It has been a wet & windy Jan down in the West Country, I'm currently up in Yorkshire, and I've recently had a hair transplant (more on that next time). The combination of factors has forced a mini 'hibernation' to kick off my 2026. An unexpected perk has been some extra time for consuming stories. Liv & I just finished Slow Horses, Silo and Pluribus. Two good. One bad. Can you guess which is which? Answers at the end. Bingeing versus savouring a series Some people watch TV like they're...

Claude officially turns one today. It’s his pichu birthday. Or moonday, if you prefer. I’m really grateful you've been along for most, some, or all of the ride so far. So how’s it gone? Low lights “Having” to do self-promo and put myself out there on social media Not knowing where to sign a print copy for a friend. I still don’t know for sure The long stretch of newsletter inertia. I was focused on finishing the damn beasty Trying to encourage reviews while knowing Amazon prohibits...

Friend of the newsletter and work/life guru, Tom Grundy, recently recommended a book to me by Scott Adams, the brains (and pen) behind Dilbert. I couldn't find How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big for my trusty Kindle, so I asked for it as a Christmas gift instead. Dad delivered and I've been happily picking away at the paperback since. Adams comes across as a polymath and lots of bits have LEAPT off the page already. One yesterday was where Adams argues that the art of...