simonvarwell.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

simonvarwell.bsky.social

Loves trains, the outdoors, travel, Esperanto, ambient and post-rock music, dystofic, good food and scrontous beer. Hates car-centric societies, late stage capitalism and courgette. He/him. Inverness | Scotland | Europe. Work: @hisasimon.bsky.social

745 posts 398 followers 496 following

Posts 32 Comments 18

That’s quite terrifying.

submitted 3 hours ago • 0 comments

And it is a lovely museum.

submitted 20 hours ago • 0 comments

If only Francis was Dutch, because then the “Poped his clogs” headline could have a chance of coming into play.

submitted 20 hours ago • 0 comments

It won’t now you’ve told us. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

submitted 20 hours ago • 0 comments

One week from now some learners will be enjoying the #Esperanto Association of Britain's FREE study weekend in Manchester. If you might be interested, the details are available on: esperanto.org.uk/studa-semajn... The programme is linked at the top of the page: it's going to be fun!

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Have a wee vote, folks! Be assured it's not me, Liz Lochhead and Jackie Kay in competition with each other - god forbid! It's you choosing a line by each of us to be carved on the Parliament Wall. www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/2025/02/publ...

submitted 2 days ago • 2 comments

Can't fault the ambition.

submitted 1 day ago • 3 comments

9/10. Better than I thought but an infuriating mistake on my part.

submitted 21 hours ago • 0 comments

Some chores in town, in surprisingly pleasant sunshine. A quick bite at Salt & Fire in the bustling Victorian Market food court: really good felafel.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Worst. Episode. EVER.

submitted 1 day ago • 872 comments

It’s like with all Australia’s airport architecture: sloping roofs and the like. It’s the high rising terminals.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

What strength. Not an easy read but a moving and encouraging one. www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Given his family status, he ought to be called Pàdraig Pòsta.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Mi ekzistas, sed celas daŭre zistadi.

submitted 2 days ago • 0 comments

About 6 years ago I joined an arts group for people struggling with mental health and it really helped. We just sit in a scout hall and draw or knit or whatever. This comedy on prescription is pretty much the same thing. I instantly and instinctively wanted to take the piss but then I read about it.

submitted 3 days ago • 1 comment

🤫 Pssss... a little reminder, as I don't mention it much. #langsky ★ For those interested in learning Esperanto, I have a free beginner course that I worked pretty hard on. It's quite unique and people seem to enjoy it. For those curious, you'll find it here: yakk.app

submitted 4 days ago • 1 comment

I’d never seen Balvonie Braes before a daunder this afternoon. It was built as a housing expo a decade or two back, and was somewhat controversial not least because it was so far out of town. I have to say I was quite impressed, if not blown away, though one or two properties are showing their age.

submitted 4 days ago • 2 comments

It’s a coup. It’s a strategic alliance with Putin. It’s the end of the post-war international order. It’s the triumph of lies over truth and in Putin’s case, evil over good. We are through the looking glass & we all now have to decide who we are & what we stand for

submitted 4 days ago • 155 comments

I’m not one to brag about my charitable giving but I doubled my monthly donations to Ukrainian organisations today. Trump has opened the gates of hell.

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

Scottish place names are full of ghosts. They describe fields that are no longer there, forests long felled. Gaelic carries the memory of people, land, and place. I wrote about it here: kristie-de-garis.ghost.io/scottish-gae... #Scotland #Gaelic #Writing #Gàidhlig #Place #Language

submitted 5 days ago • 16 comments

‘We’re projecting into the future’: sounds of BBC Radiophonic Workshop made available for public use

submitted 4 days ago • 4 comments

This is like trying to explain to people in the UK that we had quotas on women going to Yooni til 1975, women got the right to buy drinks in pubs in 1983, and piss equality didn't come til 1993, the right to wear trousers at work, flat shoes and no makeup 2004

submitted 5 days ago • 3 comments

I've resigned from the UK Society of Authors

submitted 5 days ago • 9 comments

Following the breakdown of the historic church's sale to a private bidder, the Friends of the Old High Church in Inverness are once again attempting to gauge public support for a community-owned future for this iconic building. Full story here 👇 www.heraldscotland.com/news/2492489...

submitted 12 days ago • 1 comment

A day off, so a brunch treat out at the fabulous Xoko. My Mexican beans with black pudding was one of the nicest things I’ve eaten for a long time.

submitted 5 days ago • 1 comment

A thought-provoking piece. I’ve often wanted to go to Milton Keynes just to see what it’s like. But the article is mostly about new (English) towns/suburbs and it makes me think about iniquitous land ownership in Scotland as a block to housing north of the border.

submitted 5 days ago • 1 comment

These narcissists need to take a long, hard look at themselves.

submitted 5 days ago • 7 comments

In two different threads recently it came up that I have an Esperanto version of the Stainless Steel Rat signed by the author. He'd never seen this before, so my signed copy may be unique.

submitted 5 days ago • 1 comment

Ballon quite low over the Melbourne CBD just now. As dawn gets later, we start to see these as we wake up. Nice way to start the day. :) #Melbourne #balloon

That’s quite terrifying.

And it is a lovely museum.

If only Francis was Dutch, because then the “Poped his clogs” headline could have a chance of coming into play.

It won’t now you’ve told us. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

One week from now some learners will be enjoying the #Esperanto Association of Britain's FREE study weekend in Manchester. If you might be interested, the details are available on: esperanto.org.uk/studa-semajn... The programme is linked at the top of the page: it's going to be fun!

Have a wee vote, folks! Be assured it's not me, Liz Lochhead and Jackie Kay in competition with each other - god forbid! It's you choosing a line by each of us to be carved on the Parliament Wall. www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/2025/02/publ...

Can't fault the ambition.

9/10. Better than I thought but an infuriating mistake on my part.

Some chores in town, in surprisingly pleasant sunshine. A quick bite at Salt & Fire in the bustling Victorian Market food court: really good felafel.

Worst. Episode. EVER.

It’s like with all Australia’s airport architecture: sloping roofs and the like. It’s the high rising terminals.

What strength. Not an easy read but a moving and encouraging one. www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Given his family status, he ought to be called Pàdraig Pòsta.

Mi ekzistas, sed celas daŭre zistadi.

About 6 years ago I joined an arts group for people struggling with mental health and it really helped. We just sit in a scout hall and draw or knit or whatever. This comedy on prescription is pretty much the same thing. I instantly and instinctively wanted to take the piss but then I read about it.

🤫 Pssss... a little reminder, as I don't mention it much. #langsky ★ For those interested in learning Esperanto, I have a free beginner course that I worked pretty hard on. It's quite unique and people seem to enjoy it. For those curious, you'll find it here: yakk.app

It’s a coup. It’s a strategic alliance with Putin. It’s the end of the post-war international order. It’s the triumph of lies over truth and in Putin’s case, evil over good. We are through the looking glass & we all now have to decide who we are & what we stand for

I’m not one to brag about my charitable giving but I doubled my monthly donations to Ukrainian organisations today. Trump has opened the gates of hell.

Scottish place names are full of ghosts. They describe fields that are no longer there, forests long felled. Gaelic carries the memory of people, land, and place. I wrote about it here: kristie-de-garis.ghost.io/scottish-gae... #Scotland #Gaelic #Writing #Gàidhlig #Place #Language

‘We’re projecting into the future’: sounds of BBC Radiophonic Workshop made available for public use

This is like trying to explain to people in the UK that we had quotas on women going to Yooni til 1975, women got the right to buy drinks in pubs in 1983, and piss equality didn't come til 1993, the right to wear trousers at work, flat shoes and no makeup 2004

I've resigned from the UK Society of Authors

Following the breakdown of the historic church's sale to a private bidder, the Friends of the Old High Church in Inverness are once again attempting to gauge public support for a community-owned future for this iconic building. Full story here 👇 www.heraldscotland.com/news/2492489...

A day off, so a brunch treat out at the fabulous Xoko. My Mexican beans with black pudding was one of the nicest things I’ve eaten for a long time.

A thought-provoking piece. I’ve often wanted to go to Milton Keynes just to see what it’s like. But the article is mostly about new (English) towns/suburbs and it makes me think about iniquitous land ownership in Scotland as a block to housing north of the border.

These narcissists need to take a long, hard look at themselves.

In two different threads recently it came up that I have an Esperanto version of the Stainless Steel Rat signed by the author. He'd never seen this before, so my signed copy may be unique.

Ballon quite low over the Melbourne CBD just now. As dawn gets later, we start to see these as we wake up. Nice way to start the day. :) #Melbourne #balloon

Don’t fly in the USA.

I almost entirely read off the Kindle and would love to know of alternatives.

Geese overhead on my walk to work this morning.