The train into Switzerland

Oh my god the colours…

The turquoise water, the blinding green grass, it’s almost unsettling how pretty it is. Almost artificial

The blue sky blues

I’m in Cinque Terre at the moment, an insanely beautiful series of coastal towns joined only by harsh, winding hilltop walking trails (and trains, but shhh that’s not as cool.)

Staying in hostels, a story for awkward weird travellers

The internet says that you will always find someone to talk to in a hostel. The internet says it’s the easiest thing in the world, even if you’re socially awkward, even if you’re an introvert. You’ll never be truly alone, they say.

Life is Strange, art that nests

I was searching through my brain for a song to learn on the ukulele, the most powerful instrument of them all. In doing so, I remembered the soundtrack to Dontnod’s Life is Strange, and accidentally punched myself in the heart so hard it near enough exploded. Upon listening to those calm, painful, vibrating strings, my eyes grew sore and wet, and I realised with horror I was about to cry. At a piece of music from a videogame I hadn’t touched in a year. What… What’s happening to me?!?

Wonder Woman Review (or the metaphorical skewering of the world)

There’s a fresh joy to seeing loads of badass women being awesome, and to having a DC superhero film that doesn’t suck, but to just talk about the reasons Wonder Woman is an important film doesn’t really do much to explain why it’s a good one. And well, yeah. It’s a pretty flipping good one.

The painter’s daughter

The Faylin Valley began with stroke of violet, the perfect sky. It might not be the truth, for the truth was that the sky was dull and blue, but that didn’t concern Tully so much. If kings and queens could be rid of every imperfection, the sky would receive such treatment too. Everything was beautiful once Tully had put down his brush, and the valley would be no exception.

The Sidney Theorem

Something I have learned in the past few weeks is that you don’t have to search far and wide for that mysterious answer to all your troubles. Sometimes, the solution is sitting right there, in a puddle of his own fat. Sidney, my dog, and my guru, has many lessons to teach. If only he would deem us worthy enough to learn them.

Logan: Hating Ourselves

Logan is the inevitable end point for superheroes. It’s the world after, the world where the bad guys as tall as skyscrapers and as blue as a supernova have all been defeated. The world should be a better place, right?

Moving Moods

A few days of my life recently were mostly just cycling. Endless, painful, boring cycling.

Oxford Boy – A Love Poem

Oxford boy, dear oxford boy,
Walked in before my shower
Watched with careful glower
Looking strong and rather dower.

pencilcraterbox

Good things.