Claire Read
@readthewriter.bsky.social
Freelance writer and editor – healthcare; public sector/not-for-profit; cycle sport – and, on Tuesdays, a House of Commons committee reporter. Apostrophes in all the right places. 📽️🎮📺🎶 fan. Also naps. I like naps.
Usual Friday chat with the owner of my fave local coffee shop turned to Crimbo plans. She explained she's not going away this year as it's her mum's 50th soon after Xmas.
And that's how I discovered I'm only three years off being old enough to be the mother of the local coffee shop owner 👵
And that's how I discovered I'm only three years off being old enough to be the mother of the local coffee shop owner 👵
November 21, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Usual Friday chat with the owner of my fave local coffee shop turned to Crimbo plans. She explained she's not going away this year as it's her mum's 50th soon after Xmas.
And that's how I discovered I'm only three years off being old enough to be the mother of the local coffee shop owner 👵
And that's how I discovered I'm only three years off being old enough to be the mother of the local coffee shop owner 👵
Rainbow over St John Street, consolation for a generally dark and rainy day 🌈
November 10, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Rainbow over St John Street, consolation for a generally dark and rainy day 🌈
You can ask me to watch pretty much any film and I will enthusiastically do it. Just not horror, because I’m a jump scare-hating scaredy cat with permanently shot nerves. Sinners with a Q&A has made me pluck up my courage however… plus put on my comfiest non-PJ clothes and pack three fidget toys 😬
November 8, 2025 at 1:07 PM
You can ask me to watch pretty much any film and I will enthusiastically do it. Just not horror, because I’m a jump scare-hating scaredy cat with permanently shot nerves. Sinners with a Q&A has made me pluck up my courage however… plus put on my comfiest non-PJ clothes and pack three fidget toys 😬
One of my clients needs me to complete IT security training. The online course has repeatedly assured me poorly written content is a way to spot any suspicious activity. On the basis of this end of module question, I should now apparently whether the education provider itself is a cybercriminal 🤨
November 7, 2025 at 9:11 PM
One of my clients needs me to complete IT security training. The online course has repeatedly assured me poorly written content is a way to spot any suspicious activity. On the basis of this end of module question, I should now apparently whether the education provider itself is a cybercriminal 🤨
Reviewing Joachim Trier's credits off the back of growing eagerness to see "Sentimental Value" and longstanding intention to watch "The Worst Person in the World", I suddenly realise that in 2015 he made the film my mum still talks about as the weirdest and least satisfying I've ever taken her to 🫤
November 7, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Reviewing Joachim Trier's credits off the back of growing eagerness to see "Sentimental Value" and longstanding intention to watch "The Worst Person in the World", I suddenly realise that in 2015 he made the film my mum still talks about as the weirdest and least satisfying I've ever taken her to 🫤
I'm appalled to announce that Pret is playing Christmas songs.
November 5, 2025 at 2:32 PM
I'm appalled to announce that Pret is playing Christmas songs.
I had to turn the difficulty down to the literal baby level (check out the little faces at the top of the page), but a perfect’s a perfect. I’ll take it.
#PlatypusReclayed @claymatic.games #SteamDeck
#PlatypusReclayed @claymatic.games #SteamDeck
November 2, 2025 at 8:57 PM
I had to turn the difficulty down to the literal baby level (check out the little faces at the top of the page), but a perfect’s a perfect. I’ll take it.
#PlatypusReclayed @claymatic.games #SteamDeck
#PlatypusReclayed @claymatic.games #SteamDeck
Spent Saturday night watching a two and a half hour long Japanese/German film about a man cleaning toilets in Tokyo via notoriously arty streaming platform MUBI; spending Sunday lunchtime watching an animated kids’ film about a K-pop girl band fighting demons.
Believer in broad tastes ✌🏻
Believer in broad tastes ✌🏻
November 2, 2025 at 12:18 PM
Spent Saturday night watching a two and a half hour long Japanese/German film about a man cleaning toilets in Tokyo via notoriously arty streaming platform MUBI; spending Sunday lunchtime watching an animated kids’ film about a K-pop girl band fighting demons.
Believer in broad tastes ✌🏻
Believer in broad tastes ✌🏻
The Guardian is Guardianing particularly hard this morning.
October 23, 2025 at 8:24 AM
The Guardian is Guardianing particularly hard this morning.
Waiting for an #LFF screening to start, listening to someone tell mates about another festival film.
“Was it good?”
“Yeah… I mean, it was weird. But it was good.”
That’s how you know you’re festivalling right. And how I know the two of us have the same taste, because I also saw the film in question.
“Was it good?”
“Yeah… I mean, it was weird. But it was good.”
That’s how you know you’re festivalling right. And how I know the two of us have the same taste, because I also saw the film in question.
October 11, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Waiting for an #LFF screening to start, listening to someone tell mates about another festival film.
“Was it good?”
“Yeah… I mean, it was weird. But it was good.”
That’s how you know you’re festivalling right. And how I know the two of us have the same taste, because I also saw the film in question.
“Was it good?”
“Yeah… I mean, it was weird. But it was good.”
That’s how you know you’re festivalling right. And how I know the two of us have the same taste, because I also saw the film in question.
Reposted by Claire Read
This being the funniest 8 seconds of television all year 😭 #CelebrityTraitors #TheTraitors
October 8, 2025 at 9:26 PM
This being the funniest 8 seconds of television all year 😭 #CelebrityTraitors #TheTraitors
Yay for representation on #TheTraitorsUK! So powerful to see myself on screen – a cuddly bespectacled bag of nerves with hyperhidrosis, a voice that carries, an inability to lie, and a suspicious manner when with a secret. Oh, Alan, love. Hope you packed Mitchum and Propranolol #CelebrityTraitors
October 8, 2025 at 10:42 PM
Yay for representation on #TheTraitorsUK! So powerful to see myself on screen – a cuddly bespectacled bag of nerves with hyperhidrosis, a voice that carries, an inability to lie, and a suspicious manner when with a secret. Oh, Alan, love. Hope you packed Mitchum and Propranolol #CelebrityTraitors
Reposted by Claire Read
It'll be wild when Charlotte Church reveals she's been pretending to be Welsh this entire time #TheTraitorsUK #CelebrityTraitors
October 8, 2025 at 8:57 PM
It'll be wild when Charlotte Church reveals she's been pretending to be Welsh this entire time #TheTraitorsUK #CelebrityTraitors
Totally in favour of having a conversation about reparations, but I'm not sure *all* of them should go to Lenny Henry.
October 8, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Totally in favour of having a conversation about reparations, but I'm not sure *all* of them should go to Lenny Henry.
One of my regular bouts of klutziness means my wrist and forearm are currently nestled in the tight yet comfortingly soft and warm embrace of Tubigrip. What George Costanza feels for velvet I feel for this stuff. I genuinely find it so delightful that it's almost worth spraining something for.
a man in a trench coat is saying i would drape myself in velvet if it were socially acceptable
ALT: a man in a trench coat is saying i would drape myself in velvet if it were socially acceptable
media.tenor.com
October 6, 2025 at 12:34 PM
One of my regular bouts of klutziness means my wrist and forearm are currently nestled in the tight yet comfortingly soft and warm embrace of Tubigrip. What George Costanza feels for velvet I feel for this stuff. I genuinely find it so delightful that it's almost worth spraining something for.
Google Gemini has been integrated into my email, and so I have an overeager coworker who is barely competent yet displays unshakeable confidence in their abilities. Its suggested responses to an email today asking if I'm available tomorrow or Friday for a call. God. Take a 12-hour lunch break, Gem.
October 6, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Google Gemini has been integrated into my email, and so I have an overeager coworker who is barely competent yet displays unshakeable confidence in their abilities. Its suggested responses to an email today asking if I'm available tomorrow or Friday for a call. God. Take a 12-hour lunch break, Gem.
The state of the world being what it is, I briefly wondered at what point we'd decided to authorise a real-life version of the Hunger Games.
‘A venue like this doesn’t exist elsewhere’: inside the colossal arena built for The Hunger Games
‘A venue like this doesn’t exist elsewhere’: inside the colossal arena built for The Hunger Games
London’s Canary Wharf is being turned into the Capitol, with a bespoke £26m theatre made for the stage adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ bestseller. Our writer goes on a hard-hat tour
www.theguardian.com
September 30, 2025 at 3:50 PM
The state of the world being what it is, I briefly wondered at what point we'd decided to authorise a real-life version of the Hunger Games.
@katesonanadventure.bsky.social Hi Kate. Forgive the message out of the blue from a stranger. I'm working on a piece for Nursing Standard about returning to work after maternity leave and was wondering if by any chance you might be willing to speak to me for it. Can of course send further details!
September 24, 2025 at 2:08 PM
@katesonanadventure.bsky.social Hi Kate. Forgive the message out of the blue from a stranger. I'm working on a piece for Nursing Standard about returning to work after maternity leave and was wondering if by any chance you might be willing to speak to me for it. Can of course send further details!
It is with deep regret that I inform you I have just seen a Christmas advert on telly.
(Hang your heads in shame, Smyths Toys.)
(Hang your heads in shame, Smyths Toys.)
charlie brown is sitting on a chair with a sad face on his face .
ALT: charlie brown is sitting on a chair with a sad face on his face .
media.tenor.com
September 22, 2025 at 9:38 PM
It is with deep regret that I inform you I have just seen a Christmas advert on telly.
(Hang your heads in shame, Smyths Toys.)
(Hang your heads in shame, Smyths Toys.)
Reposted by Claire Read
These adverts from a 1954 Streatham Hill Theatre programme give a fascinating glimpse of the local area.
September 19, 2025 at 4:02 PM
These adverts from a 1954 Streatham Hill Theatre programme give a fascinating glimpse of the local area.
I randomly came across this on Instagram yesterday. There may still be three and a half months of 2025 to go, but I am confidently declaring it my favourite song of the year. #DoctorWaffle #MrPangolin
www.youtube.com/shorts/PS8am...
www.youtube.com/shorts/PS8am...
Music is good for business
YouTube video by Doctor waffle
www.youtube.com
September 19, 2025 at 11:51 AM
I randomly came across this on Instagram yesterday. There may still be three and a half months of 2025 to go, but I am confidently declaring it my favourite song of the year. #DoctorWaffle #MrPangolin
www.youtube.com/shorts/PS8am...
www.youtube.com/shorts/PS8am...
Reposted by Claire Read
In London, hate will never win.
September 17, 2025 at 6:10 AM
In London, hate will never win.
Ready to unleash mischief. Adorably.
September 11, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Ready to unleash mischief. Adorably.