Toby Atkin-Wright
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toby.atkin-wright.com
Toby Atkin-Wright
@toby.atkin-wright.com
I live near the sea in St Andrews, Scotland.
1972, the year I was born.

1972 day streak in Duolingo.
April 13, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Listening to Iron Maiden this evening. I think this is the finest modern-era Maiden album, with the worst cover art.
March 29, 2025 at 9:43 PM
New glasses today. Very similar to the old ones. Picked them up from Govans on South St, then had an early tea with Kate at the Oriental House.

I read recently that Chinese restaurants in the UK are in decline which saddens me as it’s my favourite cuisine for a meal out.
March 29, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Another mystery box from Cult Pens. This time the premium item was a Graf von Faber-Castell Bentley in blue with a medium nib.
May 14, 2024 at 8:20 PM
New pen. A Wingback fountain pen in brass with an extra bold nib. Some time last year I signed up for its Kickstarter and the pen arrived at the end of last week. Feels pleasantly solid, lays an indulgent amount of ink on the page, and smells suitably brassy. wingback.co.uk/collections/...
February 6, 2024 at 5:18 PM
This is apparently the list of songs I’ve listened to most often this year, but I guess it is standalone songs and doesn’t include listens to whole albums.

Anyway, it is clear to me that Don’t Kill the Whale, Freewill, and Richard IX may be the finest songs by their respective bands.
December 1, 2023 at 12:13 AM
Apple Music tells me that I listened to a lot of Yes this year.

I know. I was there listening to it.
November 30, 2023 at 12:06 AM
In Dundee for a few days this week. We have some team meetings.

Here are @qidane.bsky.social and me in the Howff with work behind us.
November 6, 2023 at 3:11 PM
The Beetle failed its MOT today in what I can only assume is an expensive manner. Hoping it will be fixed and retested by @echodarkly.bsky.social’s next driving lesson on Friday.
October 31, 2023 at 7:39 PM
@echodarkly.bsky.social carved the annual pumpkin, which we put out on a moonlit night.
October 31, 2023 at 7:33 PM
I’ve been using a pocket sized Filofax as a wallet for perhaps fifteen years now. It has been getting a bit scruffy so it’s time for a new one. I chose a personal compact to replace it.

My favourite pen to use in my Filofax is a Parker Sonnet ballpoint. This one has a red Chinese Lacque finish.
October 30, 2023 at 2:20 PM
This sounds quite magnificent. I hope the film matches up to my expectations.
October 24, 2023 at 9:13 PM
October is a good time for buying cheap horror films on iTunes. I’m particularly fond of Italian giallos and horrors.
October 24, 2023 at 9:10 PM
I bought a new Stanley toolbox last month and there was an associated offer on their web site for a free ratchet set. It arrived this morning.

My use of tools is mainly tech and household stuff. I’m not sure the little ratchet will offer any advantage. But I’ll find some use for it.
October 21, 2023 at 2:17 PM
The weather seems calmer today but I am feeling the effects of the storm as Tesco cancelled this morning’s grocery delivery.

I guess I’ll have to go to an actual shop instead. I’m not fond of activities that involve being in the presence of Other People.
October 21, 2023 at 12:17 PM
I enjoyed showing my team figlet and lolcat earlier today. As we set up new servers, I like to set /etc/motd to be a friendly, colourful machine name.

figlet Annan | lolcat

Bear in mind that lolcat needs a --force if you want to direct its output to a file.
October 17, 2023 at 2:39 PM
Fountain pen update: new ink day. I’m writing with Jacques Herbin Gris Orage for the first time, a middle grey ink with gold sparkle, which I’ve put in my early-’70s Parker 61. My mother handed this pen on to me a while ago, but she can’t recall where it originally came from.
October 17, 2023 at 10:16 AM
Most of our crockery at home is Portmeirion Botanic Garden, and for years now we have each used a cup and saucer from their “month” range. Since my birthday is in June I had the June cup with its dog rose pattern.

I broke the handle off today. And in related news, I have a plaster on my finger.
October 14, 2023 at 10:17 PM
A rainy weekend. It felt like the right time to build a Doctor Who Lego set that had been sitting on my shelves for some years.
October 8, 2023 at 3:14 PM
New ink; new fountain pen. This is my first time using Jacques Herbin Violet Impérial, and my first inking of the cyan Kaweco Collection that came in my September Cult Pens mystery box. An amusingly lightweight and small pen.
October 6, 2023 at 11:45 AM
Stocking up on the finest sugar-free fizzy pop. This week’s flavours are all from Barr’s: pineapple, raspberry, and dandelion and burdock.
October 3, 2023 at 8:33 PM
Fountain pen update: this week I’m writing with Diamine Winter Spice in my Waterman Expert, and with Diamine Red Dragon in my Parker Duofold.
October 2, 2023 at 2:23 PM
Mmm first roast lunch of the season.
October 1, 2023 at 4:32 PM
Maybe my final al fresco haircut of the year.
October 1, 2023 at 12:00 PM
I bought @qidane.bsky.social a munchie box for his lunch today. I think it might last him all weekend.
September 29, 2023 at 2:08 PM