Doug
@douginexeter.bsky.social
Thanks Alasdair - glad you posted this - I'm now booked to see your show in Exeter, and will mention to some of my friends - really looking forward to this!
November 22, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Thanks Alasdair - glad you posted this - I'm now booked to see your show in Exeter, and will mention to some of my friends - really looking forward to this!
I'm sorry to hear that....my condolences. It's hard - take care of yourself.
October 31, 2025 at 9:16 AM
I'm sorry to hear that....my condolences. It's hard - take care of yourself.
...and, grief is a process. It can take time to work through. So be kind to yourself.
October 10, 2025 at 6:38 PM
...and, grief is a process. It can take time to work through. So be kind to yourself.
I get ya. Grief is grief - I certainly felt it when I had to have one of my cats put down due to her aggressive cancer. I sobbed and cried about as much as when I lost a parent. So, IMO, grief like that in relation to a pet is understandable and completely natural - one's lost a friend after all.
October 10, 2025 at 6:36 PM
I get ya. Grief is grief - I certainly felt it when I had to have one of my cats put down due to her aggressive cancer. I sobbed and cried about as much as when I lost a parent. So, IMO, grief like that in relation to a pet is understandable and completely natural - one's lost a friend after all.
Between Kaineng City and Istan
October 8, 2025 at 4:34 PM
Between Kaineng City and Istan
No, but I sometimes find myself saying things like "I know the word in French/Thai/whatever, but I don't know the English word for it..."
July 31, 2025 at 3:52 PM
No, but I sometimes find myself saying things like "I know the word in French/Thai/whatever, but I don't know the English word for it..."
e.g. "So, Will, what do you think of the new car?"
"I dunno, Harry, seems a bit flashy to me"
It just comes across as very odd, stilted language to me and, if someone does use my name a lot in conversation, I can't help but view them as using a salesmanship technique and instinctively disliking it.
"I dunno, Harry, seems a bit flashy to me"
It just comes across as very odd, stilted language to me and, if someone does use my name a lot in conversation, I can't help but view them as using a salesmanship technique and instinctively disliking it.
July 22, 2025 at 8:35 AM
e.g. "So, Will, what do you think of the new car?"
"I dunno, Harry, seems a bit flashy to me"
It just comes across as very odd, stilted language to me and, if someone does use my name a lot in conversation, I can't help but view them as using a salesmanship technique and instinctively disliking it.
"I dunno, Harry, seems a bit flashy to me"
It just comes across as very odd, stilted language to me and, if someone does use my name a lot in conversation, I can't help but view them as using a salesmanship technique and instinctively disliking it.
So, to me, using a name when there's no clear need to smacks of a conversational power play.
As an aside, I'm an amateur actor and, in some of the scripts we read, it's clear that the author didn't read the lines out to an audience as part of the writing process.
As an aside, I'm an amateur actor and, in some of the scripts we read, it's clear that the author didn't read the lines out to an audience as part of the writing process.
July 22, 2025 at 8:35 AM
So, to me, using a name when there's no clear need to smacks of a conversational power play.
As an aside, I'm an amateur actor and, in some of the scripts we read, it's clear that the author didn't read the lines out to an audience as part of the writing process.
As an aside, I'm an amateur actor and, in some of the scripts we read, it's clear that the author didn't read the lines out to an audience as part of the writing process.
It's just a remarkably odd thing to do in a conversation. We use others' names very little in practice IMO.
We use others' names ofc when we want to address this person rather than that one, but the usage that sticks with me is when one's telling off a child e.g. "Douglas, what are you doing?"
We use others' names ofc when we want to address this person rather than that one, but the usage that sticks with me is when one's telling off a child e.g. "Douglas, what are you doing?"
July 22, 2025 at 8:35 AM
It's just a remarkably odd thing to do in a conversation. We use others' names very little in practice IMO.
We use others' names ofc when we want to address this person rather than that one, but the usage that sticks with me is when one's telling off a child e.g. "Douglas, what are you doing?"
We use others' names ofc when we want to address this person rather than that one, but the usage that sticks with me is when one's telling off a child e.g. "Douglas, what are you doing?"
I've just ordered a copy - very much enjoyed your first book
May 9, 2025 at 8:42 AM
I've just ordered a copy - very much enjoyed your first book
IMO, he won't seriously try to. He'll do what he can to give the appearance of negotiating, but will mostly just take the opportunity to blame France for any failure of his policy.
May 6, 2025 at 6:06 PM
IMO, he won't seriously try to. He'll do what he can to give the appearance of negotiating, but will mostly just take the opportunity to blame France for any failure of his policy.
Maybe Conform? Perhaps an image of prison bars? Would hit a few authoritarian vibes...
May 3, 2025 at 8:28 AM
Maybe Conform? Perhaps an image of prison bars? Would hit a few authoritarian vibes...
Agreed - I also don't see Musk or Trump as having the patience for a more gradual and systematic approach
March 21, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Agreed - I also don't see Musk or Trump as having the patience for a more gradual and systematic approach
A sticky situation, indeed!
March 18, 2025 at 6:10 PM
A sticky situation, indeed!
I should add, I used to take both the brown (beclomethasone?) and blue salbutamol inhalers to manage asthma, but that didn't work very well to control symptoms. Moving to fostair was a notable improvement, and meant that I no longer needed the blue inhaler
November 27, 2024 at 8:41 AM
I should add, I used to take both the brown (beclomethasone?) and blue salbutamol inhalers to manage asthma, but that didn't work very well to control symptoms. Moving to fostair was a notable improvement, and meant that I no longer needed the blue inhaler
I have asthma and take fostair (dry powder now) - it's a LABA so provides long-term relief (very effectively too).
I switched to the dry powder version and that does also work (on the rare occasions that I've needed to) to relieve acute symptoms, albeit maybe 20-30 seconds slower than the gas one
I switched to the dry powder version and that does also work (on the rare occasions that I've needed to) to relieve acute symptoms, albeit maybe 20-30 seconds slower than the gas one
November 27, 2024 at 8:40 AM
I have asthma and take fostair (dry powder now) - it's a LABA so provides long-term relief (very effectively too).
I switched to the dry powder version and that does also work (on the rare occasions that I've needed to) to relieve acute symptoms, albeit maybe 20-30 seconds slower than the gas one
I switched to the dry powder version and that does also work (on the rare occasions that I've needed to) to relieve acute symptoms, albeit maybe 20-30 seconds slower than the gas one
I'm on the committee of a local amateur theatre, and we closed our Twitter/X account about 6 months or so ago. We got very little useful engagement there, and any replies were bots or similar, so it just wasn't worth it for the very minimal increase to reach that we got.
November 15, 2024 at 3:26 PM
I'm on the committee of a local amateur theatre, and we closed our Twitter/X account about 6 months or so ago. We got very little useful engagement there, and any replies were bots or similar, so it just wasn't worth it for the very minimal increase to reach that we got.
That's absolutely amazing! I can almost smell the orange now.
November 10, 2024 at 2:32 PM
That's absolutely amazing! I can almost smell the orange now.
Unwarranted bias against childeless bat ladies, IMO
October 22, 2024 at 8:51 AM
Unwarranted bias against childeless bat ladies, IMO
I'm asthmatic too, but was told I wasn't eligible for the free covid jab. I used to use the blue salbutamol inhalers - my asthma was deemed "poorly controlled".
I now use the magenta "fostair" one twice a day, and my asthma is well controlled...so sadly had to get my covid jab privately (£98!)
I now use the magenta "fostair" one twice a day, and my asthma is well controlled...so sadly had to get my covid jab privately (£98!)
October 17, 2024 at 7:42 AM
I'm asthmatic too, but was told I wasn't eligible for the free covid jab. I used to use the blue salbutamol inhalers - my asthma was deemed "poorly controlled".
I now use the magenta "fostair" one twice a day, and my asthma is well controlled...so sadly had to get my covid jab privately (£98!)
I now use the magenta "fostair" one twice a day, and my asthma is well controlled...so sadly had to get my covid jab privately (£98!)
My mum used to be one of his constituents, with her raising a number of issues with him. He was helpful and responsive (esp. in regard to her concerns re some developments), so I think he has some positive aspects, at least as a constituency MP.
I'm not Tory at all, but do want to be fair to him
I'm not Tory at all, but do want to be fair to him
September 5, 2024 at 6:48 AM
My mum used to be one of his constituents, with her raising a number of issues with him. He was helpful and responsive (esp. in regard to her concerns re some developments), so I think he has some positive aspects, at least as a constituency MP.
I'm not Tory at all, but do want to be fair to him
I'm not Tory at all, but do want to be fair to him
He's already been reported (I tried, but was too slow!) and the account is suspended. FYI, the link I used to access his profile was bsky.app/profile/stur...
What a change from twitter's slow and ineffectual policing approach!
What a change from twitter's slow and ineffectual policing approach!
bsky.app
August 8, 2024 at 5:05 PM
He's already been reported (I tried, but was too slow!) and the account is suspended. FYI, the link I used to access his profile was bsky.app/profile/stur...
What a change from twitter's slow and ineffectual policing approach!
What a change from twitter's slow and ineffectual policing approach!
Have sent one. On first trying, twitter immediately locked my account, but I was able to unlock it by passing an "arkose" challenge to prove I'm human (debatable before coffee tbh)
November 12, 2023 at 9:27 AM
Have sent one. On first trying, twitter immediately locked my account, but I was able to unlock it by passing an "arkose" challenge to prove I'm human (debatable before coffee tbh)