Emma Cragg

Full Post List

May 17, 2025: Conclave, 2024 - ★★★★ Didn’t have me quite as gripped as the book did, but a beautiful piece of film making.

May 11, 2025: Read in 2025: Crudo by Olivia Laing 📚 Read in two sittings which was probably best as I didn’t get in with it. Will stick to Laing’s non-fiction.

May 1, 2025: Finished reading: Mongrel by Hanako Footman 📚 The story of three women getting to know themselves and each other. Surprising. And challenging. And …

Apr 16, 2025: Finished reading: Union Jack by Val McDermid 📚 Think I’ve gone as far with Lindsey Gordon as I can for now.

Apr 12, 2025: Aftersun, 2022 - ★★★★★ Oof. I’ve not got words for the emotional rollercoaster this film took me on. A fantastic piece of film making.

Apr 7, 2025: Finished reading: The Unfolding by A.M. Homes 📚 As ever from A.M. Homes, an engaging and witty story that pulled me in from the first few pages. I …

Apr 5, 2025: Civil War, 2024 - ★★★ One of those films where you get thrown in to a story that’s already started. It’s moving fast and there’s no time to wait for stragglers to catch up. …

Feb 24, 2025: Her, 2013 - ★★★ On reflection I really wish I’d made time to watch this when it came out. The decade and rapid changes in tech probably made me as non-plussed as the …

Feb 8, 2025: The Substance, 2024 - ★★★ This was a challenge for me, not least because as a feature length ASMR film it triggered all my noise sensitivities. I think I need warnings like the …

Feb 8, 2025: The Brutalist, 2024 - ★★★½ Visually impressive and enjoyable as a modernist architecture geek. The length which was one thing I was unsure about really wasn’t noticeable with …

Feb 6, 2025: Finished reading: Babel by R. F Kuang 📚 Thoroughly enjoyable. Some good twists along the way. Got a little pedestrian in the final third though which …

Feb 2, 2025: A Real Pain, 2024 - ★★★★★ I’ve been thinking about what to write about this for a week. And I’ve ended up with this… it’s got just the right amount of everything. I feared …

Jan 28, 2025: The Florida Project, 2017 - ★★★★ This took me by surprise a little. Felt very reminiscent of British social realist films like Fish Tank and The Selfish Giant. Seen lots of reviews …

Jan 19, 2025: Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, 2024 - ★★★★ These days if you can hold my attention for a full 2.5 hours you’re likely to get 4 stars. And if you give me a main character who is someone …

Jan 18, 2025: The bookend to my day yesterday, walking home via the Quayside. Spot Venus 🪐

Jan 17, 2025: Mad sky this morning on my commute

Jan 12, 2025: Carry-On, 2024 - ★★ Watched on Saturday January 11, 2025.

Jan 8, 2025: I’m kinda glad I don’t get annual podcast stats, otherwise you’d know how much time I spend thinking about my fantasy premier league team 😆

Jan 7, 2025: Currently reading: Babel by R. F Kuang 📚 I enjoyed the author’s note at the beginning of this, which outlines all her sources for the details of …

Jan 7, 2025: Finished reading: Report for Murder by V. L. McDermid 📚 Sometimes you just need the comfort of a classic crime procedural and Val McDermid is always a …

Jan 7, 2025: Emily the Criminal, 2022 - ★★★ Watched on Monday January 6, 2025.

Jan 5, 2025: Anora, 2024 - ★★★★ Quite the rollercoaster. At times uncomfortable to watch, at times laugh out loud funny and then one final moment of gut wrenching despair.

Jan 5, 2025: Finished reading: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 📚 It took me two goes, but I did it. Skipped a few chapters in the late 30s/early 40s where …

Jan 5, 2025: Frosty mornings I much prefer the crisp cold morning we had yesterday to today’s slushy snow. We went for a walk along the River Derwent and it was magical.

Dec 31, 2024: Year in books for 2024 Here are the books I finished reading in 2024. I didn’t reach my goal, but who cares. I’ve read some outstanding books and abandoned a few that didn’t …

Dec 31, 2024: Currently reading: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 📚 Encouraged by my friend, I’m picking this up again. She said it’s worth getting through …

Dec 30, 2024: Perfect Days, 2023 - ★★★★★ Some films come along at just the right time, and this one I needed today. Now is now.

Dec 30, 2024: The Holdovers, 2023 - ★★★★★ An actual Christmas film that is actually very good. I enjoyed how it was set up to be one thing then turned into something entirely different. All …

Dec 28, 2024: Abandoned reading: Daisy Jones & The Six (TV Tie-in Edition) by Taylor Jenkins Reid 📚 Can’t seem to get through a book at the moment. The …

Dec 27, 2024: After saying our goodbyes to the family today, my eldest nephew sidled up and gave me an extra squeeze. The smallest gesture topped off a wonderful …

Dec 27, 2024: Note to self: A walk at the coast puts everything in perspective

Dec 25, 2024: Finished reading: Endpapers by Jennifer Savran Kelly 📚 This came up in my kindle recommendations and it was a hit. Enjoyed the element of mystery and …

Dec 22, 2024: Happiest Season, 2020 - ★★ Call me when they’ve made the alternative ending where Kristen Stewart and Aubrey Plaza live happily ever after.

Dec 21, 2024: Abandoned reading: Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver 📚 Lost my momentum with this. It was just a bit meh. Won’t discount coming back to finish it …

Dec 18, 2024: A question for those who have daily standups or check-ins with their team… what are the most valuable aspects of that activity for you?

Dec 16, 2024: I enjoyed this reflection on Christmas carols, and singing more generally, as a method of connection and catharsis.

Dec 16, 2024: The end of live chat conversations never quite fit the mood of what’s gone before… “It has been an absolute pleasure :). As this …

Dec 14, 2024: All We Imagine as Light, 2024 - ★★★★ There’s so much depth to this film which essentially presents itself as the story of three friends working at the same hospital in Mumbai. Despite the …

Dec 10, 2024: I’ve written just two Christmas cards and I’ve already run out of steam 😫

Dec 7, 2024: I thought about that a lot is one of my favourite advent calendars.

Dec 2, 2024: 13 Assassins, 2010 - ★★★★★ There’s just something about how samurai films contrast stillness and silence with absolute carnage that no other action films can rival. I’ve not …

Dec 1, 2024: Nope, 2022 - ★★★★ Very enjoyable indeed. Had me keeping an extra careful eye on the weather all day today 👀

Nov 24, 2024: Nocturnal Animals, 2016 - ★★★ Mixed feeling an about this, and the longer it goes the more conflicted I feel. The acting is undoubtedly top notch. And there was enough suspense to …

Nov 22, 2024: Beautiful day to have the afternoon off

Nov 20, 2024: Gladiator II, 2024 - ★★ Heavy handed. Corny. Lacking drama and emotion. It lost me at the arrival of baboons on steroids, which is unfortunately only about 20 minutes in 😴

Nov 20, 2024: Hey @seimoon.bsky.social, here’s a potato for you 🥔

Nov 12, 2024: Finished reading: The Sentence by Louise Erdrich 📚 This was so much more than a story about a haunting in a bookstore and it took me entirely by …

Oct 30, 2024: Starting this seasonal read today: The Sentence by Louise Erdrich 📚

Oct 30, 2024: Finished reading: Tokyo Express by Seicho Matsumoto 📚 Enjoyable mystery to solve alongside the detectives. This short book has reset my desire to read …

Oct 13, 2024: Finished reading: The Binding by Bridget Collins 📚 Meh. I struggled to get into this, got drawn in a little in the middle but then had to make myself …

Sep 24, 2024: Finished reading: The Bee Sting by Paul Murray 📚 Took too long to get into and by then it was too late to stop reading. It was fine, but not award …

Sep 12, 2024: Finished reading: Salvation of a Saint by Keigo Higashino 📚

Sep 2, 2024: Abandoned reading: Milk Teeth by Jessica Andrews 📚 Just couldn’t get on with the main character. Or the repetition of certain words - not sure if that …

Aug 26, 2024: #PhotoMo Bank Holiday fun helping a friend decorate her flat before selling. We were here 8 years ago decorating before she moved in too

Aug 26, 2024: Finished reading: The Gallows Pole by Benjamin Myers 📚 Continuing to work my way through everything Benjamin Myers writes.

Aug 25, 2024: #PhotoMo it’s a sign

Aug 25, 2024: Played a pre-season friendly today - first time I’ve picked up a hockey stick in 5 months. I didn’t embarrass myself and it didn’t break me 🏑

Aug 19, 2024: #PhotoMo back to work tomorrow, head still up the coast

Aug 19, 2024: First day back from holiday and it has completely run away from me. Don’t feel like I’ve stopped and yet have little to show for it 😏

Aug 17, 2024: #PhotoMo had to collect my prints before they were fully dry so we’re not eating at the table the rest of the weekend 😆

Aug 15, 2024: #PhotoMo Albion press I used today to finish my submission for the 20:20 print exchange - https://www.2020printexchange.com/

Aug 14, 2024: #PhotoMo a puppy called Poppy

Aug 13, 2024: Holiday update: I have reached the “what day is it?” stage.

Aug 11, 2024: #PhotoMo English country garden

Aug 10, 2024: #PhotoMo got a week off work and no plans. Bliss.

Aug 8, 2024: #PhotoMo I took up tag rugby this summer aged 40. It’s the most fun I’ve had playing sport in a long time, even tonight in torrential rain

Aug 7, 2024: #PhotoMo earlier this week, on the hottest day, my wife decided to make Christmas cakes 🥵

Aug 6, 2024: #PhotoMo out and about for meetings across town

Aug 5, 2024: Women’s hockey QF here we go. Hoping for a miracle🤞

Aug 5, 2024: While watching the kayak cross finals on BBC I realised the only thing I’ve been missing from their coverage (through watching on Discovery+) is Hazel …

Aug 5, 2024: #PhotoMo a walk before work

Aug 4, 2024: Finished reading: The Red Parts by Maggie Nelson 📚 Reading, or watching, anything related to real crimes always feels voyeuristic to me. While it is …

Aug 4, 2024: #PhotoMo lazy Sunday

Aug 3, 2024: #PhotoMo went prepared for blackberry picking on today’s walk

Aug 3, 2024: I Saw the TV Glow, 2024 - ★★★½ I’ve been thinking about what to say about this all week. I wonder whether my indecision has something to do with the confusion of the film itself. My …

Aug 2, 2024: Finished reading: Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid 📚 Easy summer read. After Evelyn Hugo I’m happy to read more of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s …

Aug 2, 2024: #PhotoMo Planting in the back lane

Aug 1, 2024: Summer means silly events take place on the Quayside. Which leads to road closures and diversions. Which results in grumpy bike commuters #PhotoMo

Jul 31, 2024: Some observations from the Olympic hockey - there’s far too much waving of hands to claim free hits and GB women seriously need to add some variety to …

Jul 31, 2024: Now (July 2024) The latest look at where my energy and attention is focused now… Freelance work The quiet of July and August is giving me an opportunity to rethink my …

Jul 23, 2024: The unexpected benefit of re-employment (and an office in town) is that my use of the library has exponentially increased 📚🐛

Jul 22, 2024: Finished reading: An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon 📚 I enjoyed this and as a debut novel goes it’s written well. I’m certainly keen to …

Jul 17, 2024: Poppy and I had breakfast in the park this morning to make the most of a rare glimpse of the sun.

Jul 16, 2024: Jettisoning networking in favor of kinworking means taking a more ecological approach, one oriented towards nurturing the soil, planting seeds, …

Jul 15, 2024: Finished reading: Pageboy by Elliot Page 📚 It’s important we hear trans people tell their stories and this felt like a necessary read. Although, I did …

Jul 14, 2024: Submarine, 2010

Jul 13, 2024: Senna, 2010 - ★★★★ It’s been a while since I’ve watched a good documentary and this didn’t disappoint. Izzy’s pick for film night and it kept both of us non-F1 fans …

Jul 12, 2024: Got my pal Poppy staying for the next five days 🥰

Jul 12, 2024: Shifting feelings on blogging

For about a year, I lost my desire to write. I didn’t know why I was doing it. Who it was for. I’ve been in a funk, and it’s been …

Jul 10, 2024: I forgot that one of the things I love most about Wimbledon is Heather Watson’s mum 😁🎾

Jul 8, 2024: Licorice Pizza, 2021 Gave up on the hour mark, just after Sean Penn’s character is introduced. Sometimes I don’t have the patience for films where I can’t connect with at …

Jul 8, 2024: Finished reading: Sisters by Daisy Johnson 📚 Unsettling. Daisy Johnson creates such atmospheric worlds. Now I want to re-read Everything Under.

Jul 8, 2024: I sacked off work this afternoon to finish this print project. A trial of using Ternes Burton pins for registration ahead of another multi-block …

Jul 7, 2024: Doing the weekly meal planning. Send me some inspiration please 🥙🥗🍝

Jul 4, 2024: My wife is going away for a week so just been to see her off at the station during my lunch break. She was running late so I asked if she needed …

Jul 3, 2024: Finished reading: How to Kill Your Family by Bella Mackie 📚 I finally went back and finished this. It was ok, an interesting idea just a bit one note …

Jul 1, 2024: Abandoned reading: Stoner by John Williams 📚 Not for me. Perhaps I expected too much, but this sadly sits alongside The Rainbow as one of the most …

Jun 29, 2024: Finished reading: Cuddy by Benjamin Myers 📚 I enjoyed this overall. The local angle definitely helped. Was a little challenging initially getting used …

Jun 12, 2024: Hit Man, 2023 - ★★½ I enjoyed this from the comfort of my sofa on a random midweek evening. Had I paid to see it at the cinema I’d have been disappointed. It was clearly …

Jun 9, 2024: The latest rain delay in New York allowed me to get the washing in before it started bucketing down here. I probably would have left it otherwise 🏏😅

Jun 8, 2024: I’ve entered a print exchange happening later in the year. It’ll be the first time I send my prints out into the world, other than to family and …

Jun 5, 2024: Sweetheart, 2021 - ★★★ Two hours spent reliving the awkwardness of being a queer teenager.

Jun 5, 2024: The Beautiful Game, 2024 - ★★ Enjoyable to watch but come the end I felt it could have been so much more. The characters deserved more depth and exploration of their stories.

May 28, 2024: Spent a week in the Netherlands and now a good portion of the ads that top and tail my podcasts are in Dutch 😝

May 24, 2024: Finished reading: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid 📚 I’d been avoiding reading this. Why? I stubbornly dig my heels in when …

May 24, 2024: Finished reading: Bessie Smith by Jackie Kay 📚

May 23, 2024: Back from holiday and determined to do more with the photos I’ve taken (other than posting them here and then letting them languish in my photo …

May 12, 2024: I’m visiting the Netherlands soon and would welcome recommendations for places to eat/drink and visit (beyond the obvious tourist stuff) in Amsterdam, …

May 7, 2024: Love Lies Bleeding, 2024 - ★★★★ A film of contrasts. Seedy and sexy. Tender and violent. Blurred lines between fantasy and reality. Horrific with a hint of humour running through it.

May 6, 2024: Top Gun: Maverick, 2022 - ★★ What on earth was all the fuss about?

May 6, 2024: Finished reading: Small Pleasures by Clare Chambers 📚 I have no idea what possessed me to read this. While the mystery element interested me at first, …

May 1, 2024: Amanda Palmer on rest and seasons I’ve been trying to clear out my podcast feed, starting by prioritising a handful of episodes to listen to each week. I started with a …

Apr 29, 2024: The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, 2022 - ★★★ Good fun… if you like Nicolas Cage. Dread to think what this might have been without the counterbalance of Pedro Pascal though who is the real star …

Apr 28, 2024: Grey and damp here today so I keep returning to this lovely pic from the garden yesterday

Apr 27, 2024: Had a tiring week so I was going to spend the day on the sofa in my pjs. Then my buddy invited me over to mow the grass at their new place. Turns out …

Apr 26, 2024: Finished reading: The Devotion Of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino 📚 A good spin on the classic detective story. Recommended in book group at work. I’ll …

Apr 21, 2024: Got lucky with our tickets for the snooker. Appears (if I’ve interpreted the order of play correctly) that we’ll be watching local boy Gary Wilson vs …

Apr 20, 2024: Just spent an hour thinking about and then practicing how I write my name. How’s your day going?

Apr 17, 2024: Crocs. With heels. I have now seen it all 😲

Apr 14, 2024: Finished reading: Prophet Song by Paul Lynch 📚 Brutal. The atmosphere the author creates had me on edge throughout. I think it benefitted from reading …

Apr 12, 2024: But I'm a Cheerleader, 1999 - ★★★ Timeless. Ridiculous. So much plastic.

Apr 9, 2024: Never seen the Tyne so high. Left work today to find parts of the path along the Quayside on the Newcastle side of the Swing Bridge blocked off by …

Apr 9, 2024: Bend It Like Beckham, 2002 - ★★★½ Take out all the scenes with the creepy coach and this could be a 5-star film.

Apr 9, 2024: Part of building better creative habits is making sharing easier. Now that I can post here directly from Feedbin and Keep let’s see what happens…

Apr 9, 2024: I picked up Issue 12 of Own Your Web at just the right time. This week’s focus for me is establishing a rhythm for my creative practice, whether …

Apr 8, 2024: How to Have Sex, 2023 - ★★★★ I’ve been trying to articulate how I felt come the end of this film. Helpless is one way to describe it - I could see what was coming and couldn’t do …

Mar 30, 2024: Past Lives, 2023 - ★★★★★ Just brilliant. Excellent script. Fantastic acting. Subtle directing. Keep having to remind myself this is a debut from Celine Song 🤯

Mar 30, 2024: Currently reading: Prophet Song by Paul Lynch 📚 Oof, this packs a punch. Only ~100 pages in but I can already see why it won the Booker.

Mar 29, 2024: This comma butterfly was out making a point today, hanging out on a local wildlife sign that only told us to look out for peacocks and tortoiseshells

Mar 29, 2024: Dune, 2021 - ★★★ I enjoyed the first half, but when the action moved out into the desert it all got a bit too broody for me. And as the foresight/dream sequences …

Mar 19, 2024: Finished reading: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke 📚 Excellent. A complex narrative balanced by an easy style made this a pleasure to read.

Mar 18, 2024: Young Adult, 2011 - ★★ This won’t be leaving a lasting impression, but it fitted my requirements for the evening’s entertaining - 90 minutes of uncomplicated entertainment.

Mar 18, 2024: “The most regretful people on earth are those who felt the call to creative work, who felt their own creative power restive and uprising, and …

Mar 13, 2024: I’ve just deleted my recurring ‘Publish weeknote’ task from Todoist. Every week it’s been slipping and it’s time to …

Mar 12, 2024: The 355, 2022 - ★★ Flawed in many ways but entertaining.

Mar 10, 2024: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, 2020 - ★★★½ A lot like a recorded theatre performance in terms of its staging and extended monologues. And on the whole I think that worked, largely as a result …

Mar 10, 2024: A well balanced Sunday reading in bed with dog on lap creating a master meal plan to make weekly planning and shopping easier virtual games (junior …

Mar 8, 2024: Finished reading: Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler 📚 I wasn’t as engaged with this book as I was with the first in the series. The telling …

Mar 6, 2024: Finished reading: China Lake by Meg Gardiner 📚 Looking for a new (to me) crime series with a female lead. Trying out a few options by Meg Gardiner. …

Mar 6, 2024: Weeknote 09/24 Better late than never, here are a few things from the week that was: I took Wednesday off to spend with Izzy after she returned from a week away at …

Feb 26, 2024: Petite Maman, 2021 - ★★★★ Small and perfectly formed. I wouldn’t expect anything less from Celine Sciamma.

Feb 19, 2024: Weeknote 07/24 I still don’t feel that I’ve fully got into a rhythm for my freelance days. At the moment I’d say I’m only spending 1 day at …

Feb 17, 2024: Finished reading: The Shadow District by Arnaldur Indridason 📚

Feb 13, 2024: All of Us Strangers, 2023 - ★★★ There was a moment about three quarters of the way through the film when I became aware of the soundtrack of sobs in the cinema screen. I wondered …

Feb 12, 2024: Official Competition, 2021 - ★★★ I knew I was going to enjoy this as soon as Lola started flicking through her annotated script.

Feb 12, 2024: Weeknotes 05-06/24 Week 5 After a busy weekend, I mostly took Monday off to catch up with myself I did some digital spring cleaning, got some household chores done and …

Feb 11, 2024: Maestro, 2023 - ★★ Lacking in chemistry, I got zero connection with the characters. Although very well acted, as you’d expect, it left me totally cold. Had I been …

Feb 10, 2024: Finished reading: Parable of the sower by Octavia E. Butler 📚 Outstanding. I can’t explain the comfort (not sure that’s the right word… hope, maybe?) …

Feb 6, 2024: Is it possible to go into a bookshop or library and only come out with the specific thing you went in for? Asking for a friend 📚

Jan 29, 2024: Bottoms, 2023 - ★★★ Watched on Monday January 29, 2024.

Jan 29, 2024: Weeknote 04/24 Monday saw the first monthly planning session of the year. We had a great turnout of 20 participants which is largely due to teaming up with …

Jan 29, 2024: Wingwomen, 2023 - ★★★ Watched on Sunday January 28, 2024.

Jan 29, 2024: Finished reading: Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata 📚

Jan 24, 2024: Now (January 2024) The latest look at where my energy and attention is focused now… Freelance work With my full focus in the run up to the end of last year on my …

Jan 24, 2024: Finished reading: Foster by Claire Keegan 📚 Another remarkable story. We join somewhere in the middle and leave before its end, yet Keegan’s writing …

Jan 22, 2024: Caramel, 2007 - ★★★★ There is great depth in the apparent simplicity of this film. Any film Nadine Labaki touches is immediately on my watchlist.

Jan 22, 2024: Weeknote 03/24 I think I drank more tea than usual. It’s cold. We had a little snow. And mostly I’m feeling like hibernating until spring would be a good idea. …

Jan 21, 2024: Marsden Bay and Cleadon Hills Another Saturday with no hockey. This time a result of snow still covering the pitch in Whitby rendering it unplayable. As I was up and dressed …

Jan 21, 2024: I want to read more by Stephen King. I really enjoyed The Long Walk and am wondering if the best place to start would be other novels he published …

Jan 21, 2024: Paused reading: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas 📚 I was really struggling to get into this. Rather than push on I’ve decided it’s just not the …

Jan 21, 2024: Doing a distance challenge with work has got me out and about so much more this month. Hit 100km yesterday. I need to think about how to keep this …

Jan 16, 2024: Cosy

Jan 15, 2024: The Lost Daughter, 2021 - ★★★★ A mesmerising portrayal of the claustrophobia and loneliness of motherhood. There’s also something intriguing about how memories and the emotions they …

Jan 15, 2024: Weeknote 02/24 The highlight of my week was a fleeting visit from my sister who was in town for a conference. It was novel to spend time just the two of us. And I …

Jan 15, 2024: “What you learn in the thick of life is the limits of rationality.” Krista Tippett in conversation with Nick Cave

Jan 14, 2024: Not logged yet Strange Way of Life

Jan 7, 2024: Weeknote 01/24 I love it when the month starts on a Monday. It’s even better when it’s also a new year! We met friends for a walk at the coast then spent the rest of …

Jan 7, 2024: Captain Cook Round It’s rare we have a completely free weekend together but due to plans to visit friends falling through, that’s how we found ourselves this …

Jan 6, 2024: Finished reading: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel 📚 Sublime. What a way to start a new year in books. Really want to reread Station Eleven …

Jan 5, 2024: Barbie, 2023 - ★★★★ Glad I waited for the hype to die down.

Jan 3, 2024: I’ll watch most sports with the notable exceptions of F1, horse racing and golf. Today may be the first time I’ve actively chosen to watch darts. Have …

Dec 31, 2023: This is the first year in I can’t remember how long that I haven’t heaped pressure on myself to finish lots of things (and inevitably fail) before the …

Dec 31, 2023: The Truman Show, 1998 - ★★★★ Still holds up after more than 25 years. Watching now (and with Izzy for the first time) it seems remarkably prescient.

Dec 31, 2023: Finished reading: A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo 📚 Last book of the year. Indulging my love of queer origin stories.

Dec 30, 2023: Booked my first overseas holiday for five years today. A short trip over the North Sea to explore the Netherlands and celebrate one of those big 0 …

Dec 27, 2023: Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, 1991 - ★★★ Highly flawed and yet still entertaining.

Dec 26, 2023: Home Alone, 1990 - ★★½ Introducing my wife to a classic. Not the best filmmaking but good fun nonetheless. It’s amazing what you can forget about a film you haven’t seen for …

Dec 17, 2023: Love at First Sight, 2023 - ★★★ Described by a friend as an unexpected delight and I wholeheartedly agree.

Dec 17, 2023: NYAD, 2023 - ★★ Watched on Monday November 13, 2023.

Dec 14, 2023: Finished reading: The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich 📚 My first Erdrich book but definitely not my last. This was a slow burn for me until a little …

Dec 14, 2023: An offering left at the bus stop

Dec 2, 2023: Testing posting from Google Keep after seeing all the chat about posting from Apple Notes.

Dec 2, 2023: Every December I aim to hold out as long as I can on putting the decorations up. My one concession this year is the wreath I made at a work social …

Dec 1, 2023: My Spotify Wrapped has taught me one thing: I need to take more control over the music I listen to and not lazily listen to the daily mixes that the …

Nov 27, 2023: I remember a time when it seemed all the links shared in newsletters went to Medium. It’s the same now but for Substack 🙄

Nov 25, 2023: Finished reading: If I Survive You by Jonathan Escoffery 📚

Nov 18, 2023: Finished reading: The Galaxy, and the Ground Within by Becky Chambers 📚 Sad to reach the end of the wayfarer series but excited to read more from …

Nov 17, 2023: I’m a convert to reading microblog timelines via RSS, in Feedbin it’s such a smooth experience. But I find it reduces the amount I post and interact …

Nov 2, 2023: Finished reading: Old God’s Time by Sebastian Barry 📚 Barry is one of my favourite authors and I’ve enjoyed losing myself in his writing before …

Oct 28, 2023: Enola Holmes, 2020 - ★★ I’d heard good things about this. It was entertaining enough for a rainy Saturday afternoon but I have two lingering questions: - Why did the there …

Oct 17, 2023: Fanfic, 2023 - ★★½ The story has so much potential. Sadly the execution didn’t match up. Feels like there would have been much more scope to develop the characters and …

Oct 16, 2023: The best thing about substack newsletters is that they have RSS feeds.

Oct 4, 2023: Finished reading: Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson 📚 Astonishing. I couldn’t put this down, just wanted to float in the words. There’s an art to …

Oct 2, 2023: Fixed some minor issues on my bike all by myself aided by tools borrowed from work and tutorials on youtube 💪

Oct 1, 2023: Finished reading: This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar 📚 This one grew on me. I enjoyed the letters but felt a little lost in the rest …

Sep 30, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 30: Treasure This tree stood for around 300 years on Hadrian’s Wall. This past week it was purposefully felled …

Sep 29, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 29: Contrast I’m a sucker for a crane against a crisp blue sky.

Sep 28, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 28: Workout

Sep 27, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 27: Embrace

Sep 27, 2023: When I follow baking recipes two things happen without fail: the cooking time is longer and the amount of items made is always short.

Sep 26, 2023: It’s so disappointing when your tasty pint isn’t listed on Untappd 😞🍺

Sep 26, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 26: Beverage Last night’s pre-film pint. Contrary to what the glass says it’s Bohemian Northern Brown Ale brewed …

Sep 25, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 25: Flare A search of the archives brought up this photo of an artwork by Jean-Michel Othoniel from an …

Sep 24, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 24: Belt

Sep 23, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 23: A day in the life Saturdays from September to April = hockey days. Slight anomaly today as playing in goal …

Sep 23, 2023: Pre-match nerves on another level today, making my annual cameo in goal 😬

Sep 22, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 22: Road Newcastle’s Grey Street looking splendiferous in the midday sun.

Sep 21, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 21: Fall P.S. Forgot to say that this is another cheat day. This photo was taken back in 2011 on a visit to New …

Sep 20, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 20: Disruption The story of a cycle commute.

Sep 19, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 19: Edge Another one from the archives. We went over the edge at the Mirador de Abrante on La Gomera.

Sep 18, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 18: Fabric Digging into the archives today because the story’s so good. An internet friend sent me a bow tie, it …

Sep 17, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 17: Intense

Sep 16, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 16: Oof! Hockey is back. We went on a 4 hour round trip and lost 5-0. Here are the post-match teas.

Sep 15, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 15: Red

Sep 14, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 14: Statue

Sep 13, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 13: Glowing My first cheat of the challenge — today’s photos were taken by my wife. It was a no brainer given …

Sep 12, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 12: Panic Found a nice quiet spot to spend my lunch break… then turned around and saw the vampire rabbit was …

Sep 11, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 11: Retrospect I adore Lucy Rie’s creations and picked up this catalogue of her work on a recent visit to the …

Sep 10, 2023: I have two questions about ITV’s rugby World Cup coverage… Why have they set it up to look like a political debate? Why are they making the pundits …

Sep 10, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 10: Cycle Round here Sundays are for housework.

Sep 9, 2023: I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed watching England play rugby. All change tonight - a George Ford masterclass and finally playing like a team 🙌 …

Sep 9, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 9: Language Cricket has its very own vocabulary.

Sep 8, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 8: Yonder

Sep 7, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 7: Panorama Messing about with panoramas during my lunch break for today’s photo. Managed to get 5 of …

Sep 6, 2023: I’ve not forgotten about my holiday highlights series, so here’s #3… Listening to my Dad read my nephews their bedtime …

Sep 6, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 6: Well A good excuse to take a different route for today’s lunchtime dog walk

Sep 5, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 5: Forest

Sep 4, 2023: Green Sea, 2020 - ★★ (contains spoilers) This review may contain spoilers. Not entirely sure what to make of this film. It felt like it could be a wholesome story about friendship but there …

Sep 4, 2023: Really enjoying seeing the variety in photos being posted for today’s challenge prompt 🤩

Sep 4, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 4: Orange Somewhere between green and red 🍅

Sep 3, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 3: Precious 🥰

Sep 2, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 2: Buildup It’s two weeks today until the first match of the season.

Sep 2, 2023: Finished reading: Supporting Cast by Kit de Waal 📚

Sep 1, 2023: 📸 September 2023 photo challenge. Day 1: Abstract

Aug 27, 2023: Derivé in Durham This morning I took a short train ride to Durham to take a walk and explore some (new to me) corners of the city. This activity and the prompts I used …

Aug 27, 2023: Someone wrote recently about the reason for blogging / who a blog is for. Can’t find it now and want to share with someone 😞 Can anyone point me in …

Aug 27, 2023: On my way to Durham this morning for a wander inspired by this derivé walk

Aug 26, 2023: My Neighbor Totoro, 1988 - ★★★★ Almost ashamed to say this is the first time I’ve watched this. I was tired and feeling a bit sorry for myself and some time with Totoro et al was …

Aug 23, 2023: YouTube have unintentionally made the best user experience ever. Loving the calm of this, long may it last

Aug 23, 2023: “You’re not a perfectionist. You’re insecure about how your best effort will be received.” 💬 Unknown author. Source: Dense Discovery #250 This is one …

Aug 23, 2023: Finished reading: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin 📚 I devoured this. It is one of those rare books that’s as good as everyone …

Aug 21, 2023: First full session back at hockey tonight and it’s clear that the brain needs pre-season as much as the body. My decision making was definitely off 🏑

Aug 20, 2023: Holiday highlights #2 - a cheeseboard to rival Christmas with newfound favourite, Alp Blossom

Aug 20, 2023: Well, the better team on the day won. Just a shame we didn’t get the same level of football in the second half after the ref lost all control of the …

Aug 20, 2023: Switching to ITV for half time to hear what Karen Carney, and hopefully Emma Hayes, have got to say about the game so far ⚽️

Aug 20, 2023: It’s World Cup Final Day! So excited and nervous. No idea how I’m going to distract myself for the next couple of hours until it kicks off ⚽️

Aug 19, 2023: Holiday highlights #1 - with three kids under 10 finding a holiday let with its own play park including the climbing frame pictured, a trampoline and …

Aug 19, 2023: Just home from a week away with the family. A wonderful mix of outdoor activities, rest and countless games of Yahtzee. Spending the afternoon on the …

Aug 16, 2023: Finished reading: Under the Udala Trees by Chinelo Okparanta 📚

Aug 9, 2023: Last few days to join the microblog Fantasy Premier League mini-league ⚽️ Sign up for an FPL account Pick your team (15 players, max of 3 per club) …

Aug 7, 2023: First 🍅 harvest

Aug 6, 2023: Today epitomises the different approaches to relaxation taken in our household. One of us made two cakes, mincemeat and the Christmas pudding, then …

Aug 5, 2023: Finished reading: Sybil & Cyril by Jenny Uglow 📚

Aug 2, 2023: As soon as you notice that the Welsh Fire kit makes them look like a team of vicars you can’t unsee it 🏏

Jul 31, 2023: Getting quite emotional here watching Broad steam in for his last few overs. The roar that went up from the crowd when he got Murphy’s wicket just …

Jul 31, 2023: “His mind is a thousand ball bearings in a biscuit tin.” 💬 The Perfect Golden Circle by Benjamin Myers My wife and I often have …

Jul 30, 2023: Choo choo 🚂

Jul 30, 2023: Finished reading: The Perfect Golden Circle by Benjamin Myers 📚 Poetic. I really enjoy the characters and snapshots of their worlds that Benjamin …

Jul 26, 2023: At last count there were seven of us in the micro.blog Fantasy Premier League mini-league. It would be great to see a few more players join us ahead …

Jul 26, 2023: I have decided that for future posts about fantasy football I’m going to use this emoji combo 🔮⚽️

Jul 24, 2023: Had an odd experience at a restaurant last week where the atmosphere was at complete odds with what they claimed on their website. I don’t often leave …

Jul 23, 2023: Finished reading: A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers 📚 When I opened this book I was a little sad not to be continuing the journey with the …

Jul 23, 2023: Forced into making drop scones for the sole purpose of trying out this chilli marmalade. It’s a bit spicy 🌶️😤

Jul 19, 2023: Finished reading: The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers 📚 Perfect holiday reading. I enjoyed this so much I’ve immediately started …

Jul 16, 2023: 26 off the final over 😏 Can England summon up another record run chase to keep the final game competitive? 🏏

Jul 12, 2023: Kate Cross and Heather Knight, England’s heroes today. Can’t wait for the next episode of the No Balls podcast and the ball by ball walk through of …

Jul 10, 2023: Finished reading: The Long Good-bye by Raymond Chandler 📚 This may be the start of a Raymond Chandler / classic detective fiction book binge.

Jul 5, 2023: Stop press: England have won an Ashes match 🏏

Jul 4, 2023: Are there any other Fantasy Premier League players out there in micro.blog land? ⚽️

Jul 3, 2023: For the record: I am not a fan of on court interviews 🎾

Jul 3, 2023: Now (July 2023)

The latest look at where my energy and attention is focused now…

Jul 1, 2023: Always Be My Maybe, 2019 - ★★ Needed something light for the end of my first week at work and this fit the bill perfectly. I enjoyed the broad story and central relationships. Not …

Jun 29, 2023: January to June in the park

Jun 28, 2023: Full Time, 2021 - ★★★★ Before we went to see this I was flippantly referring to it as Run Lola Run for the middle aged. It’s not quite, but it did get my heart racing in a …

Jun 26, 2023: Hmm, feels like such a missed opportunity to steal are rare win from Australia today. Kind of glad I couldn’t listen to this morning’s session. In …

Jun 26, 2023: Finished reading: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman 📚 I thoroughly enjoyed spending the last week or so with Ove and I’m going to miss him. This one …

Jun 25, 2023: My family are at Trent Bridge today. Seems like they’ve been good luck for England’s bowlers. Bring on the chase 🏏

Jun 25, 2023: Majorly disrupted sleep due to heat and neighbours having a sing-a-long when they got in at 4AM. Decided to get up and watch yesterday’s Premier 15s …

Jun 22, 2023: A chap passing in the back lane as I was getting the bin in this morning complimented me on our yard. He said “That’s canny cute, like” and I …

Jun 22, 2023: What did Sophie Ecclestone eat at tea? 🏏

Jun 22, 2023: Kielder Water — cycling: https://fragments.ekcragg.co.uk/kielder-water-cycling?pk_campaign=rss-feed

Jun 22, 2023: Kielder Water — cycling My goal for day two of my trip (read about day one here) was to cycle a full loop around the reservoir. At 40 km this would be by far my longest ever …

Jun 21, 2023: It’s a real shame that not a single game of the women’s Ashes series is being played in the north 😢 🏏

Jun 21, 2023: Kielder Water — walking: https://fragments.ekcragg.co.uk/kielder-water-walking?pk_campaign=rss-feed

Jun 21, 2023: Kielder Water — walking In anticipation of starting a new part-time role at the end of the month, and losing the flexibility that my freelance life offers, I booked myself a …

Jun 19, 2023: Zombieland: Double Tap, 2019 - ★★ Ridiculous. Fun. As advertised.

Jun 13, 2023: Accidentally had breakfast in the yard this morning (was driven out of my usual spot by workmen setting up on the street outside). While I was there I …

Jun 12, 2023: Popped into the toon this morning, it’s a beautiful day

Jun 11, 2023: Finished reading: Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo 📚 Forgot I had to post about this for it to count towards my reading goal. It’s a …

Jun 11, 2023: Finished reading: My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout 📚 Quick weekend read.

Jun 11, 2023: Test print complete ✅ Work to do on the inking, especially of the blue but I’m super happy with how the design has turned out. This view of a house …

Jun 10, 2023: Pre-match and half-time ‘shows’ at major sporting events make me sad 😞

Jun 10, 2023: Currently reading: My Name Is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout 📚 Not far into this but can’t help feeling that it’s like an accessible version of …

Jun 10, 2023: Starting a new project 🎨

Jun 10, 2023: Joyland, 2022 - ★★★★ Oof, this was everything I expected, and more. A devastating story of identity, repression, love, pride… The fact that it is a debut makes it all the …

Jun 9, 2023: Considering this as a new response when people ask how old I am: “As old as Ghostbusters.”

Jun 8, 2023: Espresso martinis on a Thursday night. Just because.

Jun 8, 2023: Finished reading: GREY BEES. by ANDREY. KURKOV 📚 How much I enjoyed this book and how much I cared for the bees really crept up on me. I’m going to …

Jun 8, 2023: Currently reading: Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman 📚 In anticipation of having more demands on my time when I start a new role at the end of …

Jun 7, 2023: Wayfinder, 2022 - ★★★½ Sometimes I can forget that film is an art form. I get caught up on narrative or action and forget to experience how a film makes me feel. Wayfinder …

Jun 6, 2023: Breakfasts just got more interesting 🍳

Jun 5, 2023: Lunch in the park #BloomScrolling

Jun 4, 2023: Just me: https://fragments.ekcragg.co.uk/just-me?pk_campaign=rss-feed

Jun 4, 2023: Just me If you happened to pass by me this morning while I was out for a run you’d have seen me in my usual state during exercise; huffing and puffing, …

Jun 2, 2023: The Byker Wall looking resplendent in the early evening sun

May 31, 2023: Time plays a role when there’s someone to keep track of it, to depend on it. And if no-one like that remains then time, too, stops and disappears. — …

May 30, 2023: Paris, Texas, 1984 - ★★★★ Watched on Sunday May 28, 2023.

May 30, 2023: Get Out, 2017 - ★★★★ Watched on Wednesday May 10, 2023.

May 29, 2023: I’ve been trying to learn how to identify birds by their songs, it wasn’t going well until I discovered Merlin. It allows you to record what you’re …

May 28, 2023: Learnt some knots while listening to the first half of the football

May 28, 2023: Last day of the Premier League season. Last day of FPL. Actually looking forward to a break from it all and switching my attention to cricket for the …

May 27, 2023: Work in progress

May 26, 2023: My lunchtime treat after running a workshop all morning is another episode of Voyager

May 24, 2023: I used to import my letterboxd reviews to micro.blog. I switched it off recently but want to revert back now. My question… will it duplicate old posts …

May 23, 2023: My media diet: https://fragments.ekcragg.co.uk/my-media-diet?pk_campaign=rss-feed

May 23, 2023: My media diet I’m fascinated by the different ways we consume, interact and engage with different forms of media. Over the past few years I’ve become very aware of …

May 20, 2023: Nobody, 2021 - ★ A waste of time. Should have stopped watching at the bus incident when I realised it was going to be unnecessarily violent.

May 20, 2023: Oh I do like to be beside the seaside…

May 15, 2023: Favourite tree looking glorious in the morning sun

May 13, 2023: Birdwatch: Saw my first swift of the year in the park this morning. Yet to see the house martins return to the terrace though

May 12, 2023: Finished reading: Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro 📚 Should have trusted my judgment and skipped this one. Me and Ishiguro don’t get on. The start …

May 3, 2023: Finished reading: Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan 📚 Subtle yet powerful, a gem of a book 💎

May 1, 2023: Managed to score some tickets to next year’s World Championship snooker. Already looking forward to it 🤩

Apr 29, 2023: Finished reading: Ghost Town by Patrick McGrath 📚 Not really much to say about this collection. The stories clipped along but didn’t really move me in …

Apr 29, 2023: Excited for the big showdown in the women’s Six Nations today. Think it could be close 😬

Apr 22, 2023: Chungking Express, 1994 - ★★★½ I don’t quite know what to make of it. In the first half I felt like I had no clue what was going on and couldn’t make any real connection with the …

Apr 19, 2023: Finished reading: Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr 📚 I really enjoyed this. The evidence is how fast I read it - just a couple of weeks is record …

Apr 13, 2023: We received two huge Easter eggs in the post with no note to say who they are from. I’ve got it into my head that I can’t eat mine until I know who it …

Apr 11, 2023: Taking some time off over the past week has given me some space to think about what each of my blogs is for. Not being clear on this is one of the …

Apr 10, 2023: We took advantage of a break in the clouds this morning and beat the rain. I think Aggie enjoyed her first visit to Rising Sun Country Park too

Apr 9, 2023: BPM (Beats per Minute), 2017 - ★★★★ This has been on my list to see for some time and now it is certainly going to sit with me for some time to come. At times it felt like a documentary …

Apr 8, 2023: Finished reading: The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper 📚 Took me a little while to get into this. Lining it up for a re-read later in the year, feel the …

Mar 23, 2023: No Time to Die, 2021 - ★★ Boooooring 🥱 However, I am intrigued to see what happens to 007 next.

Mar 23, 2023: My Days of Mercy, 2017 - ★★ It's the chemistry between Page and Mara that makes this film. It's clear what the film wants to be but it fails to either unlock the complexity of …

Mar 22, 2023: Day 22: insect #mbmar

Mar 21, 2023: Day 21: tiny #mbmar Picked this collection up on the beach a few weeks ago

Mar 20, 2023: Day 20: houseplant #mbmar Not many to choose from - I chose this because it’s the only one that looks remotely healthy 😳

Mar 19, 2023: Day 19: analogue #mbmar

Mar 16, 2023: Day 16: road #mbmar

Mar 15, 2023: Day 15: patience #mbmar As the temperature drops outside I’m waiting to hear whether hockey training is going ahead tonight

Mar 14, 2023: Finished reading: Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper 📚 Bloomin’ marvellous! Sending this on to my Mum to read to my nephews at bedtime - two things …

Mar 14, 2023: Day 14: horizon #mbmar Not much to see out there today, much like this pic from the same time last year

Mar 13, 2023: Day 13: connection #mbmar One connection in a piece of neon art yet to be installed

Mar 13, 2023: Tomorrow I will leave the house

Mar 12, 2023: Day 12: shiny #mbmar

Mar 11, 2023: Day 11: gimcrack #mbmar Never seen this word before so had to look up the definition. Reckon the closest term we use in the UK is knick-knack. …

Mar 10, 2023: Day 10: ritual #mbmar Reading in bed with the first cup of tea is how we start every day

Mar 9, 2023: Day 9: together #mbmar This photo of me and my eldest nephew has pride of place on the mantelpiece. It was taken on their first visit to us

Mar 9, 2023: As a reader, how do you feel about whole sentences in brackets?

Mar 9, 2023: As a reader, how do you feel about whole sentences in brackets?

Mar 8, 2023: Day 8: walk #mbmar My local park looking glorious on my lunchtime walk today. I struggled to choose which picture to share

Mar 7, 2023: Day 7: whole #mbmar Not for long 😋

Mar 6, 2023: Day 6: engineering #mbmar This is Dunston Staiths, one of the largest timber structures in Europe. It was built in the 1890s to move coal arriving by …

Mar 5, 2023: Kept the faith with my Liverpool players and they did me proud today. Second half of the season not going too badly for me after languishing around …

Mar 5, 2023: Day 5: tile #mbmar This is one of a series of mosaics in an underpass nearby. The image is of Newcastle upon Tyne’s iconic Civic Centre

Mar 5, 2023: Day 4: zip #mbmar Just the other side of midnight but it’s still Saturday somewhere

Mar 3, 2023: Day 3: solitude #mbmar

Mar 2, 2023: Day 2: weather #mbmar It’s been a bit wet lately but we seem to have turned a corner today. Still chilly; a reminder that it’s not quite Spring yet.

Mar 1, 2023: Blue Jean, 2022 - ★★★ I could feel the pressure building for Jean with every minute that went by. She's stuck. Questioning every action she makes. Justifying her choices as …

Mar 1, 2023: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, 2019 - ★★★★ I'd put off watching this as I feared that not being familiar with Mr Rogers, and his place in US culture, would be a barrier. That I wouldn't get it. …

Mar 1, 2023: Day 1: secure #mbmar

Feb 26, 2023: SA put up a good fight for a first final against a team they’ve never beaten in T20 but just not enough in their batting lineup. Who is going to stop …

Feb 26, 2023: Sunday sports day: 🏏 T20 World Cup final, 🏉 big Six Nations game, ⚽️ EFL Cup final. Might need some multi-screen action to cram it all in

Feb 23, 2023: My body clock needs a reset — been waking up on the dot of 05:20 every morning this week 🥱

Feb 23, 2023: TÁR, 2022 - ★★★ I think it says a lot about my response to this film that I developed a bit of an obsession with her shoes. I did wonder if this was due in part to …

Feb 19, 2023: The Guard, 2011 - ★★★ Needed something that was entertaining but not taxing for a Saturday night after a day of sport. This fit the bill nicely. I enjoyed the developing …

Feb 15, 2023: Went to see the sea today

Feb 15, 2023: Finished reading: The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles 📚 I read this with anticipation having loved the author’s previous book, A Gentleman in Moscow. …

Feb 11, 2023: I listened to an interview with the new England coach yesterday and I’m hopeful for our chances at the Women’s T20 World Cup… but ask me again after …

Feb 10, 2023: Molly's Game, 2017 - ★★★ Just fine for a Sunday night movie.

Feb 7, 2023: I really think more of a distinction should be made between a missed penalty and a saved penalty ⚽️

Jan 28, 2023: 📺 Finished watching Wednesday (2022) I delayed starting this because I’m stubborn and was convinced I wouldn’t like it. Two friends kept raving about …

Jan 28, 2023: Uncut Gems, 2019 In summary: men shouting. Not giving this a rating because I only made it half way. The prospect of another hour of the same noise did not fill me …

Jan 28, 2023: Finished reading: Burnt Shadows by Kamila Shamsie 📚 I enjoyed the relationships and the range in this story (across both time and geography). However …

Jan 27, 2023: I am always over ambitious about what I can do on Friday afternoons

Jan 26, 2023: Me and my Dad moved a shit ton (I think that’s the technical term) of soil over the past few days. If anyone needs me in the next couple, I’ll be …

Jan 25, 2023: Post-dinner nap time; Mum, Dad and dog have all nodded off. Good job I have a book

Jan 25, 2023: Red Notice, 2021 - ★ Needed something mindless after a hard day working in the garden… this was certainly that.

Jan 23, 2023: On my way to stay with my parents for a few days to help Dad with some work in the garden (digging out and replacing soil in the veg plot). Looking …

Jan 21, 2023: This morning in the park

Jan 20, 2023: I knew there would be a day when all the beer bottle tops I’ve collected over the years would come in handy. It’s poker night and we’ve got chips …

Jan 19, 2023: 📺 Finished watching Kaleidoscope (2023) I really enjoyed this series. I watched it in the order suggested by Netflix but I’m really interested …

Jan 17, 2023: Cooking tea tonight was a relay; I started and my wife finished. Somewhere along the way we got our wires crossed and ended up eating both tonight’s …

Jan 15, 2023: It was super windy here last night (80+ km/hr). Saw this on my walk this morning. The sign reads “High Winds. Mixed medium. Artist: Mother Nature …

Jan 14, 2023: Went to Whitby to play hockey. We lost. Beaten by a better team on the day. Fish and chips and a pint as a consolation prize

Jan 10, 2023: Finished reading: Funny Weather: Art in an Emergency by Olivia Laing 📚 As with every other book I’ve read by Olivia Laing I’ve come away with a list …

Jan 9, 2023: The Farewell, 2019 - ★★★ The central relationship between grandma and granddaughter was enough to keep me engaged in this story. And I found myself on a similar journey to …

Jan 9, 2023: TIL about the role of a Chief Evangelist. Sounds a bit icky to me.

Jan 6, 2023: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, 2022 - ★★★ Ridiculous and entertaining. I think I marginally preferred this second outing for Benoit Blanc to his debut. There were moments however where I was …

Jan 2, 2023: Finished reading: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern 📚 Woah 🤯 The perfect holiday read, I’ve devoured this over the past few days.

Jan 2, 2023: Question about importing feeds (eg Letterboxd) to microblog; will it pull in existing entries or just those published after the feed is added?

Jan 1, 2023: A walk at the coast was a great way to start the day (and year)

Dec 31, 2022: A New York Christmas Wedding, 2020 - ★ Watched on Tuesday December 13, 2022.

Dec 31, 2022: Wedding Season, 2022 - ★★ A friend recently introduced me to the concept of “fake date” films and this one certainly fits the bill. One of the better films I watched in my …

Dec 31, 2022: Love Hard, 2021 - ★★ Watched on Sunday December 11, 2022.

Dec 31, 2022: Falling for Christmas, 2022 - ★★ There should be a special star rating system for Christmas films. This one was actually better than I expected.

Dec 31, 2022: Beauty, 2022 - ★★ I liked the style of this film, including the decision not to let us hear Beauty sing. Ultimately it’s a tragedy and felt reminiscent of what I know …

Dec 31, 2022: Coco, 2017 - ★★★ I’m a sucker for a film about families and intergenerational friendships.

Dec 31, 2022: Inside Out, 2015 - ★★★★ Thoroughly enjoyed this. Pixar at its best. … slightly concerned the guiding emotions in my head behave a little like those in Dad’s head though.

Dec 31, 2022: Decision to Leave, 2022 - ★★★★ It’s all in the detail.

Dec 31, 2022: The Half of It, 2020 - ★★★ Delightful.

Dec 31, 2022: 2022: A year in books Here are the books I finished reading in 2022. I didn’t set myself a goal, it’s not helpful for me. Instead I prefer to aim to read a little every …

Dec 31, 2022: Joker, 2019 - ★★★ I don’t know what to make of Joker. It made me feel supremely uncomfortable and I don’t know if that’s a result of its brilliance or because it vastly …

Dec 31, 2022: The Harder They Fall, 2021 - ★★★ Effortlessly cool.

Dec 31, 2022: Miss Americana, 2020 - ★★★ Watched on Sunday May 8, 2022.

Dec 31, 2022: Bruised, 2020 - ★★ Watched on Saturday January 22, 2022.

Dec 31, 2022: Ava, 2020 - ★ Why Jessica, why?

Dec 31, 2022: Good Luck to You, Leo Grande, 2022 - ★★★★ I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this film and glad I left my judgments aside when invited to see it.

Dec 31, 2022: Finished reading in 2022: Titus Alone by Mervyn Peake 📚 Finishing up the Gormenghast trilogy. I was really surprised just how much I enjoyed it and …

Dec 31, 2022: Finished reading in 2022: The Passenger by Ulrich Alexander Boschwitz 📚

Dec 31, 2022: Finished reading in 2022: Roseanna (The Martin Beck series, Book 1) by Maj Sjöwall 📚 It’s difficult to tell whether the functional language of this …

Dec 31, 2022: Finished reading in 2022: Flight Behaviour by Barbara Kingsolver 📚 I’ve read a couple of other books by Kingsolver which, while I enjoyed I found …

Dec 30, 2022: Making Yorkshire puddings tonight with a new recipe and a new tin. What could possibly go wrong 🤞

Dec 30, 2022: Finished reading: Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Level 6 by John le Carré 📚 This might have been my first le Carré but it won’t be my last.

Dec 30, 2022: Wondered why I was seeing a flurry of finished book posts. Thought it might be that reading is a microbloggers main activity during twixtmas, but now …

Dec 30, 2022: Finished reading: The Fortune Men by Nadifa Mohamed 📚 Read this on my summer holiday. Thought it was excellent, more so because I knew nothing about …

Dec 30, 2022: 2022: A year in the park I took 12 photos from the same spot in a local park this year. One for every month of the year, just to see how things changed over time. What …

Dec 29, 2022: Currently reading: The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern 📚 I’m always mildly disappointed when the covers available in Epilogue don’t match the edition …

Dec 22, 2022: 📺 Just finished watching 1899. It started out as compelling viewing but just after halfway it started to get more and more ridiculous. Kinda …

Dec 14, 2022: Left the house for the first time since Sunday and the light was beautiful

Nov 26, 2022: I make a commitment for seven months of the year to dedicate my Saturdays to playing hockey. When we get a rare one off (like today) I don’t know what …

Nov 25, 2022: A weekly ritual we started during lockdowns was a weekend morning video call to do the crossword with my parents. It continues two years on and I’ll …

Nov 25, 2022: Currently reading: Sybil & Cyril by Jenny Uglow 📚 Went to hear the author speak tonight so high time I actually started reading this. More to …

Nov 24, 2022: I forgot to post an update for the November challenge yesterday. So going for two in one today. I often wonder how and why I retain some frankly …

Nov 22, 2022: Today I will graze on Celebrations to get me through the mid-afternoon slump.

Nov 22, 2022: Just discovered the theme is broken on my personal blog. Who knows how long it's been that way. Could there be a clearer message that I'm not …

Nov 21, 2022: Over the past few weeks I’ve been trying to teach my wife to ice skate. It’s been a challenge to break it down into the component parts. We’re making …

Nov 20, 2022: Repeat after me: it’s time to put your phone away and give your attention to something meaningful for a little while

Nov 19, 2022: I haven’t wanted to start reading another novel since finishing The Name of the Wind, but I think after a week I may just about be ready. Now what to …

Nov 18, 2022: Think I have a new answer to the "what's your greatest weakness" interview question... impatience. I'm waiting for someone to send …

Nov 15, 2022: There’s been a sudden upsurge in the amount of aluminium foil in our recycling bin since I decided it was indeed acceptable to eat mince pies in …

Nov 15, 2022: I’ve missed a few days of microblogvember prompts, but trying to get back on the horse and not leave the challenge. It’s still Monday in …

Nov 13, 2022: Really not sure I managed to adjust to this weekend’s hockey match being on Sunday rather than Saturday. Going to be a shock getting up for work …

Nov 12, 2022: A heartbreaking loss but that’s some performance from the Red Roses to keep within a score (and almost steal it at the end) having played 3/4 of the …

Nov 12, 2022: Here we go 🌹

Nov 10, 2022: Finished reading: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss 📚 Been sitting on this for years waiting until I was in the right place to read it. Feeling …

Nov 10, 2022: My wife recently started training to become a lay minister, little did I know this would require me to dredge up stuff I learned on my ancient history …

Nov 10, 2022: Over the past few weeks I’ve learned enough about my uses of micro.blog and Mastodon to decide that it’s time to stop cross-posting. If …

Nov 9, 2022: I find myself feeling less certain about more things these days… and I think I’m ok with that.

Nov 9, 2022: I find myself feeling less certain about more things these days… and I think I’m ok with that.

Nov 8, 2022: After much back and forth we have finally reached a consensus over team selection for this weekend’s hockey teams

Nov 8, 2022: After much back and forth we have finally reached a consensus over team selection for this weekend’s hockey teams

Nov 7, 2022: I’m grateful for the insights being shared through the microblogvember prompts… especially today’s. …

Nov 7, 2022: I’m grateful for the insights being shared through the microblogvember prompts… especially today’s.

Nov 6, 2022: A good story echoes

Nov 6, 2022: A good story echoes

Nov 5, 2022: After playing hockey on Saturdays I make myself exempt from any household chores

Nov 5, 2022: After playing hockey on Saturdays I make myself exempt from any household chores

Nov 4, 2022: I’ve been drawn back in to fantasy fiction this year and I’m full of admiration for the writers who create these other worlds for me to escape into.

Nov 4, 2022: I’ve been drawn back in to fantasy fiction this year and I’m full of admiration for the writers who create these other worlds for me to …

Nov 3, 2022: My observation of today’s prompt is how rarely I have a reason to use the word license in everyday conversation. Vastly different from when I worked …

Nov 3, 2022: My observation of today’s prompt is how rarely I have a reason to use the word license in everyday conversation. Vastly different from when I …

Nov 2, 2022: The colours on the trees this autumn really have been a feast for the eyes. I am curious though… has this year has been any different or have I …

Nov 1, 2022: Think I’m going to use the microblogvember challenge to help me get into the habit of posting more regularly while I figure out how to keep …

Oct 23, 2022: Spent the morning dog walk photographing fallen leaves. Such an abundance of colour - perfect for my next watercolour class on colour matching 🎨

Oct 18, 2022: Current favourite 🌳

Oct 15, 2022: No hockey to play for me today so I’m up and on the sofa ready to watch England’s Red Roses 🌹 vs France 🐓 at the Rugby World Cup before I head out to …

Oct 14, 2022: Currently reading: The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss 📚 I’m finally ready to read this which was a gift from a friend 5+ years ago. Only a few …

Oct 14, 2022: My contribution to micro.blog’s a day in the life. Picture taken on my daily walk in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK (11:11AM GMT+1)

Oct 13, 2022: Managed to limit my spending in Barter Books 📚

Oct 13, 2022: Awesome day out in the sunshine at Alnwick Garden

Oct 10, 2022: Finished reading: The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett 📚 A really engaging read. Left me wanting to seek out Bennett’s debut novel, The Mothers.

Sep 19, 2022: Finished reading: Treacle Walker by Alan Garner 📚 Best book I’ve read in a while. Raced through it in just a couple of sittings (which is rare for me) …

Sep 18, 2022: Hmm, finished watching The Sandman and I still really don’t know how I feel about it. If anything I’m left a little underwhelmed 📺

Sep 5, 2022: Weeknote 35/22 My week started with a couple of days off visiting family. On Monday I went to watch The Hundred at Trent Bridge with my sister and her family. My …

Aug 31, 2022: Finished reading: I Didn’t Do The Thing Today by Madeleine Dore 📚 I enjoyed reading this and frequently found myself nodding along. My copy is …

Aug 27, 2022: Weeknote 34/22 What happened this week… 📋 I took a new approach to setting my intentions for the week using three themes; things to finish, things to …

Aug 26, 2022: Finished reading: The End of Eddy by Edouard Louis 📚 Is it a novel? Is it autobiography? Does it matter? Either way I didn’t really manage to get into …

Aug 23, 2022: What do you call a co-working space when you’re the only one in it? 🤔

Aug 21, 2022: Weeknote 33/22 It’s been a few weeks since I posted a weeknote. You missed out on: a second week of COVID blues a holiday in Scotland the blur of returning to work …

Aug 21, 2022: “Simplicity is the end result of long, hard work; not the starting point.” 💬 Frederick Maitland

Aug 7, 2022: Plus ça change… Bristol City condemn abuse towards women’s manager Lauren Smith www.bbc.co.uk/sport/foo…

Aug 7, 2022: Two days and two pretty dismal batting performances by England at the Commonwealth Games. They’re going to have to be at the top of their game in the …

Jul 29, 2022: Finished reading: The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex 📚 Should have gone with my gut on this one and stopped reading before I’d committed too much to it. …

Jul 29, 2022: Today I am thankful for the opportunity to get out and about (and walk more than 100 metres). I am looking forward to a day at the beach tomorrow.

Jul 28, 2022: Negative test this morning = going on holiday this afternoon 🥳

Jul 26, 2022: ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️ Here we go!

Jul 25, 2022: On living in the moment: Today, this one-of-a-kind day

Jul 25, 2022: Weeknotes 28-29/22 ✅ With a grand total of two working days over the past two weeks my focus has been on the absolute essentials; planning activities for my next group …

Jul 19, 2022: Currently reading: The Lamplighters by Emma Stonex 📚 Always a little apprehensive when starting a book bought as a gift. Let’s see how this goes.

Jul 15, 2022: It’s Norway vs Austria for us at the Euros tonight. I’ll always take the game with something to play for over a dead rubber ⚽️

Jul 13, 2022: Today I am grateful that it is significantly cooler in the north east than it is in the south. I am looking forward to sleeping in my own bed.

Jul 12, 2022: Today I am grateful for seeing Izzy again after five days apart. I am looking forward to being at the Germany v Spain Euros match tonight.

Jul 11, 2022: Weeknote 27/22 🗓️ I’ve been feeling slightly apprehensive about the amount of work I have on and the limited days I have available in July. So I was pleased to hear …

Jul 9, 2022: Sports day… 🏉 Australia v England 🎾 Rybakina v Jabeur 🏏 England v India ⚽️ Netherlands v Sweden

Jul 5, 2022: This is my favourite tree in Jesmond Dene. I love the variety of colours and how it catches the late afternoon light. Do you have a favourite tree in …

Jul 3, 2022: Weeknote 26/22 It’s Sunday afternoon and by some small miracle I’m here posting my weeknote! 🪞 On Monday I had a great conversation with Kerry Bertram of …

Jun 27, 2022: Weeknote 25/22 🙋🏼 Ran the second session of my group coaching programme on the theme of identity. I also got a head start on planning activities and creating …

Jun 26, 2022: January to June in my local park

Jun 23, 2022: A chair collapsed underneath me today. Now I find myself viewing all chairs that I approach with suspicion

Jun 20, 2022: Hustle, 2022 - ★★★ Enjoyable enough. Bo and Stanley are certainly characters you can get behind. Probably would have appreciated it more if I knew who everyone was!

Jun 20, 2022: Human beings are like jazz musicians; always improvising. Fortuitous to be in the car with 6Music on the radio yesterday to catch Herbie Hancock on …

Jun 20, 2022: Weeknote 24/22 🏆 My Pod co-host and I have been shortlisted in the Freelance Impact category at YunoJuno’s Freelancer Awards. Voting is now open! 🖐 Finalised …

Jun 19, 2022: Spent the morning with Hockney at Salts Mill. Fell in love with a tree 😍

Jun 16, 2022: The ground beneath our feet On my walk to work today I listened to an episode of On Being that was a conversation from 2016 between Krista Tippett and the poet David Whyte. About …

Jun 15, 2022: Everything Everywhere All at Once, 2022 - ★★★★ I'm glad I went in to see this without expectations. I'd seen the trailer months ago and then avoided everything else. It took me a while to warm up …

Jun 13, 2022: Weeknote 23/22 🌟 The first session of my group coaching pilot was on Tuesday and it couldn’t have gone better. We started with a benchmarking activity which we’ll …

Jun 9, 2022: Finished reading: The Locals by Jonathan Dee 📚 Found this massively underwhelming, if not irritating. Dee seemed to start lots of plot lines and then …

Jun 8, 2022: When I started co-working at Good Space in Commercial Union House we knew that one day it would be knocked down. Four years later they finally did it …

Jun 5, 2022: Weeknote 22/22 📆 It’s been a funny old week. Through travel and Bank Holidays I worked three days (two full, two half). It was quiet as we’re between Pods and many …

Jun 4, 2022: Got my watercolours out today and enjoyed getting a feel for the brushes again. Realised this may be the first time I’ve painted as an adult! It won’t …

Jun 3, 2022: Up and out for a walk before the Bank Holiday crowds. Lovely and fresh after last night’s downpour

Jun 2, 2022: What a morning of cricket! Delighted for local lad Matthew Potts on his debut. Trying not to get ahead of myself though; difficult to tell from the …

May 31, 2022: Weeknote 21/22 🗓️ Monday brought another monthly plan with me session. It was the largest group so far this year with a good mix of first timers and regulars. 🍷 We …

May 31, 2022: Finished reading: A Thousand Moons by Sebastian Barry 📚 Another gem. I don’t know any other author who weaves poetry into the narrative like Barry …

May 28, 2022: Marriage Story, 2019 - ★★★★ Watched on Monday August 31, 2020.

May 28, 2022: The Old Guard, 2020 - ★★★ Watched on Saturday August 29, 2020.

May 28, 2022: 13th, 2016 - ★★★★ Watched on Saturday August 22, 2020.

May 28, 2022: I, Tonya, 2017 - ★★★ Watched on Sunday May 17, 2020.

May 28, 2022: The Post, 2017 - ★★★ Watched on Thursday April 30, 2020.

May 28, 2022: Spy, 2015 - ★★ Watched on Sunday April 19, 2020.

May 28, 2022: The Big Short, 2015 - ★★★★ Watched on Sunday February 2, 2020.

May 28, 2022: Wonder Woman, 2017 - ★★★ Watched on Saturday February 1, 2020.

May 28, 2022: Mean Streets, 1973 - ★★★ Wish I’d watched this during my 70s phase about 20 years ago

May 28, 2022: The Two Popes, 2019 - ★★★ Watched on Friday January 24, 2020.

May 28, 2022: The Forty-Year-Old Version, 2020 - ★★★ Watched on Sunday October 11, 2020.

May 28, 2022: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, 2019 - ★★ I enjoy the interplay between (and performances of) Ridley and Driver, but the rest is a bit meh.

May 28, 2022: Ocean's Eight, 2018 - ★★ I’d been waiting to see this for so long. Perhaps I built my expectations up too much. So very disappointing.

May 28, 2022: Paddington, 2014 - ★★★★ Finally got round to watching this and it was everything I expected/hoped it would be. Perfect holiday film.

May 28, 2022: Booksmart, 2019 - ★★★ Watched on Wednesday May 26, 2021.

May 28, 2022: David Byrne's American Utopia, 2020 - ★★★★ I had no idea what to expect from this… and I loved it! We watched it as part of our virtual weekend away to NYC during lockdown.

May 27, 2022: Too nice not to head out for a stroll this evening

May 27, 2022: Just found out a local coffee roastery is opening a shop within 100 yards of my flat. Can’t decide if this is the best thing to happen this week …

May 26, 2022: Waiting for our new sofa to be delivered. Chance of any meaningful work getting done before or after? Slim.

May 25, 2022: Caught up on Taskmaster last night (S13:E6). Was in stitches at the attempts to record the highest number on a pedometer. As I was 30 mins early for …

May 24, 2022: Tasks that present unexpected challenges then are straightforward to complete once you have a clear strategy and the right tools are the most …

May 23, 2022: Weeknote 20/22 I don’t think I’ve mentioned it in a weeknote before but I start each week with two regular Monday morning commitments: hosting a half-hour …

May 22, 2022: Here’s how my afternoon is shaping up: dismantling a sofa and trying to follow 10 football matches all at once. How about you?

May 22, 2022: Black Book, 2006 - ★★★ Watched as part of our virtual holiday to Amsterdam.

May 22, 2022: Portrait of a Lady on Fire, 2019 - ★★★★★ Wow.

May 19, 2022: Invincibility The weekly question in the freelancer community I belong to was: What gives you confidence? My response surprised me… My confidence is …

May 18, 2022: Weeknote 19/22 Late again but I’m happy with my reasons… Last week I attended a 2-day conference (Friday/Saturday). It was my first in person experience for …

May 14, 2022: Currently reading: I Didn’t Do The Thing Today by Madeleine Dore 📚 You’ll know on the first page if this book is for you. Summary: I don’t have …

May 13, 2022: Today I danced in the sunshine, invented a game in 2 minutes (called Pointless Popping Pirate Personas) and realised I need to redraw the edges of my …

May 13, 2022: I’ve always wondered whether this could happen with wordle and the myriad spin offs. Today’s the day! Framed #63 🎥 🟩 ⬛ ⬛ ⬛ ⬛ ⬛ framed.wtf

May 12, 2022: First day I’ve seen the house martins back playing between the terraces so I’ve downloaded this for my journey this evening

May 11, 2022: Want to get better at logging the films I’m watching and thinking of connecting Letterboxd to micro.blog. Curious what workflow others use for this 🍿🎥

May 11, 2022: Currently reading: A Thousand Moons by Sebastian Barry 📚 Back to fiction today with one of my favourite authors.

May 8, 2022: Weeknote 18/22 Here’s my first attempt at getting back into the habit of posting my weeknote on a Sunday evening… 🌳 There was a Bank Holiday in the UK on …

May 6, 2022: The more I read of Spring Cannot Be Cancelled: David Hockney in Normandy, the more I want to spend my time just looking at the trees in the park …

May 5, 2022: Weeknote 17/22 How late is too late to post a weeknote? Here’s last week’s… 🚆 I started my working week taking my first three calls sitting at my Dad’s desk, …

May 2, 2022: Found the flaw in my plan to buy no new books this year… my wife is still buying books. Four she’s finished recently added to my to read pile today 🤷🏼

Apr 30, 2022: Sunny morning run before the rest of the world gets up = a good start to a long weekend

Apr 28, 2022: Signed up for my first Good Gym sessions today. In the next few weeks I’ll be going on a group run and a litter pick. Looking forward to helping in …

Apr 26, 2022: I do not enjoy getting up early however I am looking forward to an early start for Dawn Chorus Day on May 1

Apr 25, 2022: Weeknote 16/22 I’m a little out of the habit writing these weeknotes having been on holiday and then seemingly incapable of dedicating time to them in the week …

Apr 22, 2022: New favourite wordle spin-off framed.wtf 🎬🎥🍿

Apr 21, 2022: It is your life - but only if you choose to make it so Today’s quote for reflection is taken from Eleanor Roosevelt’s book You Learn by Living. It is your life — but only if you choose to make it so. …

Apr 20, 2022: It is our expectations that define what will anger us Today’s quote for reflection is taken from a lecture by Alain de Botton (it’s another one I was directed to from Dense Discovery #181). It is our …

Apr 19, 2022: Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. I’m a member of a community who meet for daily mindfulness and journaling sessions. I host one session every week too and in this capacity it’s also …

Apr 18, 2022: Running through a field of cows in the middle of the city still feels like a novelty

Apr 16, 2022: For me Bank Holidays are about baking and beer. Bonus points this weekend for baking with beer. Spiced stout hot cross buns on the menu today 😋

Mar 28, 2022: Weeknote 12/22 📋 We’re running an open week for our accountability group in the last week of March, so I spent some time setting up and planning sessions for that. …

Mar 27, 2022: For a fleeting moment this afternoon the sun reflecting off the crackle glaze on this little pot made a beautiful pattern that reminded me of marbling

Mar 22, 2022: I have a long-standing desire to “be more creative” and I think I’ve always equated that to doing more drawing, printing, photography etc. Today I …

Mar 21, 2022: Weeknote 11/22 ⚡ I spent a good chunk of my working time this week preparing for an event series I’m trialling. The first session is next week and I’m just ironing …

Mar 14, 2022: Weeknote 10/22 🏃 Started the week running a sub 35-minute 5k. This is an achievement on two fronts 1) I’ve not run this far all year 2) I rarely run faster than 7 …

Mar 8, 2022: Finished reading: Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead 📚 Enjoyed this adventure yarn and getting to know Marian Graves. Wasn’t sure about the need for the …

Mar 7, 2022: In my accountability group this morning I appreciated being asked what I am looking forward to this week as well as what I need to get done

Mar 7, 2022: Weeknote 09/22 🤹 This week I’ve been working on four main projects and felt like I took significant steps forward in each of them. I generally find that having more …

Feb 28, 2022: Weeknote 08/22 Rounding off the month with what was for me a really good week both personally and professionally. 🗓️ I ran the Feb/March monthly planning session on …

Feb 22, 2022: Super excited - just bought tickets to see my first Red Roses match live. Taking my Dad back to Welford Road where we used to spend every Saturday …

Feb 22, 2022: Weeknote 07/22 Let’s try this again. I drafted most of my weeknote yesterday but committed the cardinal error of doing so directly in the browser and then …

Feb 19, 2022: Nightmare Alley, 2021 - ★★★ A film of two halves for sure. Felt reminiscent of The Prestige but nowhere near as good.

Feb 19, 2022: High-Rise, 2015 - ★★ Engaging for about the first hour and then drastically lost its way. Felt like one of those dreams you wake from in the middle of the night and …

Feb 17, 2022: Just updated my /now page ekcragg.co.uk/now/

Feb 15, 2022: Finished reading: Do Pause by Robert Poynton 📚 This book has prompted so many questions for me to explore around how I create and use pauses in my …

Feb 13, 2022: Weeknote 06/22 Home — I’ve been home alone the majority of this week. I survived pretty well without reverting to student / bachelor behaviour. Mostly because …

Feb 12, 2022: Watching rugby with my wife. “I like their bonnets” she says 🤣

Feb 11, 2022: One of my favourite things to do is a solo trip to the cinema. It felt good to be back there yesterday after too long. I watched Nightmare Alley which …

Feb 9, 2022: Spotted my first snowdrops in the park today and was pleased to see the friendly bullfinches are back. Roll on Spring.

Feb 7, 2022: Weeknote 05/22 Let’s get right to it… Home – Cleaned the flat on Monday evening and what a difference it makes to the experience living and working at …

Feb 4, 2022: Finished reading: Saltwater: Winner of the Portico Prize by Jessica Andrews 📚 An absolutely fantastic first novel. Really engaging with a distinctive …

Feb 1, 2022: Pure luck. Anyone ever got it on the first guess? Wordle 227 2/6 🟨⬛🟨⬛⬛ 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Jan 30, 2022: Weeknote 04/22 Every weekend when I catch up with my parents they ask how the week has been. Mostly I can’t recall what’s happened… perhaps I …

Jan 30, 2022: More storm damage in the local parks. Grateful to have been able to stay indoors yesterday after hockey was cancelled because the goals kept blowing …

Jan 29, 2022: Belfast, 2021 - ★★★ Watched on Saturday January 29, 2022.

Jan 24, 2022: Weeknote 03/22 Well here I am back for another overdue weeknote. Maybe I just need to accept that Monday is my weeknote publishing day? Although I didn’t think …

Jan 17, 2022: Weekend craft project

Jan 16, 2022: Weeknote 02/22 Here we are again. I’m happy to report I’m on schedule for writing my second weeknote of the year. I’ve even done some prep for this …

Jan 11, 2022: Oh what a beautiful day

Jan 10, 2022: Weeknote 01/22 Among many other things, one of the habits I want to build this year is writing up my weekly review as a weeknote. Last week I shared some intentions …

Jan 6, 2022: Looking forward I’ve been reading lots of blog and social media posts over the past week with people sharing their themes, goals and intentions for the coming year. …

Jan 3, 2022: My favourite everyday loaf is Dan Lepard’s sour cream sandwich bread. Here’s my first bake of the new year

Jan 3, 2022: The quality of the search function in the tool I use to track my reading is the deal breaker for me. I was too often disappointed with the first …

Jan 1, 2022: Don't Look Up, 2021 Paused after an hour and when we realised there was more to go than we had already watched we gave up. Yawn.

Dec 25, 2021: Finished reading: Gratitude by Oliver Sacks 📚 A short read for Christmas Day courtesy of 🎅🏻

Dec 25, 2021: Today I am grateful for being able to spend Christmas with my parents. And I am looking forward to eating trifle for pudding 😋

Nov 28, 2021: Currently reading: The Books of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin 📚 Reached the halfway point today by finishing The Farthest Shore. The more I read, the …

Nov 27, 2021: Just been to check storm damage in my local park. Thankfully it’s come off lightly with just a couple of trees uprooted and branches down

Nov 25, 2021: Today I am grateful for central heating. And I am looking forward to an evening of creative fun.

Nov 24, 2021: Spent my morning talking about WiFi boosters and mesh networks. Who do I send my expenses form to so that I can claim that time back?

Nov 23, 2021: Turns out pomodoro breaks come at the perfect interval for regularly checking on the Christmas pud while it steams

Nov 22, 2021: Saw my first job advert today that requires candidates to be “fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (unless medically exempt)”

Nov 21, 2021: I’m really going to miss the Sunday afternoon double bill of WSL and Red Roses matches on TV after the autumn internationals are over

Nov 20, 2021: Today I am grateful for my team for voting me player of the match… it softens the loss slightly. And I am looking forward to a day doing nothing.

Nov 18, 2021: Finished reading: The Biggest Bluff: How I Learned to Pay Attention, Take Control and Master the Odds by Maria Konnikova 📚

Nov 17, 2021: Which tube station makes you feel most like you’re stepping into Fritz Lang’s Metropolis?

Nov 16, 2021: Story from a London street today… Random man: Where’s your coat and hat? Me: I’m from the North. I hope that was enough of an explanation for him.

Nov 14, 2021: Today I am grateful for the ability to travel again. And I am looking forward to exploring a different city.

Nov 11, 2021: Today I am grateful for the park on my doorstep. And I am looking forward to some time off next week.

Nov 8, 2021: Today I am grateful for the weekly intention setting session with my accountability group. And I am looking forward to eating the quiche I just made …

Nov 6, 2021: Today I am grateful for a clear sky and a good view of Jupiter. And I am looking forward to attempting my first 5k in a while (probably a year) …

Nov 4, 2021: Today I am grateful for laughter therapy from Taskmaster. And I am looking forward to virtual coffee with my journaling community tomorrow.

Nov 4, 2021: A question always leaves room for you From Hannah Gadsby’s University of Tasmania Gradutation Address

Nov 3, 2021: Today I am grateful that the rain has eased before I have to go to hockey training. And I am looking forward to getting some fresh air.

Nov 2, 2021: Today I am grateful for flexibility in my work day. And I am looking forward to an upcoming inspiration jaunt to London.

Nov 2, 2021: The moon really didn’t disappoint

Nov 1, 2021: Today I am grateful for the start of a new project. And I am looking forward to seeing The Museum of the Moon.

Oct 27, 2021: Hello world. Testing custom domain.

Oct 25, 2021: Fighting with My Family, 2019 - ★★ Watched on Sunday December 29, 2019.

Oct 25, 2021: The Terminator, 1984 - ★★★★ Watched on Tuesday December 31, 2019.

Oct 25, 2021: Army of the Dead, 2021 - ★ Watched on Saturday June 5, 2021.

Oct 25, 2021: Spider-Man: Far From Home, 2019 - ★★ Watched on Friday September 10, 2021.

Oct 25, 2021: The Wolf of Wall Street, 2013 - ★ Watched on Sunday September 12, 2021.

Oct 25, 2021: Kate, 2021 - ★ Watched on Saturday October 2, 2021.

Oct 25, 2021: Pain and Glory, 2019 - ★★★ Unmistakably Almodovar

Oct 25, 2021: Funny Girl, 1968 Watched on Sunday October 24, 2021.

Oct 25, 2021: Nomadland, 2020 - ★★★★★ Watched on Saturday May 22, 2021.

Oct 8, 2021: Newcastle United When you turn to the sports pages today you’ll see elated Newcastle fans celebrating the end of the Mike Ashley era. That’s something I …

May 21, 2021: Choose your words carefully Within the space of two hours today I’ve been addressed as brother and, as part of a group, ladies. Neither is correct. On both occasions the …

May 17, 2021: Let the rug be pulled from beneath you Everything is changing all the time, and we keep wanting to pin it down, to fix it. So whenever you come up with a solid conclusion, let the rug be …

Apr 27, 2021: Learning to be patient At the end of last week, I managed to rupture the tendon of my right index finger. Apparently it’s an easy thing to do. The upshot of this is …

Apr 25, 2021: A change of scene Last week I did a couple of things that I’ve not done in around six months: slept in a bed that’s not my own and went to the pub for a …

Apr 11, 2021: Reasons to be cheerful #6 I’ve had a few weeks off from writing this list. That was not because there was nothing to say, but because I’ve been trying to spend more …

Apr 9, 2021: Play your own game On my walk earlier today I was listening to an episode of Planet FPL. You’ll often find me consuming this kind of content, especially towards …

Apr 5, 2021: The Prestige, 2006 - ★★★★ Watched on Saturday April 3, 2021.

Mar 29, 2021: A virtual visit to Amsterdam Six weeks on from our last virtual weekend away we were on our imaginary travels again this weekend. Our destination for this trip was Amsterdam. Once …

Mar 22, 2021: Reasons to be cheerful #5 Signs of Spring are certainly a recurring theme in these lists at the moment. Perhaps because the changing seasons are the only thing that differs …

Mar 21, 2021: Joy is not made to be a crumb If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give in to it. …whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is not made to be …

Mar 15, 2021: Reasons to be cheerful #4 Some weeks these lists are hard to write. Not for the lack of things to put on them but that other things happening in the world make each item feel …

Mar 11, 2021: Newsletter frequency Most newsletters come out on a schedule that suits the creator. Daily. Weekly. Fortnightly. Monthly. Occasionally. What if you as the recipient could …

Mar 10, 2021: 10 March 2020 My typical approach to journaling is writing a one-line summary at the end of the day. However, at the start of the pandemic I decided to write a …

Mar 1, 2021: Wintering Over the weekend I read Wintering: The power of rest and retreat in difficult times by Katherine May. It’s a mix of memoir, nature writing and …

Mar 1, 2021: Knives Out, 2019 - ★★★ Watched on Friday February 26, 2021.

Feb 28, 2021: Reasons to be cheerful #3 This week’s list of little things: my longest run of the year so far finally finishing The Count of Monte Cristo the moon a restock of beer …

Feb 26, 2021: Privacy updates Over the past few weeks I’ve made a few changes to how I do things on my website and for my newsletter. Cleaning up cookies I’ve never …

Feb 25, 2021: 2021 reading log A running list of all the books I read in 2021. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. Finished 25 February. I like Dumas' writing style and I …

Feb 24, 2021: Rush hour I live near one of the main routes into the centre of Newcastle. Lately I’ve noticed that traffic during what you might describe as the morning …

Feb 23, 2021: Laughter is good for the soul I got to the end of the work day yesterday feeling pretty flat. As we sat down to eat our tea I put the radio on. It was right as Just a Minute was …

Feb 22, 2021: Lifting lockdown... again So, if all goes to plan it looks like life will expand beyond the four walls of the home gradually over the next four months. It’s nice to be …

Feb 21, 2021: Reasons to be cheerful #2 Rounding off another week with a list of things that keep me smiling: being in control of my own schedule — allowing me to take time off for a …

Feb 20, 2021: Tyneside wagonways Most days I include sections of the Coxlodge wagonway on my lunchtime walk. I like it because it’s away from traffic (mostly) and is quieter than the …

Feb 19, 2021: Revisiting values I’ve spent this afternoon revisiting my personal values as part of a strategy session planning what projects I’m going to work on next. My …

Feb 17, 2021: On self-promotion in peer support communities Let me say this first - I’m not against self-promotion, you can’t be when you are a one-person business, but I believe there are …

Feb 16, 2021: A personal history of blogging By my calculations I’m reaching a point where I could legitimately claim to have been blogging for 20 years. I began my blogging journey as a …

Feb 15, 2021: End of work rituals When you work from home the boundaries of the work day are often blurred. Without the act of physically changing location it can be hard to switch off …

Feb 14, 2021: Reasons to be cheerful #1 Over the years I’ve periodically posted lists of the small, everyday things that I’m grateful for. Along with many other things I’ve chosen to commit …

Feb 13, 2021: A typical Saturday I love Saturdays. A day to unwind and have fun. A day to really switch off and relax. Here’s what a typical lockdown Saturday looks like… Wake …

Feb 12, 2021: There is no finish line Sometimes we can be tempted into thinking that there’s a magic item, experience or feeling that will bring us success or happiness. We pin our …

Feb 11, 2021: Co-working and community It can be lonely working for yourself. You may see people regularly, but meetings with clients are no proxy for having a team around you. I’m …

Feb 10, 2021: Cutting yourself some slack vs slacking off Something I’ve been pondering a while is where the line lies between cutting yourself some slack and slacking off. Is it contextual? Is it …

Feb 9, 2021: Early adopters There used to be a time when I was among the first to sign up to new websites and apps. I was eager to poke around with other early adopters to see …

Feb 8, 2021: A weekend away We spent the weekend just gone in New York. We ate pancakes, burgers and bagels. Drank cosmos and Manhattans. Visited The Frick, The Met and MOMA. Saw …

Feb 5, 2021: Being British All anybody was talking about on Twitter yesterday were two things: Jackie Weaver and that Handforth Parish Council video This thread about weird …

Feb 4, 2021: Giving blood Today I gave my 30th blood donation. The last time I was there a lady was celebrating her 100th donation! My goal is to get to 40 before I’m 40. …

Feb 3, 2021: A soundtrack for work For the most part I sit in silence while I work. However, I’ve got a new clock in my office and it has THE LOUDEST TICK EVER. I have superhuman …

Feb 2, 2021: A note about deadlines I worked furiously yesterday to get a project finished for today’s deadline. I was focused and systematic and I got more than I expected to …

Feb 1, 2021: A 28-day challenge within a challenge On August 26 2020 I set out my intention to take part in #100DaysToOffload. A challenge to publish 100 blog posts in one year. Less than a month …

Jan 27, 2021: Favourited: Newsletters; or, an enormous rant about writing on the web that doesn’t really go anywhere and that’s okay with me Link: www.robinrendle.com/essays/ne… Author: Robin Rendle Time to read: 8 minutes #favourite

Jan 27, 2021: Favourited: Spend time on something that will outlast them Link: austinkleon.com/2021/01/2… Author: Austin Kleon #favourite

Nov 24, 2020: Favourited: How to prioritize your project ideas Link: thecreativeindependent.com/people/ti… Author: Ryan Mather Time to read: 10 minutes #favourite

Sep 17, 2020: Lessons from hockey for life At hockey training last night we were working on match situations where one team has an overload. After a while, we paused to talk about how it was …

Sep 11, 2020: Things my Mum taught me My previous post contains a list of things my Dad taught me. Not wanting to leave my Mum out, here are some of the things she taught me. Again it’s …

Sep 8, 2020: Things my Dad taught me There was a tweet going round over the weekend that asked you to name one thing your Dad taught you. I didn’t respond because I couldn’t …

Sep 4, 2020: Research skills I am in the process of completing a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in Business and Personal Coaching. I completed the practical element of this …

Aug 27, 2020: Blog updates In preparation for starting this writing challenge I decided to make some tweaks to the setup of this blog. There’s a new theme and an archive …

Aug 26, 2020: #100DaysToOffload My writing typically comes in fits and starts. Just take a look at the yawning gaps between posts on this blog. 19 November 2019. 4 February 2020. 21 …

Aug 23, 2020: Favourited: The Work You Do, the Person You Are Link: www.newyorker.com/magazine/… Author: Toni Morrison Time to read: 3 mins. I found this article a good provocation to think about my …

Aug 23, 2020: Favourited: Your ‘Surge Capacity’ Is Depleted — It’s Why You Feel Awful Link: elemental.medium.com/your-surg… Author: Tara Haelle Time to read: 15 mins. Another article that prompts reflection on how we’ve …

Aug 21, 2020: Archives View posts by tag. Series #100DaysToOffload | #gratitude Topics #creativity | #exercise | #gender | #journaling | #listening | #lockdown | #poetry | …

Jun 30, 2020: June reading In this order… A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan How Not to Be a Boy by Robert Webb The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by …

Jun 12, 2020: Gratitude #004 Izzy’s endless patience with my up and down mood Instigating a cake exchange with friends nearby The impending resumption of Premier League and …

May 26, 2020: ducks, Newburyport The fact that after two months I’ve finally finished reading ducks, Newburyport, the fact that I got into the rhythm of it quite early on but it …

May 14, 2020: Gratitude #003 I got some fresh yeast from the bakery and have rekindled my love of baking bread and buns. Pictured above is a batch of Skillingsboller or shilling …

May 12, 2020: A short poem …inspired by England’s new lockdown slogan On an evening walk Stay alert while watching birds Don’t fall over your feet Tags: #cv19 …

May 11, 2020: Tips for lockdown haircuts From the client: accept it won’t be perfect be prepared to live with the outcome you get put all your trust in the hairdresser don’t …

May 1, 2020: Venturing forth For the past five weeks I’ve only left the house to exercise. I’ve not been beyond a 2km radius from my house in that time. This week I …

Apr 24, 2020: Gratitude #002 Discovering a delicious carrot soup recipe. Richard Osman’s weekly alphabet quizzes. To take part you need to subscribe to his newsletter. …

Apr 21, 2020: Gratitude #001 A park on my doorstep. Beer deliveries by bike. Being able to source flour relatively easily. If you’ve not been so lucky, try local weigh …

Apr 6, 2020: A pure soul and a smile in your heart Thanks Cards Against Humanity for bringing some joy to my day. I don’t have any kids. Should I download this? If you have a pure soul and a smile …

Mar 30, 2020: Coronavirus confessions #1 As I’ve been reading over the past few days I’ve found myself forgetting that the characters in my book aren’t on lockdown. I keep …

Mar 20, 2020: A moment of bliss I woke up this morning, stretched and got out of bed. As I walked to the kitchen to make tea the usual narrative started running through my head. What …

Mar 17, 2020: Change is the one constant Today I’ve been reading sample essays on how coaching can help to facilitate change. One opens with the line: Change is the one constant we all …

Mar 17, 2020: About

Feb 4, 2020: What is enough? Enough seems like a radical idea in a world that is conditioned to more. The concept of sufficiency runs contrary to so many values the Western world …

Nov 19, 2019: Prioritizing wellbeing In Adam Smith’s earlier work, “The Theory of Moral Sentiments,” which I think is just as important, he made the observation that the …

Nov 19, 2019: Life is short, don't wait If you find yourself thinking that life is too short for something, you should try to eliminate it if you can… Cultivate a habit of …

Nov 11, 2019: Balancing the accounts Just because we’re working to fill one account (our bank account), doesn’t mean we should diminish our life and health account in the process. We need …

Oct 31, 2019: RIP blogging? Here’s the thing: there are good blogs to read. Some old ones are gone, but new good ones are created all the time. And there are good RSS readers …

Oct 30, 2019: Instructions for living a life... Pay attention Be astonished Tell about it Extract from Sometimes by Mary Oliver Source: You do not have to be good by Austin Kleon #poetry …

Oct 22, 2019: Creatives are... People going through some endeavour trying to build or create or make something. I don’t mean artists or painters, just FYI. I mean people who …

Oct 8, 2019: Money doesn't fix everything Interesting analysis of the problems at Manchester United (emphasis my own): “It’s interesting because we keep hearing they need to buy …

Jul 25, 2019: Carry your life lightly Carry your life lightly Don’t overcompensate, Or turn the wheel too sharply But if you keep the handbrake on, you’ll never know The joy of moving …

Jun 19, 2019: Look after yourself Do less and achieve more. Take quality breaks. Take the occasional retreat. Spend time re-charging. Get enough sleep. Read for inspiration. Spend more …

Jun 12, 2019: Progress might mean doing an about-turn Progress means getting nearer to the place you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning, then going forward does not get you any nearer. …

Jun 11, 2019: herein, I only talk about the things I like This was an important decision for me, made some years ago. It is great fun to annihilate something in a storm of arch Menckenesque hail, and …

May 23, 2019: What should we be teaching? schools should downplay technical skills and emphasize general-purpose life skills. Most important of all will be the ability to deal with change, to …

May 13, 2019: Bridging critical thinking and hope Critical thinking without hope is cynicism. But hope without critical thinking is naïveté. I try to live in this place between the two, to try to …

Apr 17, 2019: False promises When enough people make false promises, words stop meaning anything. And there are no more answers only better and better lies. Wise words from Jon …

Apr 15, 2019: Lincoln's logic You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all of the time. #quote

Apr 15, 2019: Democracy and the media If a government is corrupt and fails to improve people’s lives, enough citizens will eventually realise this and replace the government. But …

Apr 15, 2019: Invention Humans were always far better at inventing tools than using them wisely Source: 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by #YuvalNoahHarari

Apr 1, 2019: Your network is your net worth Your network is your net worth. The people you surround yourself with most have a significant influence on your behaviors, attitudes, beliefs, and …

Feb 15, 2019: A Lopsided Arms Race Notes from the introduction and chapter 1 of Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport In the introduction, Newport highlights: “the necessity of …

Feb 5, 2019: Personal productivity Bookmarked: Why time management is ruining our lives “Personal productivity presents itself as an antidote to busyness when it might better be …

Feb 1, 2019: Reading time Had an interesting conversation with my partner this morning about why we’re struggling to finish an audiobook. There’s something about …

Jan 30, 2019: What do you want your days to look like? Bookmarked What your days look like “What do you want your days to look like?” is a question I ask myself whenever I’m trying to make a decision …

Jan 28, 2019: Fear of the unknown New Project? Every time… by @bryanMMathers is licenced under CC-BY-ND I need this reminder constantly. The only way to overcome the fear is to start …

Jan 27, 2019: Then what? Bookmarked The Parable of the Mexican Fisherman (via Laura Hilliger) If you find yourself asking: why you’re doing what you’re doing …

Jan 26, 2019: Slay the dragon of resistance Every time you ship, you plunge your sword into the dragon of resistance and you silence the fear. Source: How to Build an Audience of 1000 True Fans …

Jan 25, 2019: Discretionary time Time to read is seen as a luxury, a flower broken by the storm. The first thing we lose under pressure is discretionary time, and yet without this …

Jan 24, 2019: Rest ≠ Fun (and vice versa) Bookmarked Rest Isn’t Always Fun (and Fun Isn’t Always Rest) fun activities that we enjoy and find pleasurable can be depleting, leaving …

Jan 23, 2019: Time and quiet Time and quiet should not be luxury items. Tim Kreider Source: Time Off At the end of the Time Off episode 10 Actions From 2018 there’s some …

Jan 21, 2019: Idleness Idleness is not just a vacation, an indulgence or a vice; it is as indispensable to the brain as vitamin D is to the body, and deprived of it we …

Jan 21, 2019: Begin again If the last year went awry and the supply of new ones is not unlimited, here, at least, is one more. Source: Begin Again The poetry of this post from …