset-style, with added bird-watching. … More Accidental publicity
Decluttering, Part One
January 22, 2019
Light bulb moment. Put everything in one place. … More Decluttering, Part One
Evening on the Heath — The Dorset Rambler
January 22, 2019
Just a few shots from a late afternoon walk around some local heathland a couple of days ago. It was a predominantly cloudy and chill day but with just a few brief breaks of brightness to liven up the scene. This heath is a little oasis in the middle of urbanity and were it not […] … More Evening on the Heath — The Dorset Rambler
Why Brexit became A Thing, and who is ultimately to blame.
January 21, 2019
A series of links aiming to show how we got into this mess in the first place, and who is ultimately to blame. … More Why Brexit became A Thing, and who is ultimately to blame.
It’s all about the throat hit
January 20, 2019
Some advice for a couple of friends who are about to start vaping. Again. … More It’s all about the throat hit
Vaping – the truth. Kind of. So far…
January 16, 2019
A collection of non-aligned links to the current research on vaping. … More Vaping – the truth. Kind of. So far…
Getting back on the self-promotion horse
January 14, 2019
I’m not one of those people who can blog every day, about their day, regardless of whether it’s interesting or not. I’m certainly not one of those people who is organised enough to blog about something interesting every day! I also can’t just dash off a quick blog over the first cup of tea in … More Getting back on the self-promotion horse
Walking in the footsteps of giants Pt4
July 29, 2018
The final and most important leg of my Beatles tour. … More Walking in the footsteps of giants Pt4
Walking in the footsteps of giants Pt3
July 28, 2018
Part three of my first visit to the land of Beatles. … More Walking in the footsteps of giants Pt3
Walking in the footsteps of giants Pt2
July 28, 2018
Continuing the tour of some mostly lesser-known Beatles landmarks. … More Walking in the footsteps of giants Pt2
Walking in the footsteps of giants Pt1
July 27, 2018
Part 1 of an alternative tour of Beatles landmarks. … More Walking in the footsteps of giants Pt1
Alastair Swinnerton 