simonvarwell

simonvarwell, 3 months ago to random Esperanto

A long time ago on a social media platform far, far away (well, October 2020 on Twitter) I began a chronological watch-through of the Star Wars canon. I am barely on Birdville now, so have moved the thread here.

Below is a link to a pdf with a very crude copy & paste job of my entire thread so far, so you can go back to the beginning and read the whole story. I will pick up the thread again below this tweet.

Happy reading, and may the force live long and shiny.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/9nmjj0sd7jth1kq4e94q9/Star-Wars-tweets.pdf?rlkey=vyndd40d23y05ph7ng83dwpa3&dl=0

simonvarwell, 7 months ago to random Esperanto

A busy day in Braga. Lots of work to do. Even if I had been free to go exploring, it’s been deluging like… well, like there’s a climate collapse. So I’m only nipping out this evening, for some food. I found an excellent microbrewery bar. On the menu: something small and healthy.

simonvarwell, 8 months ago to esperanto Esperanto

Ĉu estas #esperanto -istoj en #Porto, Portugalo? Ŝajnas ke mi estos tie venontmonate por laboro dum kelkaj tagoj.

Kaj sugestoj por la urbo estos bonvenaj.

simonvarwell, 9 months ago to random Esperanto

Hurrah! It was an absolute knife-edge, but Highland Council has finally approved the end of most through-traffic on Inverness’s main city centre thoroughfare. This despite selfish bluster from motorists, ignorant ranting from businesses who don’t understand where their customers come from, and vile propaganda from local press.

There’s still a distance to go, and no doubt legal action, but there’s hope (and clean air) for once.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-66810518

simonvarwell, 7 months ago to random Esperanto

A day trip today to see some folk near Garve, northwest of here. I headed out by train, which meant the first time in ages on that line, which ultimately terminates in Kyle of Lochalsh. There were some nice views of the Beauly Firth. Then around Garve it was a grand day with good views along the river.

A river with rocky and tree lined banks, with hills and grey sky in the background.

simonvarwell, 1 year ago to random Esperanto

Nearly home after three busy days in Glasgow. It was roasting down south and is still warm back north even at nine o’clock in the evening.

simonvarwell, 9 months ago to random Esperanto

Having been tapped up by a couple of folk about joining my local community council I’m correct, am I not, in politely eschewing the opportunity of banging my head against a brick wall repeatedly as part of a toothless talking shop that would suck my time, energy and sanity and is packed with an increasingly “trumpian” (someone’s description) lunatic fringe who love the entirely empty perception of responsibility and whose pompous self-importance I’d despise? Aren’t I? Please tell me I am.

simonvarwell, 3 months ago to random Esperanto

This is genuinely hilarious. UKGov commissions a report to demonstrate how awful Low-Traffic Neighbourhoods are. Report comes back praising them so report is buried.
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/mar/08/low-traffic-neighbourhoods-generally-popular-report-ordered-by-sunak-finds

simonvarwell, 11 months ago to random Esperanto

On my way back from Stirling on the train, held up ahead of a single track section while we wait for a train to pass in the other direction.

Yes the A9 needs dualling, but dualling the Highland Main Line needs doing first.

simonvarwell, 5 months ago to random Esperanto

An interesting article about cluttered pavements, though curiously it only briefly mentions cars and traffic as a contributing problem. Obviously pavements shouldn’t have stuff dumped on them (Christmas trees, hire bikes, shop boards, rubbish bags), but if cars were deprioritised and pedestrians spaces expanded instead, the clutter would be proportionally less of a problem (though granted still a problem). https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/jan/11/britains-pavement-hell-how-messy-broken-streets-ruin-peoples-lives

simonvarwell, 1 month ago to random Esperanto

The joys of a rail replacement bus, and thus the loss of three and a bit hours of work time, for the final leg of my journey. Ah well, I may as well kick back and share some photos of the last few days…

simonvarwell, 7 months ago to random Esperanto

Yesterday I and the other admins of the Highlands and Islands rotational account on the birdsite sadly announced that HiVoices will close at the end of the year. Those of you who are recent exiles from there will recognise the reasons. It’s been a fun decade, and the account has shared some great stories in a growing and wonderful community, but as it passes its 10th birthday it’s time to wind up. Sad times but reflective of a wider sadness about that site. https://hivoices.wordpress.com/theend/

simonvarwell, 9 months ago to random Esperanto

I’ll be honest, there’s not much keeping me on the birdsite, but one thing that does is that I’m an admin on the rotational Highlands & Islands Voices account. This year it celebrates its 10th birthday, and a reporter with the P&J did a lovely piece on the account, including a chat with me. It’s rather sad in a way because it reminds me of what the site was at its best. https://t.co/l83E9scWir

simonvarwell, 9 months ago to wordpress Esperanto

Can I please ask for help from anyone who's good on #WordPress? or #SSL? I have a problem with SSL on my website: I installed Really Simple SSL to allow my site to be https, but it doesn't seem to be updating properly, because... I dunno, it's beyond me. As such my website has a security block for visitors. I think it's an expiry thing. I'm not in the mood to pay for anything, so what should I do in terms of plugins or whatever?

Sorry, I am a bit of a dunce at this sort of stuff.

simonvarwell, 8 months ago to random Esperanto

Guess where I’ve been.

simonvarwell, 11 months ago to random Esperanto

I gave advice earlier today to friends on family-friendly wet weather options in the centre of Inverness. And my goodness it is not a long list. Such a shame that this hugely important tourist hub (and more general economic and cultural hub) doesn’t have more for rainy days.

It’s one of my long-running complaints about the city. There’s the museum, Wasps studio, Victorian Market, the cathedral (which isn’t really city centre), and if you can brave the rain the Old High kirkyard. What else?

simonvarwell, 5 months ago to random Esperanto

To all panto actors who've finished their run, you can now relax and say to yourselves...

It's behind you!

simonvarwell, 2 months ago to random Esperanto

Ode to a rucksack.

As part of a big clearout, I got rid of my trusty old rucksack. It’s battered, stained and has lost a few straps, so I don’t mourn its passing - but I do celebrate its life.

I can’t remember precisely how old it is but I recall taking it on a camp aged 15. Since then it’s been to uni with me, been on countless ferries and trains, crossed Europe to Kosovo and back in 1999, been my trusty steed on my big travels of 2001, and been there in the journeys of my first two books.

simonvarwell, 8 months ago to random Esperanto

I sometimes struggle to get to sleep early and might read some nights until midnight or after.

I never talk about work on here, but I’m staying up late to present at 1am my time (online) at an Australian event, and of course it’s tonight I’m feeling nice and sleepy at an appropriate hour.

Ah well, only a couple of hours more to stay awake…

simonvarwell, 1 month ago to random Esperanto

This is extraordinary, and a damning indictment of land ownership in Scotland. How on earth can a private company be in a position to give a capital city’s main bus station notice of closure? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg302gkw779o

simonvarwell, 9 months ago to random Esperanto

The botanic gardens looking lovely today. Inverness is really lucky to have it.

…them?

I know it’s gardens plural, but… I dunno. I think you can have a botanic gardens, one botanic gardens etc. conversely, I’ve never heard of a single botanic garden, at least in this context.

Whaddya reckon?

simonvarwell, 7 months ago to random Esperanto

Not feeling very prepared for going to Portugal on Monday. I’ve been busy so have done no prep, except looking up a few basic phrases just earlier.

Mi ne sentas min tre preparita por iri al Portugalo lundon. Mi estis tiel okupita ke mi ne faris preparadon, krom de serĉi kelkajn bazojn frazojn ĵus antaŭe.

simonvarwell, 4 months ago to random Esperanto

I’d be keen for some advice please. It’s basically a social media technical question though if you’re into Star Wars then all the better.

Around three and a half years ago, I began a wee project to watch and live-tweet the Star Wars canon in chronological order. See the start of it in the tweet below, if you still have an account there, and the loooooooooong thread that follows.

The question is: how best to import it all over here?

https://twitter.com/simonvarwell/status/1319029894697857031

simonvarwell, 8 months ago to random Esperanto

Some truly dreadful takes across social media from both sides and none on the awful violence in Israel and Palestine. But what occurs to me is that what in effect is a near-total incarceration of Gaza isn’t just inhumanly brutal it’s also hopelessly ineffective. The hard-right Israeli government can’t even now sell its approach as successful let alone moral. No wonder the batshit extremists on both sides want the other side exterminated in its entirety, which is also a fallacy of an objective.

simonvarwell, 9 months ago to random Esperanto

I’m in #Leeds next week for work. I may have some free time in the evenings, so who’s got any top tips for craft beer places, interesting nooks and crannies to explore with my camera, or anything else worth recommending?

I’ve been once before years back but didn’t see a huge amount.

Thanks I’m advance for any tips.