A Poor Player

My partner often says I should write a sitcom about schools*. And if I ever did, I think I'd need a Jeff and Elaine style subplot for my beleaguered teacher.

*not a compliment about my writing ability, more a reflection on the inherent comedy in mass education

Very much 'enjoyed' this.

You also hit on a point that putting children in competition with one another doesn't want to acknowledge - some children will get 3s and 4s, without SEND, and with working hard. I think that is increasingly difficult for parents to acknowledge and schools to say.

SHAPIRO: OK, so you've spent your career creating television without Al, and I could imagine today you thinking, boy, I wish I had had that tool to solve those thorny problems... SIMON: What? SHAPIRO: ...Or saying... SIMON: You imagine that? SHAPIRO: ...Boy, if that had existed, it would have screwed me over. SIMON: I don't think Al can remotely challenge what writers do at a fundamentally creative level. SHAPIRO: But if you're trying to transition from scene five to scene six, and you're stuck with that transition, you could imagine plugging that portion of the script into an Al and say, give me 10 ideas for how to transition this. SIMON: I'd rather put a gun in my mouth.

David Simon, creator of ‘The Wire’, being interviewed by Ari Shapiro (NPR)

Slaithwaite (SLA-wit)

I'm not watching #TheTraitors but I am enjoying my timeline.

For info - it was a commenter Esther Walker's substack and is absolutely the best anecdote I've read.

Substack comment - "I grew up next to Putney Common and Jilly Cooper was a neighbour. [...] I interviewed her for my school magazine. She answered the door with her two enormous dogs who I think were called Fortnum and Mason, and said "Darling, would you like a Gin and Tonic?" I was about 12."

Yeah there's a reason I try to go to stuff on Tuesday mornings in the hols and generally avoid installations.

(I'm still baffled by her coming up to you - the normal response is seethe quietly!)

A) this is actuall bullshit Ben. I am sorry it happened to you all.

B) I genuinely don't understand what other people in the valley would be 'uncomfortable' about in this scenario??

The very religious (and quite odd) RE teacher had a Prince Albert piercing.

I think pink a bit bright for English so Music/Drama.

(Or PE teacher promoted to SLT in charge of the new House system and personal development)

My boyfriend says...

"In the 90s"

Unrelated but the picture looks like a scene from a knock-off James Graham play.

There is very little in Mad Men that makes me think 'the past did it better' but air travel is def it.

Ah the polari perhaps partly explains why it feels gendered to me. I can't imagine my 70 yr old Dad using it but definitely my Mum.

(Though my Dad def knows some Polari because he was a big fan of Jules and Sandy)

The rule in our house was, one cuts, the other chooses the piece.

Those hops look beautiful!

I am so glad schools have moved on from the obsession with 10,000 hours.

...but but this all seems sensible and helpful and potentially achievable* and pretty much at odds with all the bonkers things she says now?

*funding dependent obv

Out of interest, what did she do/say?

I feel like I hardly knew who she was then.

I'm ashamed to admit it but it does make it look worse doesn't it?

Once again @manchestermill.bsky.social gets to the heart of a thing. I found this moving but also thought @ophiraophira.bsky.social 's honesty about her response to another community's fear important too.

The Courtauld and the exhibitions on the top floor space of the RA would be instantly fucked. Absolute worst offenders for this.

This is a delightful Sunday morning read.

Blustery weather somehow calls for moules.

The weather more than anything! Otherwise just a little dull.

Two cocktails before 7? Why not? It's Saturday and the day has been miserable.

(Anticipating responses - yes of course I know there are many comps in surrey)

Also 'Surrey comprehensive' seems also a paradox doesn't it?