BeeCycling

Anarcho-curious writer, Green, crone, Friend of DeSoto, Googledebunker.

Interests: Writing , Sci-Fi, Stoicism, Atheism, Humanism, Science, Star Trek, Crochet, Anarchism, Red Pandas, Cats, Fountain Pens, Journaling, Active Travel, Solarpunk, Minimalism, Tea, Revolution. And a hard-boiled egg.

Born at 322ppm
Lives in North East UK
Avatar is a red panda. Header shows a red panda cautiously inspecting a large carved pumpkin

Website: https://www.beckyblackbooks.com/home
Books2Read Book Links: http://books2read.com/BeckyBlack
Blog: https://beecyclingblog.blogspot.com/
Pronouns: she/her

Public Key

npub1h9agfnw6zvpptpgu2ztdshm4azt7ndn9nd5evjkunndekxcv0wrsegzqaf

NIP-05 Address

beecycling_at_wandering.shop@momostr.pink

Profile Code

nprofile1qqstj75yehdpxqs4s5w9p9kcta6739lfkejek6vkftwfekumrvx8hpcprpmhxue69uhhyetvv9ujumt0d4hhxarj9ecxjmntqyxhwumn8ghj77tpvf6jumt92th7md

Publishing to

relay.momostr.pink

yabu.me

nostr.now

Author Public Key

npub1h9agfnw6zvpptpgu2ztdshm4azt7ndn9nd5evjkunndekxcv0wrsegzqaf

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Last Notes

2026-11-01 00:09:35 UTC

100 years to the day since Houdini died, on Halloween 1926. Escapologist, magician, movie star, skeptic, debunker of fraudulent mediums, and all around absolute madlad.
https://stockroom.wandering.shop/media_attachments/files/117/538/271/071/041/647/original/5eb784aa7886cf00.jpg

2026-10-19 11:51:26 UTC

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Okay, now I'm putting together a Trek band. Can we have the Uhuras from both TOS and SNW? 😁

2026-10-14 15:00:35 UTC

Saw a sort of Three Ages of Cycling moving tableau while I was out. Walking along a shared use path, there were three cyclists coming towards me. First a little boy, maybe six years old, pedaling as fast as his little legs would go. Following him, his dad, probably just collected him from school. A little behind them, an older gent, well wrapped up against the strong wind, tootling along on a trike with a large parcel in the trike's basket. It made me smile.
#cycling

2026-10-12 17:46:24 UTC

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Mmm, yellow ones. I love yellow tomatoes, and it's hard to get any.

2026-10-09 09:30:18 UTC

Did you know that the Open University has a whole library of free courses? In lots of different subjects and different levels, introductory, intermediate and advanced. Some long, some short. Some of them "badged" and assessed. Some are based on content from modules of the OU's degree courses.
If you're into building a personal curriculum, it's a great resource.
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses/full-catalogue

2026-10-08 08:39:51 UTC

Pen of choice today - red Lamy Safari, with fine size nib, inked with Pelikan Dark Green. #FountainPens #Lamy
https://stockroom.wandering.shop/media_attachments/files/117/404/384/121/448/516/original/a0c60c37ba49c703.jpg

2026-09-30 09:41:34 UTC

The nothingburger gets an extra pickle.
The BBC "understands" that one of the five men arrested near RAF Fairford called 999 himself.
LOL, what is even going on? Definitely not terrorism, that's more apparent with every new development.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqn8m342rgk9o

2026-09-08 17:10:36 UTC

It's the 60th anniversary of the broadcast of the first episode of Star Trek today. Star Trek has been a constant in my life since I was a kid. Even in the years when it's wasn't always easy to watch it - long before the days of on demand streaming - I slaked my Trek thirst with the tie-in books. Other interests have come and gone in my life, but Star Trek always remains. 🖖🏼
#StarTrek60 #StarTrek

2026-08-28 07:41:06 UTC

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Some of them were people I wouldn't generally have a lot to do with at other times - my dad was a Tory councillor, so lots of his friends were party activist etc, not people I'd have much in common with. But I find most people want to be kind and help people out. And that's separate from whatever politics or religion they are aligned with.
So this wooden cross reminds me of that, and to treat people as individuals, not make assumptions. And to know I can ask for help when I need it.

2026-08-28 07:35:57 UTC

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She never preached at me or tried to convert me. She didn't give me this cross. A gentleman at the church she attends makes them to give away to people. I attended a couple of services while I was there and took one of the crosses to remind me of what I learned during that time, that people want to help when you're having a difficult time. I'm someone who finds it hard to ask for help. But I got lots of help from many people in those difficult months.

2026-08-28 07:31:06 UTC

#ScribesAndMakers »27 Tell a story, real or fictional, about an object on your desk/work area
This wooden cross I have on my desk might surprise people who know I'm an atheist. Its story is from back in 2022. My dad passed away after several months of illness. During that time a friend of his opened her home to me to stay in when I had to travel down to deal with everything. She's a devout Christian, involved in the local Anglican church and was about to retire as a religious studies teacher.
https://stockroom.wandering.shop/media_attachments/files/117/171/964/634/114/068/original/ceb197862209df9b.jpg

2026-08-26 10:30:13 UTC

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It's like the old joke about how every day a woman looks at the front page of the newspaper, then puts it down. Her husband asks why, and she says she's looking for the obituaries. But the obituaries aren't on the front page, he says. The ones I'm waiting for will be, she says.
I think the joke comes from Russia, but of course it fits in many times and places. I just never expected the USA to be one of them.

2026-08-21 12:07:21 UTC

Happy birthday Ethel Caterham, currently the world's oldest living human at age 117.
If she makes it to 117 years and 82 days she'll be the first Briton into the top ten verified oldest people ever. (Which is so far an all female list.)
BBC News: World's oldest person celebrates turning 117
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c62xyy2lp30o

2026-08-18 10:41:12 UTC

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He's definitely one of those people who gets hold of one idea and thinks it's like a super-big-brain idea and then thinks it is the answer to every question forever, whatever anyone who knows more about it tells him.
It's like the economics equivalent of those people who say "Have you tried yoga?" for every physical and mental issue a person might have. :eyeroll:

2026-08-18 10:30:51 UTC

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I'd like to find whoever introduced Trump to the concept of tariffs and beat the shit out of them. Hey, Trump, tariffs are not a magic bullet, you shit-for-brains idiot. They don't work well in the globalised economy we have now, and YOUR OWN PEOPLE PAY THEM! (Has he grasped that last part yet, because nothing would suggest he has.)

2026-08-17 16:26:02 UTC

Did you know that Lego makes special kits for use in hospitals, for building models of MRI machines and radiotherapy suites, so that medics can use them to help explain scanning and treatment to children? Making the treatment process less frightening, especially if they're going to have to be in rooms with big scary machines. I saw one at the Science Museum back in May.
https://www.brusselstimes.com/170401/lego-set-makes-treatment-easier-for-child-cancer-patients-therapy-tom-depuydt
#Lego

2026-08-13 06:30:35 UTC

It's bin day!
#BinDay #VoteBinface #BindependenceDay
BBC News - Clacton voters go to the polls in Westminster by-election
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp308xpwv34o

2026-08-03 18:01:36 UTC

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This is so vile. Their idea of protecting children is to force them to undergo potentially traumatic invasive medical examinations. Or, as will often happen, give up playing the sport competitively, because they and/or their parents don't want them examined like that. Not because they're trans, but because it's a horrible thing to go through.

2026-08-03 14:53:19 UTC

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I'd forgotten about that creepy AF thing. Absolutely vile.

2026-08-03 11:27:27 UTC

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I find this one very inspiring.
From 2012, when the BNP came to regret bringing their "truth truck" to Sunderland.
https://stockroom.wandering.shop/media_attachments/files/117/031/331/233/825/901/original/a9540eed115d78b6.jpg

2026-08-02 16:00:00 UTC

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Well they might not be wrong. It's certainly possible that the tracking device that's actually documented and that you can get at and disable is not the only one in the car. If I was determined to get that data I'd definitely have an undocumented backup one in there.
If you were searching a room for listening devices would you stop looking after you find one?

2026-07-22 10:11:40 UTC

That was weird. I happened to look in the mirror while wearing my "desk glasses," which I use for that awkward middle distance my varifocals don't do well with. And because the prescription is different, my face looked subtly different from when I look in the mirror wearing my regular glasses, or no glasses. Spooky.

2026-07-18 18:49:10 UTC

Why is it taking so long for them to start Luigi Mangione's trial? Are they having trouble finding twelve people who haven't had awful experiences with the US health insurance system?

2026-07-17 13:59:15 UTC

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Yeah, they say if you find one in your house at all, go get the shots, because it could indeed have bitten you during the night and you wouldn't know it.

2026-05-29 12:30:23 UTC

I once read about a fantastic way for a writer to mess with readers.
Write 9 different endings for your new book.
Release the books, some of which have ending 1, some 2, etc. Not an equal number of each, have one or two that are in say 2% of the copies.
Watch the discussion of the book online, as people figure out that there are multiple endings.
Go online and apologise for your little joke of writing 10 different endings. 😏
If I ever get famous, I'm doing this.

2026-05-01 11:04:01 UTC

I'm on a train (always an exciting time for a nerd) reading a book about being on a train (Sarah Brooks' The Cautious Traveller's Guide to the Wastelands.) Trainception

2026-04-26 20:38:02 UTC

I'm back! Well I didn't really go anywhere, but I haven't been on here much lately. Been getting sucked into Reddit a bit too much.
Anyway, here's a red panda.
https://stockroom.wandering.shop/media_attachments/files/116/472/926/305/793/186/original/b043a912b4a1b642.jpg

2026-04-09 15:44:49 UTC

Society: Have a full time job and do lots of overtime to get ahead. Get lots of sleep. Exercise regularly. Cook from scratch with fresh ingredients. Spend time with your kids. Maintain an active social circle. Stay connected with your extended family. Read books. Stay informed on issues & up to date with current affairs to be a responsible voter. Be active in your local community. Volunteer to do stuff for your kid's school. Pursue lifelong learning. Have hobbies.
Why are you crying?

2026-04-06 11:47:51 UTC

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Meanwhile I'll be listening to other stuff too. Just about to finish one called Wool, by Hugh Howey. Then after that I'll start Adrian Tchaikovsky's new book, Children of Strife.

2026-04-06 11:45:45 UTC

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I'll listen to David Copperfield the same way I did the equally humongous Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, around 30 minutes a day, and take two or three months to finish it. Since it's a book that was published serially, it's one that isn't meant to be read over like a week. So while I'm not going to take two years, I do think it's a good plan not to rush it.

2026-04-06 11:35:49 UTC

I finished Nicolas Nickleby yesterday, after starting it back in February. That's longer than I took to read War and Peace! (Though I skimmed a bit in War and Peace, I admit. There are some bits of that which are basically just essays.) Also I wasn't only reading that every day. I've read other, shorter, books we well during this time.
So that's one down for my challenge to read 3 BIG Dickens books this year. Next up, David Copperfield, as audiobook. 36 hours. Let's bloody go! 📚

2026-03-22 08:35:27 UTC

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That "someone at Proton once said something" sums up so much. There is no winning with some people. We know everything is problematic if you look hard enough. Short of going off grid and living in a cabin in the woods, we've all got to work out our own compromises until things improve.
And some people keep their Twitter accounts so nobody else can use the name and potentially impersonate them. I see no problem in that. I deleted mine, but I see why some people don't.

2026-03-12 09:16:31 UTC

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Anyway, that's my "Stop making Sherlock Holmes a freak of nature super-genius, dammit" argument.

2026-03-12 09:14:12 UTC

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But his methods can be applied by anyone. You even see the occasional disappointment of Watson when the "trick" is explained, when he learns how a deduction was all based on essentially mundane facts. The genius is in the method, of putting them together and drawing the correct conclusion.

2026-03-12 09:12:07 UTC

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He makes his deductions based on empirical observations and the logical conclusions that follow from them. Nobody else was really doing that at the time. Now we do all of that as the normal method of detective work.
Holmes has focused his intelligence on observation and making connections. (To the extent he won't waste brain space on irrelevant facts like Earth orbiting the Sun.)

2026-03-12 09:06:23 UTC

You know what bothers me about many Sherlock Holmes adaptations? It's that they make Holmes too smart. Like a super-genius, well above the level of most other people and therefore the only person who could possibly figure out the truth about a crime.
To me, that's not the point of the stories. Holmes is obviously very intelligent, but his success comes from the application of his intellect in an innovative way.

2026-03-05 09:39:52 UTC

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My solution for staffing, deep discount on student loans for their degrees, like 10% knocked off the amount to repay for every year they work full time in an NHS clinic. You'd have to pay pretty hefty salaries for the senior staff to compete with the private sector. But would the private sector start to shrink?

2026-03-05 09:36:35 UTC

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There need to be entirely NHS dental clinics. People can go private if they want, especially for elective treatments like whitening and straightening (straightening for adults that is, if there's no clinical need for it. Kids should still get straightening on the NHS as needed.) But of course because of the current setup, it's going to be hard to pay dentists what they're currently getting in private practice, so how to staff them?

2026-02-05 09:14:53 UTC

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Isn't loss of patience with and faith in the main parties a big part of the surge in Reform's popularity? Weird how the same thing is viewed as a mere temporary effect when it's the Greens and a sea change when it's Reform. Just saying...

2026-01-20 10:42:44 UTC

Remember, any politician who talks about running the economy like a business, or a household budget is treating you like an idiot. National economies, businesses and household budgets all work entirely differently. There are different things they can do and can't do. If your household is over-spending you can't lay off one of your kids. If your business needs more cash you can't levy taxes like a government. And if the government starts trying to downsize headcount, you're in deep trouble.

2025-12-30 21:29:42 UTC

I've started investing in stocks.
Beef, chicken, vegetable... 🐄🐔🥕
One day I hope to become a bouillonaire. 😏

2025-12-30 14:20:08 UTC

If we're not the only intelligent life in the universe, we should stop being dicks, so we don't look bad if the neighbours come to call.
If we are the only intelligent life in the universe we should stop being dicks because it would be a disgrace for the only civilization in the whole universe to waste the gift on intelligence on being such a menace.
Either way, not being dicks is good.

2025-12-27 14:14:48 UTC

Emergency #Goatwatch2025 alert! The Gävle Goat is down! Not burned, but toppled by strong winds. Oh the humanity!
Live stream
https://www.youtube.com/live/IhU2MIUaFlg
Official website
https://www.visitgavle.se/en/gavle-goat
#GävleGoat #Gävlebocken #Goatwatch2025
https://stockroom.wandering.shop/media_attachments/files/115/791/940/470/493/849/original/fb1de822ad2acb64.jpg

2025-12-26 09:20:39 UTC

I think I'll make a resolution for 2026 to be extremely sceptical about videos, now anyone can create them with AI.
If it's:
* 10 seconds or less
* Well framed and steady, despite supposedly being filmed on a phone by a random person
* Politically charged
Be suspicious of it.
And be extra suspicious if it's politically charged in a way that aligns with my own politics. Don't yeet my critical faculties out of the window because it's telling me something I already agree with.

2025-12-26 09:06:43 UTC

Has the goat burned?
No! The Gävle goat is now into the home stretch. Made it to Yule and Christmas. Next target, New Year! Let's go, Gävle McGoatface!
Live stream
https://www.youtube.com/live/IhU2MIUaFlg
Official website
https://www.visitgavle.se/en/gavle-goat
#GävleGoat #Gävlebocken #Goatwatch2025
https://stockroom.wandering.shop/media_attachments/files/115/785/070/833/269/113/original/d150a14da9724537.jpg

2025-12-25 08:42:43 UTC

Has the goat burned?
No! The Gävle goat is having a very merry Christmas! Happy Christmas to all GoatWatch fans!
Live stream
https://www.youtube.com/live/IhU2MIUaFlg
Official website
https://www.visitgavle.se/en/gavle-goat
#GävleGoat #Gävlebocken #Goatwatch2025
https://stockroom.wandering.shop/media_attachments/files/115/779/313/055/607/148/original/dd53c38df1db3334.jpg

2025-12-21 09:32:56 UTC

Has the goat burned?
No! The Gävle goat has made it to a nice sunny Yule! Happy Yule, Goaty!
Live stream
https://www.youtube.com/live/IhU2MIUaFlg
Official website
https://www.visitgavle.se/en/gavle-goat
#GävleGoat #Gävlebocken #Goatwatch2025
https://stockroom.wandering.shop/media_attachments/files/115/756/860/631/249/888/original/759c3402f3f5bbcc.jpg

2025-12-12 15:02:15 UTC

Fun fact of the day. The International Civil Aviation Organization designates all aerodromes with a four letter code, and splits all the locations into regions, so all the ones in Northern Europe start with E, all those in Canada, C, Central America and parts of the Caribbean, M. Mars, J.
What? Oh, yes, Mars. There's only one, with the code JZRO, given to it because of the Ingenuity helicopter, which made 72 flights from that location, after being taken to Mars on the Perseverance rover mission

2025-12-10 08:54:08 UTC

Has the goat burned?
No! The Gävle goat has made it to one third of the way through December! Go go, goat! 🐐
#GävleGoat #Gävlebocken #Goatwatch2025
Live stream
https://www.youtube.com/live/IhU2MIUaFlg
Official website
https://www.visitgavle.se/en/gavle-goat
https://stockroom.wandering.shop/media_attachments/files/115/694/423/935/969/562/original/a33dd327e1fd8d02.jpg

2025-12-08 11:14:25 UTC

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Sounds like a case of fake news!

2025-12-08 09:10:26 UTC

Has the goat burned?
No! The Gävle goat has survived a dark weekend. And its lights are back on!
Zoom in to today's picture to see what appears to be a whole tour group of people visiting the goat.
#GävleGoat #Gävlebocken #Goatwatch2025
Live stream
https://www.youtube.com/live/IhU2MIUaFlg
Official website
https://www.visitgavle.se/en/gavle-goat
https://stockroom.wandering.shop/media_attachments/files/115/683/159/572/508/469/original/340ad07de80eae4e.jpg

2025-12-06 09:05:41 UTC

Has the goat burned?
No! The Gävle goat has survived its first Friday of Advent! Now can it make it through the whole weekend? 🤞
#GävleGoat #Gävlebocken #Goatwatch2025
Live stream
https://www.youtube.com/live/IhU2MIUaFlg
Official website
https://www.visitgavle.se/en/gavle-goat
https://stockroom.wandering.shop/media_attachments/files/115/671/819/949/782/774/original/7404d8b8d53ee5ad.jpg

2025-12-02 08:50:14 UTC

Day 2, we're rolling. Has the goat burned?
No. The Gävle goat is enjoying what looks like a nice morning in Gävle.
#GävleGoat #Gävlebocken #Goatwatch2025
Live stream
https://www.youtube.com/live/IhU2MIUaFlg
Official website
https://www.visitgavle.se/en/gavle-goat
https://stockroom.wandering.shop/media_attachments/files/115/649/108/621/592/150/original/ff6d7ade4035e9a1.jpg

2025-12-01 08:27:37 UTC

It begins! The first night of Advent has passed, which means it's time to ask the question for the first time this year.
Has the goat burned?
No! The Gävle goat is safe and well on the 1st of December. Good luck, Gävlebocken! 🐐
#GävleGoat #Gävlebocken #Goatwatch2025
Live stream
https://www.youtube.com/live/IhU2MIUaFlg
Official website
https://www.visitgavle.se/en/gavle-goat
https://stockroom.wandering.shop/media_attachments/files/115/643/357/098/824/601/original/31d0904fa825fb2e.jpg

2025-11-30 17:11:56 UTC

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Ah so the groups with the biggest vested interest in playing down those risks think they're inaccurate, eh? Sounds legit.
Sadly for them, the insurance industry is the ultimate reality check.

2025-11-13 14:54:45 UTC

I suppose I should get started on filling my new profile with red pandas.
#RedPanda #RedPandas
https://stockroom.wandering.shop/media_attachments/files/115/542/935/184/770/403/original/e3904ab95a72e873.jpg