A photo of a single Cadbury Twirl in a wrapper - not a double one, a SINGLE Twirl!
So, I'm working my way through my Easter eggs and I just got to the Cadbury one and... WHAT IN THE SHRINKFLATION AND ENSHITTIFIATION HELL IS THIS!? One Twirl? And not even a normal packet, but ONE. SINGULAR. 🤬ing Twirl?
If you're struggling with your mental health, admitting that to your colleagues can be a daunting prospect. In this blog post, I discuss some of the tips and solutions that have come up during my travels, plus there's the opportunity to have your say.
mdsimpson42.github.io/converse/202...
Another blog post will follow with additional data from the other recent talks I've given.
In my recent talks, I mentioned a blog post summarising the data and suggestions I've been collecting on Mental Health in the Research Software Community via Mentimeter.
This is actually the blog post the SSI published a few months ago: www.software.ac.uk/blog/mental-...
A photo of some pink cherry blossom, backlight by the sun
Brightening up your timeline with one of my favourite pictures from this time of year. 🌸
A Feathers McGraw water bottle on a table at a conference, with other tables and lots of people in the background.
This week, we're in Manchester for the N8 CIR's Digital Research Infrastructure Retreat. It's my first time, so I'm not sure what to expect, but I'm looking forward to some interesting discussions over the next few days! 🤓
A photo of a Feathers McGraw water bottle in front of a train window. In the background are grey skies, Scottish fields and a rainbow.
Spotted a rainbow on our way up to meet the other @society-rse.org trustees in Edinburgh, where we'll be collaborating on key challenges and making plans for the future.
🌊 We are delighted to announce the full list of lightning talks that will be delivered at Collaborations Workshop 2026. Find out more at
www.software.ac.uk/news/cw26-fi...
And if you haven't registered yet, hurry up an secure your #CollabW26 spot now!
A screenshot of Shadowheart from Baldur's Gate 3 saying "After all, we've faced down bigger threats than wrangling together a few social calendars".
Shadowheart has clearly never tried to arrange a regular DnD game with adult friends! #BaldursGate3 #DungeonsAndDragons
A water bottle in the shape of Feathers McGraw from Wallace and Gromit, next to a laptop with a slide on it that says "Let's Talk About Mental Health"
Feathers and I are experiencing sunshine for what feels like the first time this year!
We're also in Oxfordshire to talk about mental health with RSEs and their colleagues at UKAEA.
The recording of my "Let's Talk About Mental Health" talk from #RSECon25 is now online. The audio quality isn't great, but this is the full, extended discussion of what I've been up to on my @softwaresaved.bsky.social fellowship.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zup4...
A water bottle in the shape of Feathers McGraw from Wallace and Gromit, next to a laptop and a digital notebook on a desk in a meeting room.
This week, Feathers and I have been on a long and exhausting journey... upstairs, to join some visiting colleagues for a workshop on Greening Digital Research and the DIRECT Framework.
A water bottle in the shape of Feathers McGraw from the Wallace and Gromit films sitting on a table in a meeting
This week, Feathers and I are at a meeting for RSE Leaders & Aspiring Leaders in Leeds, hosted by the N8CIR
The Discworld reading blanket, a tapestry style blanket in golds and steel blues, lying on a bed watched over by a giant sized IKEA Djungelskōg
Snagged the Discworld reading blanket in the restock and oh my word it's even more gorgeous in real life
A water bottle with Feathers McGraw from the Wallace and Gromit films sitting on a train
A water bottle with Feathers McGraw from the Wallace and Gromit films sitting on a table in a meeting room with people in the background
Feathers is on the road again! This time we're attending a DisCouRSE focus group on Team Culture and Leadership in the dRTP space.
💬 In our latest blog post #SSIFellow @mdsimpson.co.uk tells us more about delivering his “ConveRSE - Let’s Talk About Mental Health” talk at The Alan Turing Institute. Find out more about it and read the full story at www.software.ac.uk/blog/mental-...
The recording of my "Let's Talk About Mental Health" talk from #RSECon25 is now online. The audio quality isn't great, but this is the full, extended discussion of what I've been up to on my @softwaresaved.bsky.social fellowship.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zup4...
Labour has good idea shock
From the new Private Eye, out now.
A scene from Futurama. Leela is saying "Second, everything else that's horribly wrong with what you're doing".
The fact that these morons haven't realised yet that arresting her is only amplifying her message! 🤦🏻♂️
The 12th (ish) and final game of my Year of Gaming challenge is Deliver Us Mars, an atmospheric, single-player story that I really enjoyed, despite not having played its predecessor.
mdsimpson.co.uk/2025/12/deli...
A package covered in Discworld stamps. One says "Ankh-Morpork Post Office" another says "Happy Hogswatch" and it has a stamp with a picture of Lord Vetinari.
A certificate saying that my package has been inspected by the Ankh-Morpork Guild of Thieves.
I do so love getting packages from The Discworld Emporium (@discworldemporium.bsky.social).
(Spoiler alert, some of you may be getting Hogswatch presents from the #Discworld Emporium!)
A basset hound looking grumpily out of the window with a Christmas tree in the background
In this year's production of A Christmas Carol, the role of Scrooge will be played by... #Dog #BassetHound
I know what I'm using as my out of office message this year! 🎄
It's that time of year, when every app I open is trying to force me to look back on a year I'd rather not think about ever again! 🎁
Only slightly disappointed not to be one of the new fellows anymore!
Congratulations everyone!
💬 In our latest blog post #SSIFellow @mdsimpson.co.uk tells us more about his many roles at RSECon25 and his experience delivering a talk about mental health and the ConveRSE project. Find out more at
www.software.ac.uk/blog/convers...
Mike's talking about himself in the third-person again! 😉
As an added bonus, there are some ConveRSE stickers on our stand and the SSI stand too.
