matrixmann | Reading

Christopher Brookmyre "One Fine Day In The Middle Of The Night" (Abacus)

What happens when you hold a high school reunion party aboard an oil-rig that's being converted into a hotel and leisure complex and there are unwelcome visitors in the shape of a band of mercenaries with their own rather different party in mind?

This high-octane thriller starts off at a sedate pace. We meet the mercenaries; we meet the former pupils - both officially invited and not, and find out how their lives have moved on after 15 years. Then the action starts happening and everything accelerates to the final showdown at breakneck speed. In between the action with its gruesomely realised scenes of ultraviolence, we get loads of laughs in Brookmyre's unique style. Most of the characters are truly awful, but we are drawn to burnt-out comic Matt and wronged-wife Simone who in blockbuster movie traditional become heroes. Another unputdownable novel from one of Scotland's best talents.

ysabetwordsmith

Today is sunny and cool.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 11/2/25 -- I trimmed weeds from the tulip bed. It's about 2/3 done now.

EDIT 11/2/25 -- I trimmed weeds from rest of the tulip bed. \o/

EDIT 11/2/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 11/2/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

I've seen a cardinal.

EDIT 11/2/25 -- I spread the first bag of compost and manure on the tulip bed.

EDIT 11/2/25 -- I spread the second bag of compost and manure on the tulip bed.

EDIT 11/2/25 -- I spread the third bag of compost and manure on the tulip bed. It is mostly covered but still needs another bag.

I picked a handful of basil leaves so I can make tomato-basil bread tonight.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.

Current Mood: busy

disneydream06

( No Flash Photography Please... )

disneydream06

A couple of more days of Pumpkin entries.....

( Party... )

poliphilo

Not so very much is required of a modern royal. You don't have to be virtuous, you just have to be seen to be virtuous. On the whole, unless word has gone out from on high that you are to be monstered ( as has happened with the Sussexes) the media will play along- and not make a fuss about your misdoings.

Edward VIII got away with being a traitor.

Louis Mountbatten got away with being a paedophile- until the IRA blew him up.

Philip Duke of Ediburgh got away with numerous affairs.

Charles III (careful now!) got away with being friendly with Jimmy Savile and various other undesireables.

And Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor got away with all sorts of awfulness until the optics became too, too shaming.

The Sandringham estate isn't Siberia, nor is it Abu Dhabi. I'm told Mountbatten-Windsor has seven dogs; well, they'll have plenty of space to run around in.

We're told a modern nation state requires a human figurehead. A monarch by preference, but failing that a President. I don't see why.

But then perhaps what I really object to is the modern nation state....

ysabetwordsmith

The Most Powerful Type of Worldbuilding by Curious Archive

I rarely link YouTube videos anymore, but this one had some good observations about "moldy worldbuilding" and how it shows the passage of time. So I'll throw out some ideas based on that.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

disneydream06

Just saw this one twitter and had to share.....

Halloween

ysabetwordsmith

New study: Viewing art in galleries 'immediately' reduces cortisol levels, boosts health

“Our unique and original study provides compelling evidence that viewing art in a gallery is ‘good for you’ and helps to further our understanding of its fundamental benefits,” Dr. Tony Woods, the study’s senior author, said.

“In essence, art doesn’t just move us emotionally — it calms the body too.”

More specifically, cortisol levels — a key stress hormone in the human body — fell by an average of 22% in the gallery group, compared to just 8% in the control group.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today is cloudy and cool.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 11/1/25 -- I trimmed weeds from the daffodil bed.

EDIT 11/1/25 -- I spread the first bag of composted manure on the daffodil bed. It covered the far side and half the center.

EDIT 11/1/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 11/1/25 -- I spread the second bag of composted manure on the daffodil bed. So that's done, aside from raking up a pile of leaves to create the mulch cover for it. This concludes today's yardwork target. \o/

EDIT 11/1/25 -- I started trimming weeds from the tulip bed.

I am done for the night.

Current Mood: busy

andrewducker

Glasgow still feels much more city-like to me than Edinburgh.

Which is probably why I prefer living in Edinburgh.

(Great to visit though)

andrewducker

Sophia and Gideon making the DNA for their respective eye colours.

(First ever trip to the Glasgow Science Centre, it was awesome)
Original is here on Pixelfed.scot.

disneydream06

October

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andrewducker

1. Attention lapses due to sleep deprivation are caused by your brain flushing itself clean: (tags:brain sleep )
2. Only 416 days until next Christmas!: (tags:Christmas )

disneydream06

OH DANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so embarrassed, I missed somebody's birthday. :o

I must send out...

*~*~*~*~*GREAT BIG HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY WISHES*~*~*~*~*

To my friend,

joseph_teller.

I hope you had a super great birthday. :)

Disney 5

poliphilo

I've not been counting heads but I'm pretty sure we've had fewer trick or treaters than in the past couple of years. The first group showed up at around 4.30 and the last at around 6.30- and I have plenty of "treats" left over. Am I detecting a falling off of enthusiasm for Halloween?

The LRB sends me selected articles to read for free- which is nice of them. I've just been reading a review of a couple of books about Haunted Houses. They both sound interesting but the title of one of them, "Hearth of Darkness", is pure genius.

Our friend Jacky just did a course on Quakers and the Supernatural. I'm keen to have her report back, but why Quakers need to agree a line on ghoulies and ghosties is beyond me. As I hope I've made clear in previous posts, I believe in everything!

ysabetwordsmith

Here is my card for the Fairy Tales and Fantasy Stories Bingo over in

allbingo. The fest runs from November 1-30. (See all my 2025 bingo cards.)

If you'd like to sponsor a particular square, especially if you have an idea for what character, series, or situation it would fit -- talk to me and we'll work something out. I've had a few requests for this and the results have been awesome so far. This is a good opportunity for those of you with favorites that don't always mesh well with the themes of my monthly projects. I may still post some of the fills for free, because I'm using this to attract new readers; but if it brings in money, that means I can do more of it. That's part of why I'm crossing some of the bingo prompts with other projects, such as the Poetry Fishbowl.

Underlined prompts have been filled.

FAIRY TALES BINGO CARD

Pixie	The Nightingale	The deeds of ordinary folks keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.	Vision	Castle
Glory	Hero	Elves	Journey	Enchanted
Music	Very little worth knowing is taught by fear.	WILD CARD: Brownie	Golden Hair	Fairies
Fairy Ring	Solitude	Shadow	The Dark Tower	Twilight
Golem	Trickster	Once Upon a Time	I didn't want power. All I wanted was control. Over my life.	Magical Power

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

People have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.

How would the world change if there was an accurate measure of aptitude?

Little if any. Some types of aptitude can be tested pretty well. People often choose not to act on them. In fact, people often prefer the less accurate ones.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Tonight we held our Samhain ritual, with a theme of Hekate. It rained a few days ago so we were able to light the bonfire. \o/ We had a really good time.

Current Mood: busy

disneydream06

( Who's Got The Marshmallows... )

disneydream06

Well, Trick or Treating is done here. Turned my front door light off at 9:30 pm.
I had a whooping 23 trick or treaters this year. :o
I had enough treats for 60. Anybody want some cookies? I got the boxes that had packages of 4 cookies each of Oreos, Chips Ahoy, and Nutter Butter cookies. lol...
While waiting for the little ones I watch Coco and Hocus Pocus. :)
The highlights of the kids were 1. Three girls dressed as the Chipmunks, 2. a little Freddie from Elm Street, and 3. a blind Ref. lol...

Now it's back to some more pumpkins.

( Sweet Dreams... )

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Page generated 11 November 2025 10:12 am

Wartime

"History repeats itself, the war will soon begin"

Reading

Book 59 - Christopher Brookmyre "One Fine Day In The Middle Of The Night"

Birdfeeding

Happy Halloween.....

Happy Halloween.....

Random Thoughts On Monarchy

Worldbuilding

Happy Halloween.....

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Birdfeeding

Thoughts on the way home.

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Fairy Tales and Fantasy Stories Bingo Card 11-1-25

Philosophical Questions: Accuracy

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Happy Halloween.....

Happy Halloween.....

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