Nicky Bond's Blog, page 2

Getting My Protest On...

There's nothing like a good protest to clear your head. 
After weeks of both avoiding the news and doomscrolling 'til late, enough was enough. It was time to put down the screen and get some fresh air. Last Wednesday, that's exactly what I did. I got the train to London and joined thousands of others incensed at the fascist rhetoric being spewed on the daily, at the Stop Tr*mp march.
Here are my thoughts from being on the ground. 

1. People are lovely.2. The mood was positive, upbeat, and passionat...

Soup of the Day and VPNs...

Are you counting down the days? Course you are! In just two more tiny sleeps, your new movie podcast, Lights, Camera... Aggro? will be arriving on YouTube. 
Yes, on Wednesday 17th September, you can hear my valiant attempts to introduce Phil to the absolute classic, Clueless. Can you imagine reaching your sixth decade in life before discovering the joy of Cher, Dionne, and Tai. Me either. Luckily for Phil, our podcast format came along before it was too late. He was made to watch Clueless and dis...

Intentionally Balancing...

If a friend jovially called me a daft c**t, I'd take it in good humour. Strap in, gang, we're hitting the ground running today.

Conversely if a stranger looked me dead in the eye, and with all the vitriol they could muster, called me a silly billy, I'd feel quite threatened. It's about intention, you see. Intending to threaten, hurt, or belittle can be done with the most benign of phrases. SILLY BILLY, BUM FACE or any other childish taunt you remember - when uttered with hatred - can be as chilli...

Dear Diary, Leave Me Alone...

Happy 1st September! If I were minded to rewrite a classic lyric, I'd sing, 'It's a new month, it's a new term, it's a new vibe... and I'm feeling autumnaaaaaaaal.' 🎶 Even if the sun remains as hot as all get out, the mental shift has happened. I'm back in the zone.
But hark, what's this? As I check in with today's calendar, I'm greeted with a slew of instruction. Book MOT this monthTax car this monthPatch! I'll square with you, the patch part is easy. It's a Monday so it's time to replace my HRT...

Exam Realism, and Potatoes...

GCSE results day has been and gone. 
This is not a message to the youths, although hello and thank you for reading. This is to the older folks, my peers, and those several years out of education. Well done to each and every one of you over the last few days, for resisting the urge to tell young people that there are many routes to success. You know the type of sentiments I mean? Results don't matter anyway! I failed all my exams and look at me now! You got how many As? They're so much easier thes...

A Sweaty Whirlwind of Fun...

What a whirlwind of a week!
Last Monday, on this very blog, I shared the news of my li'l side hustle, Lights, Camera... Aggro? The new movie podcast in your life drops on 17th September and the response has been utterly lovely. So many people have messaged, and I can't wait to share it with you. 
With the release date fast approaching, shit's got frenzied. As well as my personal ones, I've now got social media accounts for LCA. It's only a matter of time before I share a snarky comment on the wron...

Lights, Camera... Aggro?

Everyone has a book inside them. 
That's what they say, isn't it? I think it's probably true. Sure, not everyone has the discipline or desire to complete it, but a story? Yeah! People have all sorts of things to say that the world would like to hear. That's the joy of reading. It's the buzz of stumbling across someone who had the perseverance and single-mindedness to write their story down; a story that happens to connect with you and your own experiences of the world. That's the thrill of books,...

Solo Travel and a Tuna Mayo Disaster...

True story: I've just begun the five minute walk from the station to my hotel and it's starting to rain. Having blow-dried my hair earlier, this is not ideal. I'm planning on reading my book in the bar later, and want to give off 'sexy librarian about town' vibes. Luckily, I remember the black bucket hat I've got stashed in my bag. I reach in, pull it out, and it's on my head within seconds. I continue my walk.
Said bucket hat,
from a previous time.As I cross Princes Street, a man walks past. He'...

Thrilling Footy, Three Pairs of Shoes, and Not Overthinking...

Yesterday, England won the European championships for the second time in a row, and it was GLORIOUS. 
The celebrations last time.It reminded me... I recently saw Dear England - the play that depicts the men's national team's journey from over-confident losers to humble almost-winners under Gareth Southgate's leadership. At one point, after the angst and agony of penalty misses, psychology, and a lot of introspection, the character of Sarina Wiegman enters the stage. It's a tiny part. Sarina is on...

Crazy Coincidences...

Earlier this month, I had to watch the film, Jaws. (I'll explain why another day. It's for a thing.) 
Jaws My weeks are busy these days, but I had a spare  Friday afternoon, so I settled in and watched the film. The following day, I saw some Jaws chat on Facebook. 'Strange,' I thought. 'Is my laptop spying on my TV viewing?' Then I saw why. Turns out, the day I'd chosen to watch Jaws , happened to be the 50th anniversary of the story being set. The 4th of July, 2025. Weird!
A few weeks earlier, som...