Mark Chater🎲🖳📚
@markchater.bsky.social
Nerdiest of nerds, Bristol via London. Like scifi, fantasy, RPGs, and have a keen interest in space exploration. Play D&D 5e and learning Italian. The photo really is of me on a camel. Never. Again.
LGBTQ+ ally. TERFs and SWERFs unwelcome here.
LGBTQ+ ally. TERFs and SWERFs unwelcome here.
Today's haul from Max Minerva's Marvellous Books near work in Bristol. Nice to find The Vengance by @emmanewman.bsky.social in an indie bookshop. I bought Notes on Infinity based on seeing it in the window so who knows what it will be like!
November 3, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Today's haul from Max Minerva's Marvellous Books near work in Bristol. Nice to find The Vengance by @emmanewman.bsky.social in an indie bookshop. I bought Notes on Infinity based on seeing it in the window so who knows what it will be like!
Successful visit to my favorite shop this morning, I escaped having only bought one book 🤣
November 1, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Successful visit to my favorite shop this morning, I escaped having only bought one book 🤣
Three watercolours painted by JMW Turner during a stay in Bristol age 16. From the "Prince of the rocks" exhibition at Bristol Museum, showcasing these, prints of other Turner works and geology, flora and fauna collected from the Avon Gorge.
October 12, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Three watercolours painted by JMW Turner during a stay in Bristol age 16. From the "Prince of the rocks" exhibition at Bristol Museum, showcasing these, prints of other Turner works and geology, flora and fauna collected from the Avon Gorge.
Just finished this and loved it, it's so beautifully written. Given the subject - life after a global pandemic that wipes out well over 99% of the population - I'm kind of glad I didn't read it pre-COVID.
October 11, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Just finished this and loved it, it's so beautifully written. Given the subject - life after a global pandemic that wipes out well over 99% of the population - I'm kind of glad I didn't read it pre-COVID.
At Bristol Museum today for the (very good) "Gender Stories" exhibition.
Did have an invite to the opening night party some weeks ago but couldn't go.
Did have an invite to the opening night party some weeks ago but couldn't go.
August 24, 2025 at 10:48 AM
At Bristol Museum today for the (very good) "Gender Stories" exhibition.
Did have an invite to the opening night party some weeks ago but couldn't go.
Did have an invite to the opening night party some weeks ago but couldn't go.
Sun is shining, my patio pot plants are in bloom and a pair of cabbage white butterflies just fluttered by when I popped out of my garden office to take this photo just now. Wishing I could be sat on the patio rather than WFH at the moment 🤣
August 12, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Sun is shining, my patio pot plants are in bloom and a pair of cabbage white butterflies just fluttered by when I popped out of my garden office to take this photo just now. Wishing I could be sat on the patio rather than WFH at the moment 🤣
One of my all-time favourites as well and I have the same editions. My copies of the four saga of the exiles novels must be 40 years old (eek!) as I bought them when I was 16.
Definitely still stand up very well today unlike some of what I read as a teenager.
Image from my phone, just now :)
Definitely still stand up very well today unlike some of what I read as a teenager.
Image from my phone, just now :)
August 10, 2025 at 8:23 PM
One of my all-time favourites as well and I have the same editions. My copies of the four saga of the exiles novels must be 40 years old (eek!) as I bought them when I was 16.
Definitely still stand up very well today unlike some of what I read as a teenager.
Image from my phone, just now :)
Definitely still stand up very well today unlike some of what I read as a teenager.
Image from my phone, just now :)
While I have a huge to-be-read pile, now I want to re-re-re-read the first chronicles 🫣 🤣.
Anyway, here is some real art found in my study, painted last year by "Murals by Sarah" on instagram and facebook (and who I highly recommend). And yes, I do have plush pokemon and dinosaurs on my desk.
Anyway, here is some real art found in my study, painted last year by "Murals by Sarah" on instagram and facebook (and who I highly recommend). And yes, I do have plush pokemon and dinosaurs on my desk.
August 6, 2025 at 5:07 PM
While I have a huge to-be-read pile, now I want to re-re-re-read the first chronicles 🫣 🤣.
Anyway, here is some real art found in my study, painted last year by "Murals by Sarah" on instagram and facebook (and who I highly recommend). And yes, I do have plush pokemon and dinosaurs on my desk.
Anyway, here is some real art found in my study, painted last year by "Murals by Sarah" on instagram and facebook (and who I highly recommend). And yes, I do have plush pokemon and dinosaurs on my desk.
Here is my plan for the day - #tea , novel, sprawl on the patio in the shade, test match special on the radio.
Abandoned plans to go in to the centre for the Bristol pride march due to the combination of sun / heat / my MS. Unlike many I love the sun, but need to remember to respect my limits 😞.
Abandoned plans to go in to the centre for the Bristol pride march due to the combination of sun / heat / my MS. Unlike many I love the sun, but need to remember to respect my limits 😞.
July 12, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Here is my plan for the day - #tea , novel, sprawl on the patio in the shade, test match special on the radio.
Abandoned plans to go in to the centre for the Bristol pride march due to the combination of sun / heat / my MS. Unlike many I love the sun, but need to remember to respect my limits 😞.
Abandoned plans to go in to the centre for the Bristol pride march due to the combination of sun / heat / my MS. Unlike many I love the sun, but need to remember to respect my limits 😞.
If you see this, quote with a robot that isn't from Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who or Transformers.
I went for the bleedin' obvious choice 🤣
I went for the bleedin' obvious choice 🤣
July 10, 2025 at 9:23 AM
If you see this, quote with a robot that isn't from Star Wars, Star Trek, Doctor Who or Transformers.
I went for the bleedin' obvious choice 🤣
I went for the bleedin' obvious choice 🤣
Day late but here from yesterday evening are some sleepy 2w 3d old puppies owned by the hosts of my ongoing D&D campaign, and me holding one dedpite being very much a Cat Person.
We did play some D&D but not as much as usual because puppies are distracting 🤣
We did play some D&D but not as much as usual because puppies are distracting 🤣
June 24, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Day late but here from yesterday evening are some sleepy 2w 3d old puppies owned by the hosts of my ongoing D&D campaign, and me holding one dedpite being very much a Cat Person.
We did play some D&D but not as much as usual because puppies are distracting 🤣
We did play some D&D but not as much as usual because puppies are distracting 🤣
I was going to say I still have mine, but on going to take a photo the third and fifth have escaped sometime in the 35+ years or so since I bought them😲
June 10, 2025 at 9:34 AM
I was going to say I still have mine, but on going to take a photo the third and fifth have escaped sometime in the 35+ years or so since I bought them😲
Happy #PrideMonth , honestly sad that in 2025 it feels more needed than ever despite the progress in my lifetime. (Photo is of what people see in the background if I have to Zoom / teams, and if anyone reads the book titles, yes I do still have my BBC Micro technical manuals from 40 years ago)
June 1, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Happy #PrideMonth , honestly sad that in 2025 it feels more needed than ever despite the progress in my lifetime. (Photo is of what people see in the background if I have to Zoom / teams, and if anyone reads the book titles, yes I do still have my BBC Micro technical manuals from 40 years ago)
Saw @marycoughlan.bsky.social in Bristol last night, for the umpteenth time since 1988 at the Mean Fiddler in Harlesden.
Fabulous gig as always, really liked the arrangement of 'Ancient Rain'.
Apologies to anyone sitting near me as I sang along 🤐
Fabulous gig as always, really liked the arrangement of 'Ancient Rain'.
Apologies to anyone sitting near me as I sang along 🤐
April 17, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Saw @marycoughlan.bsky.social in Bristol last night, for the umpteenth time since 1988 at the Mean Fiddler in Harlesden.
Fabulous gig as always, really liked the arrangement of 'Ancient Rain'.
Apologies to anyone sitting near me as I sang along 🤐
Fabulous gig as always, really liked the arrangement of 'Ancient Rain'.
Apologies to anyone sitting near me as I sang along 🤐
I would have been 22 I think and remember the video very well as I was still watching TOTP then and it was no.1 forever. No catsuit, but they both look fab the sleeve of the single, which I still have.
March 28, 2025 at 10:42 PM
I would have been 22 I think and remember the video very well as I was still watching TOTP then and it was no.1 forever. No catsuit, but they both look fab the sleeve of the single, which I still have.
Visiting London today so as usual called in at my favorite shop in the world, Waterstones Piccadily, where I was able buy this and ask @danacea.bsky.social to write me a message. She was super nice to this random nerd too.
Second copy (originally bought and read on my kindle)
Second copy (originally bought and read on my kindle)
March 15, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Visiting London today so as usual called in at my favorite shop in the world, Waterstones Piccadily, where I was able buy this and ask @danacea.bsky.social to write me a message. She was super nice to this random nerd too.
Second copy (originally bought and read on my kindle)
Second copy (originally bought and read on my kindle)
We use a metal whiteboard and fridge magnets for combat. Too many experiences of D&D cat playing football with dice to use minatures🤭. She also went through a phase of adopting the bag I bring my dice and PHB in (pictured here while older sister looks on disdainfully)
February 9, 2025 at 7:40 PM
We use a metal whiteboard and fridge magnets for combat. Too many experiences of D&D cat playing football with dice to use minatures🤭. She also went through a phase of adopting the bag I bring my dice and PHB in (pictured here while older sister looks on disdainfully)
Hand held photo showing Orion with Jupiter in Taurus using "night mode" on my phone. Taken by me, last night.
January 2, 2025 at 10:03 AM
Hand held photo showing Orion with Jupiter in Taurus using "night mode" on my phone. Taken by me, last night.
Since you asked about energy ...
December 29, 2024 at 11:00 AM
Since you asked about energy ...
This is a three-legged cat which lives at the hospital run by Animal Care Egypt (a UK charity) near Luxor, which I photographed yesterday. #notmycat
I no longer have a cat of my own, my rescue died age 16, some years ago.
I no longer have a cat of my own, my rescue died age 16, some years ago.
November 13, 2024 at 10:41 AM
This is a three-legged cat which lives at the hospital run by Animal Care Egypt (a UK charity) near Luxor, which I photographed yesterday. #notmycat
I no longer have a cat of my own, my rescue died age 16, some years ago.
I no longer have a cat of my own, my rescue died age 16, some years ago.
Very much just hanging in there, on holiday in Egypt at the moment (29C in Aswan). I do have tea, but it's Liptons 🤦. Anyway, here are some pilgrims I photographed worshipping Bastet at the temple of Isis on Philae today, because cats make everything better.
November 8, 2024 at 4:26 PM
Very much just hanging in there, on holiday in Egypt at the moment (29C in Aswan). I do have tea, but it's Liptons 🤦. Anyway, here are some pilgrims I photographed worshipping Bastet at the temple of Isis on Philae today, because cats make everything better.
Cloudy tonight but just about managed to capture some colour
October 10, 2024 at 9:34 PM
Cloudy tonight but just about managed to capture some colour
I am a nerd of a certain age and you've mentioned two of the epic series that really stirred my love of F&SF as a teen. Here's the other in the photo.
p.s. always felt Mhoram was the real hero of the first chronicles, alongside Foamfollower, and I love that art.
p.s. always felt Mhoram was the real hero of the first chronicles, alongside Foamfollower, and I love that art.
September 8, 2024 at 2:42 PM
I am a nerd of a certain age and you've mentioned two of the epic series that really stirred my love of F&SF as a teen. Here's the other in the photo.
p.s. always felt Mhoram was the real hero of the first chronicles, alongside Foamfollower, and I love that art.
p.s. always felt Mhoram was the real hero of the first chronicles, alongside Foamfollower, and I love that art.