profile image - pencil sketch of a man with grey hair and beard seated next to a small table. The man is reading a book and there is a glass of red wine on the table A twitter of inconsequent vitality
Ian Mason | @thedimpause

๐ŸŽต My Top weekly artists as logged by last.fm:

Bessie Smith (44 plays)
Kendrick Lamar (19)
Bessie Smith, Fletcher Henderson & Don Redman (11)
Bessie Smith & Fletcher Henderson (9)
Bessie Smith & Jimmy Jones (8)

๐Ÿท Music

Two very close, exciting games of Six Nations rugby today. Two unexpected results for Italy ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น and England ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ. A little compensation for this morningโ€™s cricket humiliation! ๐Ÿ‰๐Ÿ‘

๐Ÿท Cricket ๐Ÿท Rugby

Watching rugby - Italy ๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น v ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ณ๓ ฃ๓ ด๓ ฟ Scotland - and drinking a Dead Canary ๐Ÿบ๐Ÿ‰

๐Ÿท Rugby ๐Ÿท Beer
Hay-on-Wye bookshops ๐Ÿ“š๐Ÿ“ธ

Documenting in photographs some of the current bookshops in Hay-on-Wye, Powys, the world’s first town of books.

Richard Booth’s Bookshop

Hay Cinema Bookshop

Hay Castle Honesty Bookshop

Hay-on-Wye Booksellers

Addyman Books

The Addyman Annexe

Murder and Mayhem

The Poetry Bookshop

Gay on Wye

Green Ink Booksellers

Broad Street Book Centre

Clock Tower Books

North Books

The Black Mountains Bindery

๐Ÿ“– Read more

๐Ÿท Photography ๐Ÿท Books

Now listening: Any Woman’s Blues - Bessie Smith

Playlist:

๐Ÿ”— Jackie Kay on Bessie Smith ๐Ÿ“š๐ŸŽต

๐Ÿ“– Read more

๐Ÿท Photography ๐Ÿท Books ๐Ÿท Links ๐Ÿท Music

๐Ÿ”— Some thoughts on International Womenโ€™s Day

Speaking truth to the power of the patriarchy is unimaginably difficult, even as I live a life of relative privilege. In the past, Iโ€™ve experienced deep levels of discomfort at writing one small truth because thereโ€™s the worry that Iโ€™ll be branded a troublemaker, a man hater, a difficult woman to work with. All of which heightens my respect for those women across global history whoโ€™ve had to fight like lions for the barest modicum of political and/or โ€ฆ

๐Ÿ“– Read more

๐Ÿท Links ๐Ÿท Poetry ๐Ÿท Politics

Currently reading: Bessie Smith by Jackie Kay ๐Ÿ“š

๐Ÿท Books

๐Ÿ”— The Long Wait

Implement a genuine progress index in place of GDP

At the moment, every attempt to create a greener and fairer country is hampered by the way we measure progress. So my third big policy is to dethrone our use of GDP as a general indicator of how well we are doing, and replace it with more appropriate measures.

๐Ÿท Links

๐Ÿ”— Outrage Farming

Sunak leads a government that has introduced the most draconian anti-protest laws in our democratic history. These laws are deployed exclusively against official enemies: environmental campaigners, republicans, feminists, Muslims. If you belong to one of these groups and you block a road, you might go to prison. If you are a farmer and you block a road, the prime minister might join you.

The protest the prime minister attended displayed the banners of No Farmers, No Food, a โ€ฆ

๐Ÿ“– Read more

๐Ÿท Links

Microbrewery ๐Ÿบ

A sunny outdoor scene with a black pickup truck parked in front of a modern building with large windows and an outdoor seating area. There are multiple metal beer kegs stacked on the ground near the vehicle and around the patio. A clear blue sky with fluffy clouds

๐Ÿท Photography ๐Ÿท Beer

Lunch at the Bunch of Grapes, Pontypridd ๐Ÿบ

A pub interior with wooden tables and chairs, a half-full glass of beer on a table, and a book titled Bessie Smith by Jackie Kay. A bar with taps and bottles in the background, and a coat draped over a chair.

๐Ÿท Photography ๐Ÿท Beer
Sharper, 2023 - โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…ยฝ

Watched on Monday March 4, 2024.

๐Ÿท FilmTV
The Hunger Games, 2012 - โ˜…โ˜…โ˜…ยฝ

Watched on Sunday March 3, 2024.

๐Ÿท FilmTV

๐ŸŽต My Top weekly artists as logged by last.fm:

Nadine Shah (16 plays)
Brittany Howard (12)
Portishead (12)
Christy Moore (10)
The Passions (10)

๐Ÿท Music
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๐Ÿท Photography ๐Ÿท Glass Photo
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