Thursday 3rd September 2026, 3.35pm (day 5,488)
She looks mildly disapproving, I think. But is the look for the pedestrian, or the photographer? Another one of the blue-themed pictures that have appeared over the last few days.
On Grosvenor Street
Being 42
Life, one day at a time
Tag Archives: blue
Cool blue with moon
Tuesday 1st September 2026, 9.15am (day 5,486)
My September 2026 definitely didn’t open with a bang, and the subject matter of this shot reflects that. But the cool blue, plus the generally laid-back clouds and the moon — and who doesn’t like the moon? — together they make for as good a representation of the day as I otherwise managed to achieve with the camera.
The Blue Pig’s blue pigs
Sunday 30th August 2026, 2.50pm (day 5,484)
It’s quite a while since I was last in the Blue Pig, a.k.a. Midgehole Working Man’s Club, which is partly because this is one of those drinking establishments that only opens by the grace of God, or more precisely one of a small group of volunteers. If you head up that way you just take your chances. If entry is achieved, though, one can investigate some of the many literal illustrations of the name that are collected inside: these are just three of a few dozen.
Shredded landscape
Friday 28th August 2026, 5.30pm (day 5,482)
Today was one of those days mentioned on Tuesday; inspiration had to be found from indoors. Fortunately the wife has recently engaged in one of her shredding binges. There is a whole landscape of information contained within half-a-dozen blue waste bags, ready to be recycled into…. well, toilet roll quite possibly. But not by us.
A sense of perspective
Thursday 30th July 2026, 10.00am (day 5,453)
I still like visiting the library, whether the one on campus or ‘the library’ as a more generalised phenomenon. The scholarly work, reading, writing, thinking: these are parts of my job I still enjoy.
Sadly there are other parts of the job I no longer enjoy; which is why it is a good thing that I am now off work for 11 days and need not give the place another thought for that time — after typing this and pressing ‘Publish’, anyway.
Passing by Chetham’s
Friday 8th May 2026, 9.05am (day 5,370)
Out there, there might have been some news going on, but I was having nothing to do with it. It was the last day of my teaching semester, so I hauled myself into Manchester once more, managed a couple of shots in the vicinity of Victoria station, and that was it. This one is a combo of colours, shapes and hair. Yes, the post is annoying, but I’ve already cropped out quite a chunk so in it stays.
Out of sequence
Tuesday 28th April 2026, 7.40pm (day 5,360)
At some point in the future — and it may be next week, next year or whatever — there will come a day on which, at the end of it, I will be forced to admit to myself that I have taken no photos worth publishing. Today was nearly that day. Blue plastic seats (specifically at the West Riding County FA headquarters, on the edge of Leeds) won’t raise it for most people, artistically or spiritually. And even if there’s a certain interest in the repetitive pattern my shadow spoils the composition.
But enough apologies! Look, the numbers are in a random order. Which is why I took the shot in the first place, I suppose…
Bluebells, wall, tree
Tuesday 21st April 2026, 5.45pm (day 5,353)
More flowers. Then again, it is spring: a sunny, but chilly day today. If this is taken to represent my spending time today frolicking in the countryside, it shouldn’t be — teaching has restarted and I spent the whole day on campus. These bluebells sprout outside the entrance to the Chemistry building, in which, most of the semester, I have had the late afternoon slot in theatre G54.
House view with blue
Monday 23rd March 2026, 10.15am (day 5,324)
On 23rd March 2026, nothing happened. At least not to me anyway. Down there in town a blue truck parks itself in that gap we perceive in the buildings and offers something to look at. And so I get through another day.
Advertising, old and new
Saturday 7th March 2026, 12.20pm (day 5,308)
Shops have always advertised themselves. I mean, they have to, don’t they? All advertising is text, and looking at how texts change over time is as good a way as any of understanding social change. This juxtaposition caught my eye: the shapes, the textures and the words themselves.
Being 42 