Tag: writing

‘Be ready for the duplicity of adulthood and adults’ is my advice and it continues thus; ‘and if you can, learn how not to collude whilst you learn, as you must, to survive’. This blog is a reflection on the film ‘Bad Apples’ (2025) directed by Jonatan Etzler and starring the very wondrous Saoirse Ronan.

September 7, 2026

‘Be ready for the duplicity of adulthood and adults’ is my advice and it continues thus; ‘and if you can, learn how not to collude whilst you learn, as you must, to survive’. This blog is a reflection on the film ‘Bad Apples’ (2025) directed by Jonatan Etzler and starring the very wondrous Saoirse Ronan. … More ‘Be ready for the duplicity of adulthood and adults’ is my advice and it continues thus; ‘and if you can, learn how not to collude whilst you learn, as you must, to survive’. This blog is a reflection on the film ‘Bad Apples’ (2025) directed by Jonatan Etzler and starring the very wondrous Saoirse Ronan.

In Dean Atta’s first novel intended for adults, ‘Big Man’, the protagonist, Big, explains to new entrants to his profession of Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI) workers and consultants why he is doing the ‘job he is doing right now and why’, without mentioning salary: ‘Big told the twenty somethings he enjoyed being freelance because he was neither a boss nor an employee’. This blog is really about Dean Atta (2026) ‘Big Man’ London, Cipher Press.

September 5, 2026

If the salary was the same, what job would you be doing right now and why? In Dean Atta’s first novel intended for adults, ‘Big Man’, the protagonist, Big, explains to new entrants to his profession of Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI) workers and consultants why he is doing the ‘job he is doing right … More In Dean Atta’s first novel intended for adults, ‘Big Man’, the protagonist, Big, explains to new entrants to his profession of Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion (DEI) workers and consultants why he is doing the ‘job he is doing right now and why’, without mentioning salary: ‘Big told the twenty somethings he enjoyed being freelance because he was neither a boss nor an employee’. This blog is really about Dean Atta (2026) ‘Big Man’ London, Cipher Press.

Let’s concentrate on the word ‘raised’ and its rather frightening semantic history, to unpack the assumptions behind answering about how any actions of mine or their mode of occurrence differ from those I was supposedly ‘raised’ to do or not do them.

September 3, 2026

I am turning to the Online Etymological Dictionary today again for this prompt question, although the issues behind any use of the verb ‘raise’ are largely about its implication that the subject of a the transitive verb (see below) ‘raise’ is always in all the examples I can think of (but I’d love to be … More Let’s concentrate on the word ‘raised’ and its rather frightening semantic history, to unpack the assumptions behind answering about how any actions of mine or their mode of occurrence differ from those I was supposedly ‘raised’ to do or not do them.

Mainly, the only regret I find when I have read a book is that I can’t read it again ‘for the first time’, but it passes! A last day at Edinburgh Book Festival 30th August 2026.

August 31, 2026

Mainly, the only regret I find when I have read a book is that I can’t read it again ‘for the first time’, but it passes! A last day at Edinburgh Book Festival 30th August 2026. I must have been somewhere near Dunbar when I took the photograph from the train that was fast moving … More Mainly, the only regret I find when I have read a book is that I can’t read it again ‘for the first time’, but it passes! A last day at Edinburgh Book Festival 30th August 2026.

‘Stop saying words, my sister whispered back. I want to hear the story’. This is a blog  on Ali Smith (2024) ‘Gliff ‘.

August 28, 2026

‘Stop saying words, my sister whispered back. I want to hear the story’.[1] The paradox may be that we express our identity in words and names not in the process of telling and hearing our stories. I think Ali Smith thinks that may be true of the configuration of sex/gender too. This is a blog  … More ‘Stop saying words, my sister whispered back. I want to hear the story’. This is a blog  on Ali Smith (2024) ‘Gliff ‘.

Apparently the word ‘coincidence’ was possibly used earliest by Sir Thomas Browne, and thus is better left to rest in his Baroque prose as another supposed certainty in a world that is more uncertain than that.

August 24, 2026

Apparently the word ‘coincidence’ was possibly used earliest by Sir Thomas Browne, and thus is better left to rest in his Baroque prose as another supposed certainty in a world that is more uncertain than that. Statue of Browne in Norwich by ell brown – https://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4582394924/sizes/o/in/photostream/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25718189 The Online Etymological Website tells … More Apparently the word ‘coincidence’ was possibly used earliest by Sir Thomas Browne, and thus is better left to rest in his Baroque prose as another supposed certainty in a world that is more uncertain than that.

Do we need ‘conspiracy theory’ because we find trust in short supply? August 20th Day Seven in Edinburgh Highlights: 1. Pleasance Dome 10, ‘Moth and Dog Are Dying to Get Out’, a play exploring the relationship of two boys, their  coming out and the confrontation of distrust and ‘conspiracy’ involved (The Fringe Festival); 2. NW Room, Jem Calder & Derek Owusu (The  Book Festival) & Courtyard Theatre Édouard Louis (The Book Festival).

August 22, 2026

What’s a conspiracy theory you actually find believable? Do we need ‘conspiracy theory’ because we find trust in short supply? August 20th Day Seven in Edinburgh Highlights: 1. Pleasance Dome 10, Moth and Dog Are Dying to Get Out, a play exploring the relationship of two boys, their  coming out and the confrontation of distrust … More Do we need ‘conspiracy theory’ because we find trust in short supply? August 20th Day Seven in Edinburgh Highlights: 1. Pleasance Dome 10, ‘Moth and Dog Are Dying to Get Out’, a play exploring the relationship of two boys, their  coming out and the confrontation of distrust and ‘conspiracy’ involved (The Fringe Festival); 2. NW Room, Jem Calder & Derek Owusu (The  Book Festival) & Courtyard Theatre Édouard Louis (The Book Festival).

Are all historical events meant to be witnessed, and /or is ‘witnessing’ essential to making ‘events’ historical? August 18th Day Six in Edinburgh: Envisaging Buggers, A wandering Hannah Arendt & Men Hanging Together.

August 21, 2026

Are all historical events meant to be witnessed, and /or is ‘witnessing’ essential to making ‘events’ historical? August 18th Day Six in Edinburgh Highlights: 1. Buggers, a play exploring the relationship of Francis Bacon and George Dyer (The Fringe Festival); 2. Traverse Theatre Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library (the Fringe) & Lyceum Theatre … More Are all historical events meant to be witnessed, and /or is ‘witnessing’ essential to making ‘events’ historical? August 18th Day Six in Edinburgh: Envisaging Buggers, A wandering Hannah Arendt & Men Hanging Together.

Lets make it: ‘Can you See me Now!’ — August 16th Day Three In Edinburgh: Visibilising Fools, Queer Life, Voids & the queer comedy in queer lives.

August 18, 2026

Lats make my tatto: Can you See me Now!, such as I designed it below! This is a blog on August 16th Day Three In Edinburgh Highlights: . David Wilson Lear’s Fool at Olive Studio, Greenside at George Street (The Fringe); 2. Catherine Opie: To Be Seen  at the Royal Academy of Scotland, Princes Street … More Lets make it: ‘Can you See me Now!’ — August 16th Day Three In Edinburgh: Visibilising Fools, Queer Life, Voids & the queer comedy in queer lives.

‘Are we no all trying to get through our day without crying, or dying, or just fucking falling down and giving up?’ Seeing Alan Bissett as himself, Billy Connolly and a heart-breaking Alasdair Gray. Edinburgh Day one

August 16, 2026

So here I am at the age of fifty unemployable. Two weans. Nae savings. Nae pernsion. Shiteing myself. / So it does make you question some of your life choices. / But is that not what we are all doing? Are we no all questioning some of our choices? Are we no all worrying about … More ‘Are we no all trying to get through our day without crying, or dying, or just fucking falling down and giving up?’ Seeing Alan Bissett as himself, Billy Connolly and a heart-breaking Alasdair Gray. Edinburgh Day one

No wonder I felt tears watching Jakob M. Erwa’s 2016 film, ‘Die Mitte der Welt’ (‘Centre of My World’) based on the 1998 best-selling novel ‘The Centre of the World’ by Andreas Steinhöfel (with a note on Rachel Mason’s ‘The Circus of Books’).

August 14, 2026

‘Stell dir dein Leben vor wie ein großes Haus mit vielen Zimmern, Phil. … Manche sind groß und voller Licht und wieder andere sind dunkel, sie verbergen Schrecken und Kummer. Und ab und zu – nur ab und zu, hörst du ? – öffnet sich zu einem dieser schrecklichen Zimmer und du musst hineinsehen, ob … More No wonder I felt tears watching Jakob M. Erwa’s 2016 film, ‘Die Mitte der Welt’ (‘Centre of My World’) based on the 1998 best-selling novel ‘The Centre of the World’ by Andreas Steinhöfel (with a note on Rachel Mason’s ‘The Circus of Books’).

In lieu of a literary dinner, consider what literature is? This is a blog on Makenna Goodman (2026) ‘Helen of Nowhere’.

August 13, 2026

In lieu of a literary dinner, consider what literature is? ‘I made a point to say this loudly, as I didn’t know if I were speaking or thinking and yet it was clear she could her me regardless of whether the words were, in fact, coming out of my mouth’.[1] The status of words and … More In lieu of a literary dinner, consider what literature is? This is a blog on Makenna Goodman (2026) ‘Helen of Nowhere’.