Au revoir Meta and Twitter

 This year I decided to slim down the social media apps that I use. I got rid of Twitter which had become far too toxic to use. I also got rid of the Meta nonsense too; Facebook, Instagram and Threads. Twitter I used to enjoy but Meta I have always thought was shite. I only ever wanted to see stuff in chronological order. Meta can't comprehend such logic. So fuck em!

At first I found it strange, and a little lost, but I soon got over it. I feel much happier about not wasting so much time. It has though reduced the audience I had for my art. But then I don't make money from my art so it doesn't greatly matter.

Marley's ghost

 “Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever, about that. The register of his burial was signed by the clergyman, the clerk, the undertaker, and the chief mourner. Scrooge signed it; and Scrooge's name was good upon change, for anything he chose to put his hand to. Old Marley was as dead as a door-nail.”

One of the few things that I've always liked about Christmas is Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. I don't remember a time when I didn't know the story. Of course I was brought up on Alistair Sim's film version and to this day it remains the definitive version in my view, but I like many other versions too. It's a story that never fails to bring a tear to my eye.

I have to confess that I didn't actually read the book until about five years ago. One thing that I wasn't expecting was that it would also bring a tear to my eye. It totally took me by surprise. That’s how good the writing is.

Anyway here’s a picture I drew loosely based on a Frank Findlay interpretation of Marley’s ghost. Enjoy.

Christmas tortoise advent calendar

As I’ve written here before, I’m not a big fan of Christmas. It’s the forced jollity and the over commercialisation that irritates me. It is after all just a celebration of the winter solstice. But anyway there are some things I like. I like candles, lights, public decorations and a modicum of comestibles. I dislike a lot of the nonsense and ritual that surrounds the period. But anyway a few years ago, spending a Christmas in France I discovered the Christmas Tortoise. From that point on the whole meaning of Christmas has been tortoise. So this year I thought I would create a sort of online advent calendar. My gift to the world that celebrates. You can find it here.

I hope they at least bring a modicum of amusement. The world is a shit place, and at this time of year the shit is amplified. Please do what you can to spread some cheer. If you feel able, please give to one or all of the following:

DEC

Oxfam

Trussell Trust

Please share across social media if you can.