It's friday! That means it's time for the weekly good news thread. What's your good news from the week? What's made you smile? What's brought some lightness?
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It's NI Science Festival this week and we spent all day yesterday absorbed in sciencey fun. I was talking to someone who is doing a PhD investigating if spending time in green spaces changes how our DNA is expressed. Which is 🤯.
Just did my first wedding in the new centre at one of our landmarks!
And tonight we’re watching the NT@Home stream of Waitress (with themed pie and cocktails!) 🥧
The mystery lump on my dog’s neck was just a cyst! Vet drained it and it’s gone 👏🏽👏🏽 yea of course my mind went to the worst possibility first when I discovered it
I just realised that Trump winning the election is the best thing that has happend to us.☝🏾 Hold up, I’ll explain. By Us I mean Brits. We can make changes to reverse the deluge of American corporate corruption we are under siege with here. It’s like out running your best mate being eaten by a zombie
I have completed half a first draft of a new children’s novel! I know it’s early days for this story but loving having my writing mojo back. Word-count sticky note, written kittens and many cups of tea are helping.
My mentor from @writerscentre.bsky.social 23/24 Escalator programme, Ashley Hickson-Lovence won the Best Children's Book AND Book of the Year awards for #WildEast at the Anglian Book Awards last night🏆🥳
And as he was unable to attend, Amanda (his other mentee) & I had some pics with his book+award😂
Hey Louie! A successful schools tour, and hearing that my latest book charted at number 4 in the independent bookshop chart made me grin from ear to ear :)
Wrote and submitted an essay that has been in the works for a while! I had spent so much time thinking about it that I didn't realise I had built it up in my head as this "big" thing. Only to be pleasantly surprised once I sat to actually write it and found that it flowed like a dream.
Thank you, Louie! And thank you for this weekly thread. I have started to look at my week with different eyes and record these wins in my journal, which has really helped general perspective.
Well I was in the middle of a year five library lesson just now - reading them Joseph Coelho poems and we were all really laughing and then they all borrowed poetry and then a child came in to donate a pile of Wimpy Kid books I was just sat like George Bailey in the middle of it all.
It's not great news, but a white van dangerously cut me up yesterday and a search showed he was uninsured so I reported him. I feel like a Stazi informer, but he definitely shouldn't be on the road.
Today one of my libraries was absolutely BUZZING with community events and meetings. It's been a slow slog since Covid, it's SO NICE to see it being used for so many things, especially the community coffee morning. Quite a few people saying it was just what they needed to combat loneliness 💜
My SDiT, Appa, came with me to his first storytime on Tuesday and to his first craft program yesterday, and he was perfect both times. 💙 Also this goofy picture of him playing in the snow on Wednesday makes me smile 😊
Firstly, aww Dustin😍! Secondly, had an amazing school visit with Y7s and Y8s - reaffirming my belief that kids are the best people. Thirdly, this! Eeek!
I put a few ants into a Canva-made banner and it's made me smile! ANTS! I have a boy whose loves ants in my book. His favourite is called Betsy and she's massive (like Jungle).
I have managed to hit a very small submission window with my best work since first publication. Honestly, don’t care if I don’t make it, I navigated the process, and I did it with top quality poems.
Also, I could be doing something more with the film I made last week than was first apparent… \o/
Had to make 2 batches of chocolate chip cookies to test a recipe for a book I'm working on and my husband's off biscuits because he's marathon training and I forgot to take some to my mum so now I have to eat them all.
The trailer for the TV adaptation of my creepy middlegrade selkie novel dropped this week and it’s so perfect it almost made me cry. I can’t wait for it to be out (so I can see it along with everyone else!) https://bsky.app/profile/rachaelking70.bsky.social/post/3lhtvggy6ik2r
Happy Valentine’s Day to all who celebrate!
I sold a piece of artwork this week and with the money I booked us a night away to see friends who we’ve not seen for 6 years ♥️
I also ordered a book to study for my driving theory test, I’m attempting to learn to drive at 40 🥴
A friend was considering doing a week long driving course to pass her test. It occured to me that it would be a much better way to learn if you could justify the time off to do it.
It's funny how different brains work. For me, I like the idea of absorbing myself in it for a week rather than having it hanging over me. It took me 4 goes to pass my test thanks to anxiety, so I 100% sympathise.
It is the convenience isn’t it? I walk everywhere but it’s not a fraction of the independence you can have if you drive.
My Nan was still driving into her 80s.
To be honest I had never really wanted to learn but the benefits would be much appreciated now. I’d be able to get to my mum’s if she needed me and drive the kids about. My Nan learned when she was 40 so that gives me a bit of confidence 😀
You can do it! If you want to, join the over 40s driving club with me 😂
I’m finding the thought of it scary but the benefits will hopefully outweigh my fears 🫤
I only want to drive for one reason (helping elderly relatives around) but it feels like I should for that reason. Also useful for the apocalypse. Two reasons then.
Exactly, my mum isn’t elderly but she had a turn last year and collapsed. My brother went to her but I’m closer and if I could drive I would have been there quicker.
It would also mean I could go out and buy lots of plants before my husband is up and he’d never know…
I sold a drabble this week! Literally tiny news, but it made me happy because I quite like these 100 words of fantasy and irony. Chris McC called it "Game of Thrones meets Bleak House"
Can I change my answer? A strange yellow light has just appeared in the sky… and the grey is slowly changing to blue! It’s a Friday miracle in SE London!
This little plant finally flowering! After 2 years of my rubbish horticultural efforts, being forgotten in the shed, then plonked on a window sill during the greyest February ever - it’s flowing for the first time. A Spring miracle!
Sorry, I forgot the Alt text! Previous post was a little white jug with a couple of green shoots / leaves poking out of the compost & a small, single blueish muscari or hyacinth flower beginning to bloom.
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It's NI Science Festival this week and we spent all day yesterday absorbed in sciencey fun. I was talking to someone who is doing a PhD investigating if spending time in green spaces changes how our DNA is expressed. Which is 🤯.
(Back story: they have been bullied at school because they're non-binary. The library is a welcoming & safe space for them. They are about 8 to 10.)
And tonight we’re watching the NT@Home stream of Waitress (with themed pie and cocktails!) 🥧
https://bsky.app/profile/laurahallain.bsky.social/post/3li227llxos2j
https://bsky.app/profile/badancient.bsky.social/post/3li4nlc7vks2r
And as he was unable to attend, Amanda (his other mentee) & I had some pics with his book+award😂
And he chose us as mentees via a blind submission process, making it all the extra special🥰
It was R's 11th yesterday, I never realised their birthdays were so close! X
Gaza can you help me please by donating or sharing send me love❤️🌸🫶🙏
It’s my first interview and bit of publicity for my new short story collection, 6 queer love stories, Saltburn.
COMING SOON!!
https://bsky.app/profile/drewgum.bsky.social/post/3li254kfwps2f
No biggie.
Also, I could be doing something more with the film I made last week than was first apparent… \o/
I sold a piece of artwork this week and with the money I booked us a night away to see friends who we’ve not seen for 6 years ♥️
I also ordered a book to study for my driving theory test, I’m attempting to learn to drive at 40 🥴
I think 50% of my worry is that I’ll hit an animal!
My Nan was still driving into her 80s.
I’m finding the thought of it scary but the benefits will hopefully outweigh my fears 🫤
It would also mean I could go out and buy lots of plants before my husband is up and he’d never know…