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. . . to walk alone in London is the greatest rest. Virginia Woolf (1882-1941)

It’s a New Year and I have plans of writing yearnotes, and liked the idea of making plans for the quarter, but then I remember I still can’t write weekly notes and its already the 12th of January, so I should accept who I am, get out of my own way and write a note already. I’ll just go backwards in time until we have enough content. I bought Rina …

Session 6 was played on 9/12Io the thiefGizzard Wannabe the WizardTheiss of Gond, clericTiptoe the thiefBoots the rangerAmnyuthist the halflingThe party hires Garwood and Kask and head back to the swamp, aiming to finish off the lizarmen mound. On the way, they meet a dozen warriors headed to the keep. They’d just come from the mound, and report that they’ve looted and burned it. The 2 groups continue on their …

I have mentioned both here and on the podcast that I worked at Suncoast Motion Picture Company for many years. Not to brag, but I was Employee of the Month countless times, and I have pins to prove it.When I would mention Suncoast to people, they didn’t always know what I was talking about. Suncoast had lots of locations in malls across North America and the company existed during the …

Hawkworld (Originally called Hawkman Winged Warrior) First Group Banner by Joe Prado January 15, 2025 is the Nth anniversary of Hawkworld! I started Hawkworld on Facebook back in 2016 and what a ride it has been. When I was a kid reading comics, I sent out a few letters to the comics, but my letters were never published. I could only dream about interacting with the creators of the characters …

I always feel a little bit of pressure at the start of the year as I have such a desire to kick off the year with some great reads. As if this sets the tone for the year. I’m nothing if not irrational! Last year, my first book was a low little singular star. It… Continue reading First Books of the Year

[sonic] Go listen to this Ska Version of Sonic The Hedgehog’s Green Hill Zone Theme …

On Saturday, I got into a stupid little spat with Wendy. We tentatively planned she would meet me at my place, and from there we would head to a 5:45 dinner reservation together. By 5:35 I was walking out my door and wondering where she was. I wouldn't normally care, knowing at least she would be on her way... In this specific case, however, I was going to pay at …

This project stated with the broad question of "How long did mid-Victorian clothing last?" (and it's reenacting corollary: "Can one justify wear a dress with specifically 1840s style elements at an event set in the 1850s, 1860s, or later by pretending to be old, poor, or rural?"). I've since come to realize it's really a series of related questions encompassing among other things:How frequently are dresses (or clothing more generally) …

The weight loss drug Semaglutide, variously marketed as Ozempic, Mounjaro, Wegovy and Rybelsus, has been much in the headlines recently. Many showbiz celebrities, and indeed some leading politicians, are rumoured to have been using it to control their weight. While it isn’t generally available via the NHS, it has been prescribed for certain specific conditions, and more and more people away from the public eye seem to be getting hold …

In the previous post, I looked at this chart that shows the distributions of four subgroups found in a dataset: This chart takes quite some effort to decipher, as does another version I featured. The key messages appear to be: (i) most English words are of Germanic origin, (ii) the most popular English words are even more skewed towards Germanic origin, (iii) words of French origin started showing up around …

The house was at the end of a long, winding road through the country, and it took Erin almost three hours to get there. When she pulled up on the expanse of gravel in front of the imposing entrance, there was one vehicle already parked there, with its owner standing nearby. The solicitor who was acting as executor of her late aunt’s estate was dressed conservatively, and bundled up against …

Not ideal conditions, fishing in the snow-melt - but at least it wasn't freezing cold! And a herring deadbait lowered into a little slack soon brought a run - convinced I was attached to a twenty - but at 19lb 10oz I'm not complaining! Glad I'm not counting the hours-per-pike though. Records: 1.3 (falling), 3° (cold/bright), float-ledgered herring.

Starting in Old Broad Street we go looking for the Dutch Church in Austin Friars where Vincent Van Gogh Worshipped. We then go along Throgmorton Street and admire the exterior of Drapers’ Hall and Throgmorton Avenue. We emerge behind the Bank of England and get drawn into Tokenhouse Yard, Telegraph Street, Whalebone Yard and King’s Arms Yard. Then we go inside the magnificent St. Margaret Lothbury with its fascinating relics …

Ahead of Fairport Convention’s Winter Tour, I catch up with Dave Pegg. We discuss the making of the Full House album, the crucial role that Jethro Tull played in Fairport’s resurrection, changes afoot at Cropredy this summer so that the festival survives the financial pressures facing the sector and the forthcoming tour, starting 31 January. We’ll talk about the Winter Tour and about Cropredy later but first I want to …