Andrew Lane
@andylaneauthor.bsky.social
Author of over 40 books and many audio scripts. Ex-military scientific advisor. Father to one, informal foster-father to another nine. Bipolar Type II, acromegaly, asthma and gallstones sufferer. All-round decent bloke.
A doctor once told me that I had a cute pancreas. At least, I think that's what he said.
B. No one has ever told me that I had a perfect MRI.
December 1, 2025 at 2:07 AM
A doctor once told me that I had a cute pancreas. At least, I think that's what he said.
Waxing Gibbous Moon. Sadly overlooked prog rock act from the 1970s. Their album Aristarchus is a classic that can stand alongside Dark Side of the Moon.
Waxing Gibbous Moon from yesterday evening, taken from the living room window.
December 1, 2025 at 2:00 AM
Waxing Gibbous Moon. Sadly overlooked prog rock act from the 1970s. Their album Aristarchus is a classic that can stand alongside Dark Side of the Moon.
Laurence Olivier and Pee Wee Herman.
Two most unlikely costars you can think of for a movie that wasn't ever made.
I'll go first:
Michael Caine and Minnie Pearl.
I'll go first:
Michael Caine and Minnie Pearl.
December 1, 2025 at 1:55 AM
Laurence Olivier and Pee Wee Herman.
I seem to remember that Alec Baldwin played a journalist on SVU who, if not being honourable to begin with, regained his honour.
"I am a huge fan of the classic TV series 'Law & Order.' And yet I cannot think of a single episode — among hundreds — in which a journalist is depicted as honorable." www.poynter.org/commentary/2...
Why I’m begging TV showrunners to stop writing journalists as villains - Poynter
I will stop shouting at the TV screen when journalists are portrayed with all their virtues and vices — not as caricatures
www.poynter.org
December 1, 2025 at 1:48 AM
I seem to remember that Alec Baldwin played a journalist on SVU who, if not being honourable to begin with, regained his honour.
Also, 'A Walk Among the Tombstones'.
TIL that Danny DeVito was a producer for the most un-DeVito movie imaginable, Gattaca.
December 1, 2025 at 1:39 AM
Also, 'A Walk Among the Tombstones'.
I was at the opening night in, as I recall, the Wimbledon Theatre in London. Stoppard was in the back row, making notes.
You know what's a super fun Tom Stoppard play that maybe a lot of people don't know?
Hapgood.
Lincoln Center Theater did a smashing production back in 1994, with Stockard Channing.
Hapgood.
Lincoln Center Theater did a smashing production back in 1994, with Stockard Channing.
December 1, 2025 at 1:28 AM
I was at the opening night in, as I recall, the Wimbledon Theatre in London. Stoppard was in the back row, making notes.
Such small hands ..
November 30, 2025 at 11:38 PM
Such small hands ..
Small puppies...
It's Private Eye at the Criterion tomorrow night. There will be signings of the Private Eye annual, and if you have any merch of mine, I'm happy to sign anything else put in front of my nose. CDs, books etc.
November 30, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Small puppies...
If f***, not Tom Stoppard. Please, not Tom Stoppard.
November 29, 2025 at 5:27 PM
If f***, not Tom Stoppard. Please, not Tom Stoppard.
In other news, why is egg mayonnaise called egg mayonnaise?
November 29, 2025 at 5:21 PM
In other news, why is egg mayonnaise called egg mayonnaise?
It's not often you see that calibre of criminal...
November 29, 2025 at 5:17 PM
It's not often you see that calibre of criminal...
Getting car insurance must be one of the most stressful things known to man.
November 29, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Getting car insurance must be one of the most stressful things known to man.
Gone are the days when, according to Malcolm Hulme, the BBC would read anything unless it was written in Greek on round bits of cardboard.
I’m doing a spec script. Final pass before the BBC Open Call deadline.
I do not want to be weeded out at stage one for formatting reasons.
Weeded out for being rubbish, yes. For using bold, no.
I do not want to be weeded out at stage one for formatting reasons.
Weeded out for being rubbish, yes. For using bold, no.
November 29, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Gone are the days when, according to Malcolm Hulme, the BBC would read anything unless it was written in Greek on round bits of cardboard.
Great for Zoom calls ...
Any friends at Dragonmeet today do say hi - I’ll apparently be upgrading to an Excel motor scooter for the duration!!
November 29, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Great for Zoom calls ...
And can we discuss 'Shakespeare in Love'?
not sure what Gen Z has to do with a 43-year-old’s adaptation of a 52-year-old’s novel—and lest you think it’s just the hed, the piece calls Hamnet “mumblecore Shakespeare, conceived for the TikTok generation,” never mind that mumblecore predates TikTok by like 20 years
November 29, 2025 at 12:26 AM
And can we discuss 'Shakespeare in Love'?
The heat - was it hot?
Having just been through the desert carrying a guy with no name, it felt good to get out of the rain.
November 27, 2025 at 10:13 PM
The heat - was it hot?
"I think someone might be Snoopying on us!"
Elliott Erwitt, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. New York City, USA. 1988.
November 27, 2025 at 4:16 PM
"I think someone might be Snoopying on us!"
Aberrant Ammonite. Greatly underestimated band. I particularly love their album 'Megabyte, Gigabyte, Trilobyte'.
Lovely specimen of an Aberrant ammonite (Didymoceras cheyenense) unearthed in an unspecified portion of the former Western Interior Seaway
November 26, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Aberrant Ammonite. Greatly underestimated band. I particularly love their album 'Megabyte, Gigabyte, Trilobyte'.
What's your point?
big news, guys: i just got a really fantastic pencil sharpener
November 26, 2025 at 8:18 PM
What's your point?
Sordid details following...
#MusicInMusic
Ashes to Ashes - David Bowie
Do you remember a guy that's been in such an early song?
I've heard a rumour from Ground Control
Oh no, don't say it's true
Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom's a junky
My mama said to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
Ashes to Ashes - David Bowie
Do you remember a guy that's been in such an early song?
I've heard a rumour from Ground Control
Oh no, don't say it's true
Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom's a junky
My mama said to get things done
You'd better not mess with Major Tom
David Bowie - Ashes To Ashes (Official Video)
YouTube video by David Bowie
youtu.be
November 26, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Sordid details following...
It's only a short step from this to Pink Floyd's 'Interstellar Overdrive'...
Joe Loss doing a twist version of the Steptoe and Son theme. Remarkable thing. Love the deck it's being played on, too. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds_a...
Joe Loss - "'Steptoe & Son' theme" TWIST! - '63
YouTube video by Raves0From0The0Grave
www.youtube.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:36 PM
It's only a short step from this to Pink Floyd's 'Interstellar Overdrive'...
My big word today is 'immiscible', which means 'unable to be misced'.
November 26, 2025 at 7:30 PM
My big word today is 'immiscible', which means 'unable to be misced'.
I'm currently binging this. It has that Mick Herron thing of being almost a comedy and then almost a tragedy within moments.
If you're a fan of Slow Horses, as I am, and you haven't checked this show out--best give it a look as it's based on a novel by the guy who wrote the books that inspired Slow Horses, has same producers, and is just generally a lot like it in tone and sensibility. Dark humor, twists, great acting.
Down Cemetery Road — Official Trailer | Apple TV
YouTube video by Apple TV
www.youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:40 PM
I'm currently binging this. It has that Mick Herron thing of being almost a comedy and then almost a tragedy within moments.
Reposted by Andrew Lane
Three years older but so much better preserved. If that's the word.
Utterly weasel words. He was a racist prick as a teenager, he's a fascist enabler now. And as for "it was years ago", I'm three years older than him, I knew back then it was wrong. So did he
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
It was years ago.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not in a hurtful way.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not with intent.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not genuine abuse.
😮🫣😬😱 ~AA
It was years ago.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not in a hurtful way.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not with intent.
Did you ever racially abuse fellow pupils?
Not genuine abuse.
😮🫣😬😱 ~AA
November 25, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Three years older but so much better preserved. If that's the word.