Great to be in Paris last week. Did research about sport and media at the National Library, was interviewed about humour as part of a project about humour and wellbeing, and went to a talk about humour and language.

Next month I'll be talking about sports films that focus on male synchronised swimmers at an online symposium that's free to attend. Here's the info on the programme and how to register: www.eventbrite.ie/e/1986992030...

Benjamina Ebuehi’s recipe for coffee and walnut cookies | The sweet spot The classic cake reimagined as a cookie

Enjoyed making these today
www.theguardian.com/food/2026/fe...

Where Duolingo falls down: how I learned to speak Welsh with my mother The long read: Once violently defended from extinction, Welsh is still a part of daily life. By learning my family’s language, I hoped to join their conversation

Really enjoyed reading this, some great insights into learning Welsh and living in North Wales.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Younger son went to school in fancy dress for World Book Day today. I went to work (...working from home) wearing these football socks to celebrate contributing to several books about sport within the last year.

She's still treating my laptop sleeve as a pillow.

KSI Buying Into Dagenham & Redbridge Isn’t Just a Celebrity Stunt The YouTuber and businessman's investment in a sixth-tier club reflects a wider shift in how attention, ownership and ambition are colliding in English football’s lower leagues.

"Football clubs are no longer just sporting institutions; they’re also storytelling platforms operating inside a digital media ecosystem where personalities often carry as much reach as broadcasters."
open.substack.com/pub/original...

I would like to reassure Welsh friends and colleagues that I will try my best to avoid gloating about Scotland's truly magnificent victory in Cardiff in the Six Nations rugby this afternoon. YEEEEESSSSSS!!!! 🏉🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Why do all Olympic curling stones come from one small island off Scotland’s coast? | CNN Every single curling stone in the Winter Olympics is crafted from a special granite found only on Ailsa Craig, a small uninhabited island off the coast of Scotland.

I've enjoyed watching some of the curling at the 2026 Winter Olympics, so found this article quite interesting: www.cnn.com/2026/02/11/s...

What’s next for French politics in 2026?

New podcast: @emile-chabal.bsky.social tells @jonathanervine.bsky.social about what may be in store for French politics in 2026 and beyond: they discuss the Macron presidency, the far right, and the countdown to the 2027 Presidential Elections. @asmcf.bsky.social

open.spotify.com/episode/2dqD...

Today I had the pleasure of recording an interview with @emile-chabal.bsky.social for the Modern & Contemporary France podcast. Emile shared his thoughts on what's in store for French politics in 2026, talking about Macron's presidency, the far right, and the 2027 Presidential Elections.

Video game Relooted tasks you with reclaiming African artifacts in museums | CBC News Relooted, a new video game from African-based studio Nyamakop, tasks players with stealing real-life African artifacts from museums and private mansions to return them to their rightful historical own...

"Relooted, a new video game from African-based studio Nyamakop, tasks players with stealing African artifacts from museums and private mansions to return them to their rightful historical owners." www.cbc.ca/news/enterta...

a crepe with whipped cream and caramel sauce on top ALT: a crepe with whipped cream and caramel sauce on top

I see it's pancake day a week tomorrow. Well that's crêped up on me again this year.

Good to hear the Minions have allowed Spanish ice skater to use their music and compete in the Winter Olympics dressed like them. They recently also agreed I can dress up as an overgrown Minion when I go running in winter with my yellow high-viz coat and head torch.

‘I can’t waste this’: Michael Sheen on his riskiest role yet – saving Wales’s national theatre When funding cuts closed National Theatre Wales, the actor saw it as an emergency, and set about building a replacement. As its first show comes to the stage, he explains his plan to bring big product...

Enjoyed reading this article about Michael Sheen seeking to revitalise theatre in Wales. Shocked to learn that "Wales spends less on culture than almost every other European nation".
www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/j...

I'm colourblind but I've just managed to create a colour-coded spreadsheet. I'm not sure what all the colours actually are but it looks nice and it's done the job.

Commentator on Ligue 1 match between Strasbourg and PSG just said "Moreira looking for Godo". Couldn't help thinking he might well end up doing quite a bit of waiting.

My cultural awakening: an Eddie Izzard routine inspired me to learn French – and get a job with the EU Being able to understand the comedian talking in French in his Dress to Kill show led to me learning several languages and working on the continent

Having spent quite a few years doing research on humour in France, I loved reading this article about language leaning and comedy
www.theguardian.com/culture/2026...

Recently visited RIBA North West in Liverpool to see fascinating exhibition 'Future Grounds: Stadium design in a changing world'. Attended event chaired by writer and football stadium expert Simon Inglis featuring panelists involved in building and renovating major stadiums.

Think I offended quite a few students today. There were audible gasps in class when I said that bourbon biscuits were - along with hobnobs and chocolate digestives - among the most overrated biscuits in the entire world.

Had a productive week. Got quite a bit done at work, ran 50km, and created an Instagram account for our cat.

Ten years ago this month, I saw Monaco draw 2-2 at home to Gazélec Ajaccio. A promising teenager called Kylian Mbappé was featured in the match programme but wasn't in the Monaco squad for the game.

Been teaching our cat some IT skills. She's a bit disappointed the laptop doesn't come with a mouse.

Working from home in the same room as our new cat hasn't been as challenging as I thought it might be. Don't always get first choice of chairs though.

New member of the family has decided they now own *my* chair. But we've bonded over a shared love of football.

A colleague once asked me if French people eat baguettes and camembert at the cinema instead of popcorn. They don't. But lecturers in French occasionally have coffee and a croissant while watching films at home.

Can't believe it's now over a decade since I participated in the Welsh Crucible. It was a thought-provoking and rewarding experience, learned lots about research collaborations and working with the media. Well worth applying if you're eligible!

I'm looking forward to attending this conference about 'Men and Masculinities in Contemporary French Culture' at @frenchatbristol.bsky.social on 4-5 June 2026. Deadline for submitting abstracts now extended to 26 January 2026. masculinityinthemetropole.blogs.bristol.ac.uk/conference-2...

Been chilling with some four-legged friends

Loved going for a run in the snow this morning.