Fernando Gros
@fernandogros.com
Writer
Granta Memoir Workshop alumni
Shortlisted for The Deep Creek Residency Fellowship
Lived in 🇨🇱🇦🇺🇬🇧🇮🇳🇭🇰🇸🇬🇯🇵
Worked in academia and music
TCK
https://fernandogros.com/blog/
Made in Chile, grown in Australia, polished in Japan
Granta Memoir Workshop alumni
Shortlisted for The Deep Creek Residency Fellowship
Lived in 🇨🇱🇦🇺🇬🇧🇮🇳🇭🇰🇸🇬🇯🇵
Worked in academia and music
TCK
https://fernandogros.com/blog/
Made in Chile, grown in Australia, polished in Japan
Pinned
Fernando Gros
@fernandogros.com
· Oct 19
If you're new to Bluesky here's a few things to check out
1. Content moderation is customisable. Choose show/warn/hide for everything from sexual content to engagement farming.
2. Custom feeds. Want a feed that's only about science, fountain pens, UK politics? Subscribe to as many as you want.
1. Content moderation is customisable. Choose show/warn/hide for everything from sexual content to engagement farming.
2. Custom feeds. Want a feed that's only about science, fountain pens, UK politics? Subscribe to as many as you want.
Was denied access to my designated level of airport lounge on Monday. Second time that’s happened. Fourth time I was humiliated by staff. All at the same lounge in the same airport. The staff were very polite.
The most racist people I've encountered, the ones who's racism actually hurt people by limiting their opportunities, denying them jobs, withholding support and funding, and generally undermining them socially, were always terribly polite and civil. Butter wouldn't melt in their mouths.
November 13, 2025 at 2:13 AM
Was denied access to my designated level of airport lounge on Monday. Second time that’s happened. Fourth time I was humiliated by staff. All at the same lounge in the same airport. The staff were very polite.
Current hotel is cheaper per night, but has notepads, a shoehorn, and an ice machine on my floor. Life is clearly improving.
There should be a limit for how much a hotel can charge for a room that doesn’t include notepads and a shoehorn.
November 12, 2025 at 12:42 PM
Current hotel is cheaper per night, but has notepads, a shoehorn, and an ice machine on my floor. Life is clearly improving.
I love being back in Tokyo. Even if it’s only fir a few precious days.
November 11, 2025 at 10:37 AM
I love being back in Tokyo. Even if it’s only fir a few precious days.
There should be a limit for how much a hotel can charge for a room that doesn’t include notepads and a shoehorn.
November 10, 2025 at 10:50 AM
There should be a limit for how much a hotel can charge for a room that doesn’t include notepads and a shoehorn.
A few weeks ago I wrote my goodbye to podcasts. I wasn't successful. But I kept the door open to trying again for a long time.
Now this essay puts it in a sharper and more revealing focus. It's very America-centric of course. As if podcasts don't exist anywhere else. But still well worth reading.
Now this essay puts it in a sharper and more revealing focus. It's very America-centric of course. As if podcasts don't exist anywhere else. But still well worth reading.
“Podcasting during Obama had a wondrous feeling: we Americans had finally untangled the more vexatious knots of modernity by electing him and were ready to train our curious minds on the minute problems and the major shortcomings in society.”
thebaffler.com/outbursts/the-hatred-of-podcasting-belden
thebaffler.com/outbursts/the-hatred-of-podcasting-belden
The Hatred of Podcasting | Brace Belden
In 2015, if you said, “I heard it on a podcast,” you were trying to sound smart. In 2025, it’s better to lie.
thebaffler.com
November 9, 2025 at 12:35 AM
A few weeks ago I wrote my goodbye to podcasts. I wasn't successful. But I kept the door open to trying again for a long time.
Now this essay puts it in a sharper and more revealing focus. It's very America-centric of course. As if podcasts don't exist anywhere else. But still well worth reading.
Now this essay puts it in a sharper and more revealing focus. It's very America-centric of course. As if podcasts don't exist anywhere else. But still well worth reading.
At the start of the year one of my writer friends suggested putting 5 dollars in a jar for every essay rejection. I guess it encourages celebrating the act of putting your work out there. Or something. I joked it would be a good savings plan for a new guitar. Well it's November. Shopping soon...
November 8, 2025 at 12:08 AM
At the start of the year one of my writer friends suggested putting 5 dollars in a jar for every essay rejection. I guess it encourages celebrating the act of putting your work out there. Or something. I joked it would be a good savings plan for a new guitar. Well it's November. Shopping soon...
Saw a meme about Gen X dads and their young kids being obnoxious while celebrating Halloween. But I'm wonder if the dads with young kids are more likely to be Millennials these days?
November 5, 2025 at 6:33 AM
Saw a meme about Gen X dads and their young kids being obnoxious while celebrating Halloween. But I'm wonder if the dads with young kids are more likely to be Millennials these days?
The older I get the more important it is to draw timelines and interrogate memory. It's so easy get messed up about the dates and sequence of events. We can draw false conclusions. Imagine causation and blame when it isn't there. Even wholly misunderstand seasons of our life.
November 4, 2025 at 8:09 AM
The older I get the more important it is to draw timelines and interrogate memory. It's so easy get messed up about the dates and sequence of events. We can draw false conclusions. Imagine causation and blame when it isn't there. Even wholly misunderstand seasons of our life.
It's been a long time since a Mac OS has felt as frustrating and productivity destroying as Tahoe. There's added friction to in every aspect of writing in every application. Nothing that involves any kind of autocorrect or autofill seems to work. The OS just constantly gets in the way.
November 3, 2025 at 11:21 PM
It's been a long time since a Mac OS has felt as frustrating and productivity destroying as Tahoe. There's added friction to in every aspect of writing in every application. Nothing that involves any kind of autocorrect or autofill seems to work. The OS just constantly gets in the way.
I've pretty much dropped the idea of monthly as a cadence in my life. Daily always makes sense. Weekly as well. Quarterly matches the seasons and the routines of home maintenance. But monthly just feels too often for some things or not often enough for others.
November 3, 2025 at 7:23 AM
I've pretty much dropped the idea of monthly as a cadence in my life. Daily always makes sense. Weekly as well. Quarterly matches the seasons and the routines of home maintenance. But monthly just feels too often for some things or not often enough for others.
Today's Japanese lesson was OK. Still feeling exhausted and kind of emotionally numb after the Saturday event. But I managed to stay focused during the lesson. Only made a few more mistakes than normal. Remembered some kanji I had forgot to practice. Overall a fun experience.
November 3, 2025 at 12:56 AM
Today's Japanese lesson was OK. Still feeling exhausted and kind of emotionally numb after the Saturday event. But I managed to stay focused during the lesson. Only made a few more mistakes than normal. Remembered some kanji I had forgot to practice. Overall a fun experience.
Attended a publishing pitch event yesterday organised by Writers SA. Pitched my memoir to four times to different commissioning editors. Also heard 26 pitches by other writers. Was a great experience. But my goodness I feel weary today. Justing sipping coffee and listening to the thunder and rain.
November 2, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Attended a publishing pitch event yesterday organised by Writers SA. Pitched my memoir to four times to different commissioning editors. Also heard 26 pitches by other writers. Was a great experience. But my goodness I feel weary today. Justing sipping coffee and listening to the thunder and rain.
Bluesky users - here's a bunch of features we miss from Twitter
Bluesky developers - here's all the ways we're making Bluesky more like Reddit
Bluesky developers - here's all the ways we're making Bluesky more like Reddit
November 1, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Bluesky users - here's a bunch of features we miss from Twitter
Bluesky developers - here's all the ways we're making Bluesky more like Reddit
Bluesky developers - here's all the ways we're making Bluesky more like Reddit
First attempt at making sourdough crumpets. The texture wasn't quite right. I had some bubbles. The crumb was halfway between a crumpet and a muffin.
But oh my goodness they tasted good. So good.
But oh my goodness they tasted good. So good.
October 31, 2025 at 12:58 AM
First attempt at making sourdough crumpets. The texture wasn't quite right. I had some bubbles. The crumb was halfway between a crumpet and a muffin.
But oh my goodness they tasted good. So good.
But oh my goodness they tasted good. So good.
I forgot that if you buy a house in Australia you don't get the washing machine or refrigerator included.
October 30, 2025 at 10:16 PM
I forgot that if you buy a house in Australia you don't get the washing machine or refrigerator included.
Why are Australian universities cutting so many courses and firing academics when education is one of Australia's most successful exports? And also at a time when Australian universities have a competitive advantage as a destination for international students?
October 29, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Why are Australian universities cutting so many courses and firing academics when education is one of Australia's most successful exports? And also at a time when Australian universities have a competitive advantage as a destination for international students?
This is such a great year for new music. The new song from Rosalía is just another example of the creativity in popular music right now.
ROSALÍA - Berghain (Official Video) feat. Björk & Yves Tumor
YouTube video by RosaliaVEVO
youtu.be
October 29, 2025 at 12:28 PM
This is such a great year for new music. The new song from Rosalía is just another example of the creativity in popular music right now.
Did you ever have a teacher at school who said something intentionally hurtful to you? My grade 10 English teacher saw me checking out a book of poetry from the library and said "don't bother, you'll never be able to understand it."
I always assumed experiences like that were normal. Are they?
I always assumed experiences like that were normal. Are they?
October 28, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Did you ever have a teacher at school who said something intentionally hurtful to you? My grade 10 English teacher saw me checking out a book of poetry from the library and said "don't bother, you'll never be able to understand it."
I always assumed experiences like that were normal. Are they?
I always assumed experiences like that were normal. Are they?
Australia has decided to keep its copyright protections in place and politely tell AI companies they are free to go out of business if their plans require ongoing theft of intellectual property for their survival.
But this battle is far from over. We will end up having to fight this again.
But this battle is far from over. We will end up having to fight this again.
October 27, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Australia has decided to keep its copyright protections in place and politely tell AI companies they are free to go out of business if their plans require ongoing theft of intellectual property for their survival.
But this battle is far from over. We will end up having to fight this again.
But this battle is far from over. We will end up having to fight this again.
I almost like that you can play YouTube videos inside Bluesky posts. But unfortunately they play with ads. So I still end up hitting the link to open them in YouTube.
October 27, 2025 at 8:35 AM
I almost like that you can play YouTube videos inside Bluesky posts. But unfortunately they play with ads. So I still end up hitting the link to open them in YouTube.
I'm basically done with 2025. My entire focus is on wrapping up the year. Sending out the work I've done. Archiving the things that aren't finished. Greeting January 1st with inbox zero, empty watchlists, and less than half as many names in my contacts list.
October 27, 2025 at 5:29 AM
I'm basically done with 2025. My entire focus is on wrapping up the year. Sending out the work I've done. Archiving the things that aren't finished. Greeting January 1st with inbox zero, empty watchlists, and less than half as many names in my contacts list.
Mid-morning I pivoted to my Japanese lesson and it was fun again. I was slow at first. I love my tutor's patience with my reading on days like this. But I was able to apply new grammar points correctly and remembered new kanji from last week.
October 27, 2025 at 1:11 AM
Mid-morning I pivoted to my Japanese lesson and it was fun again. I was slow at first. I love my tutor's patience with my reading on days like this. But I was able to apply new grammar points correctly and remembered new kanji from last week.
My dad started with a zoom call joining the group of writers I've met with every month for more than a year now. Being part of this group has been a rich and generative experience for me. I've been doing creative stuff since my teens. But I've never had a supportive group like this.
October 27, 2025 at 1:02 AM
My dad started with a zoom call joining the group of writers I've met with every month for more than a year now. Being part of this group has been a rich and generative experience for me. I've been doing creative stuff since my teens. But I've never had a supportive group like this.
It feels like everyone I know is levelling up right now. Taking courses, adding skills, addressing their health, getting ready for the future.
October 24, 2025 at 11:43 PM
It feels like everyone I know is levelling up right now. Taking courses, adding skills, addressing their health, getting ready for the future.
RIP Phyllis Trible. As a young theological student my mind was opened by encountering Trible's books and the feminist theologians she inspired. Trible was hugely influential in the world of modern theology although little known in churches and mainstream coverage of religion.
October 24, 2025 at 11:36 AM
RIP Phyllis Trible. As a young theological student my mind was opened by encountering Trible's books and the feminist theologians she inspired. Trible was hugely influential in the world of modern theology although little known in churches and mainstream coverage of religion.