Emma Payne
@fedbybirds.bsky.social
Screenwriting, poetry, comedy, printmaking, painting, eels, beetles, general detritus
December 4, 2025 at 4:24 PM
FFS Bluesky. Can’t even see my own life drawing sketch for #ArtAdventCalendar because it’s labelled as adult content. Even Instagram has no problem with a charcoal male bottom
December 4, 2025 at 3:53 PM
FFS Bluesky. Can’t even see my own life drawing sketch for #ArtAdventCalendar because it’s labelled as adult content. Even Instagram has no problem with a charcoal male bottom
People posting Epstein’s island photos with jokey comments especially the men cheerily remarking on the ‘dentist’s chair’: please stop
December 3, 2025 at 11:00 PM
People posting Epstein’s island photos with jokey comments especially the men cheerily remarking on the ‘dentist’s chair’: please stop
Andor sketch for day 3 of #ArtAdventCalendar
December 3, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Andor sketch for day 3 of #ArtAdventCalendar
This year I tried to do a sketch a day for a year challenge - it looks like I gave up around day 160 but it means I did a lot of drawing & it’s interesting to see how much my style changed even in that time. Putting up this one from about halfway through for day 1 of #ArtAdventCalendar
December 1, 2025 at 10:14 AM
This year I tried to do a sketch a day for a year challenge - it looks like I gave up around day 160 but it means I did a lot of drawing & it’s interesting to see how much my style changed even in that time. Putting up this one from about halfway through for day 1 of #ArtAdventCalendar
Reposted by Emma Payne
libro.fm/audiobooks/9...
With Stoppard's death it's worth mentioning that you can get the BBC radio versions of pretty much his entire body of work for a single audiobook credit (also available on Audible, but Libro.fm is far better)
With Stoppard's death it's worth mentioning that you can get the BBC radio versions of pretty much his entire body of work for a single audiobook credit (also available on Audible, but Libro.fm is far better)
Tom Stoppard: A BBC Radio Drama Collection Audiobook on Libro.fm
The collected BBC radio productions of the internationally renowned playwright Tom Stoppard One of the giants of British theatre, Sir Tom Stoppard has been writing for the stage and screen for over 50...
libro.fm
November 29, 2025 at 5:35 PM
libro.fm/audiobooks/9...
With Stoppard's death it's worth mentioning that you can get the BBC radio versions of pretty much his entire body of work for a single audiobook credit (also available on Audible, but Libro.fm is far better)
With Stoppard's death it's worth mentioning that you can get the BBC radio versions of pretty much his entire body of work for a single audiobook credit (also available on Audible, but Libro.fm is far better)
Reposted by Emma Payne
Goodbye to the master.
❤️
❤️
November 29, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Goodbye to the master.
❤️
❤️
Got some good rainy day reading from the hospice charity shop
November 29, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Got some good rainy day reading from the hospice charity shop
A generation of Bartlebys (except they’ll never know who Bartleby is ofc because they hate reading)
An issue we're seeing at all levels of university is that many students are simply refusing to do *anything*. They aren't reading the syllabus, aren't following assignment guidelines, aren't engaging with material, ignoring deadlines. And this might seem like old news, but it truly has ramped up.
November 29, 2025 at 10:30 AM
A generation of Bartlebys (except they’ll never know who Bartleby is ofc because they hate reading)
I suppose I understand the ‘people just want something to cheer up a gloomy time’ point. But can’t we do something else cheerful in November in that case? It feels like wishing the year away. We need more festivals! (Especially in the UK where we don’t have Thanksgiving)
Have people always put their Christmas trees up in November? What’s going on? Have we all decided we’re not going to make it to mid December?
November 28, 2025 at 10:38 PM
I suppose I understand the ‘people just want something to cheer up a gloomy time’ point. But can’t we do something else cheerful in November in that case? It feels like wishing the year away. We need more festivals! (Especially in the UK where we don’t have Thanksgiving)
Have people always put their Christmas trees up in November? What’s going on? Have we all decided we’re not going to make it to mid December?
November 28, 2025 at 9:53 PM
Have people always put their Christmas trees up in November? What’s going on? Have we all decided we’re not going to make it to mid December?
A really big gap opening up between how science people & arts people view the use of AI - I think often scientists, medics, tech people etc are really unaware how strongly those in the arts feel about it
November 28, 2025 at 4:13 PM
A really big gap opening up between how science people & arts people view the use of AI - I think often scientists, medics, tech people etc are really unaware how strongly those in the arts feel about it
The answer for every annoying kids’ trend has been found
If you want some good news this morning, I showed my three boys the PM doing the six/seven thing and now they have all stopped doing it.
November 27, 2025 at 10:51 AM
The answer for every annoying kids’ trend has been found
Reposted by Emma Payne
The UK is losing up to £250m a day in lost tax revenue due to the economic impact of Brexit, House of Commons Library analysis for the Lib Dems suggests.
Brexit has blown a "black hole of [up to] £90 billion a year in the public finances" the party says. Even under lower estimates the hit is ~£65bn
Brexit has blown a "black hole of [up to] £90 billion a year in the public finances" the party says. Even under lower estimates the hit is ~£65bn
November 25, 2025 at 10:33 AM
The UK is losing up to £250m a day in lost tax revenue due to the economic impact of Brexit, House of Commons Library analysis for the Lib Dems suggests.
Brexit has blown a "black hole of [up to] £90 billion a year in the public finances" the party says. Even under lower estimates the hit is ~£65bn
Brexit has blown a "black hole of [up to] £90 billion a year in the public finances" the party says. Even under lower estimates the hit is ~£65bn
Reposted by Emma Payne
I’ve never exfoliated. I like to keep my foliage close.
November 20, 2025 at 10:41 PM
I’ve never exfoliated. I like to keep my foliage close.
Anyone who had to phone 111 with Covid in mid March 2020 knows that the NHS was already overwhelmed. Boris & co must have known that too
November 20, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Anyone who had to phone 111 with Covid in mid March 2020 knows that the NHS was already overwhelmed. Boris & co must have known that too
Seasons in the UK seem to be changing to ‘T shirt weather’ or ‘snowed in’, nothing else
November 20, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Seasons in the UK seem to be changing to ‘T shirt weather’ or ‘snowed in’, nothing else
Drama this morning as this handsome guy flew into our window & sat stunned in our backyard for ages. Think he’s a woodcock, maybe migrating from Russia. Luckily when we tried to put him in a box as per RSPCA instructions he pulled himself together & flew off
November 20, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Drama this morning as this handsome guy flew into our window & sat stunned in our backyard for ages. Think he’s a woodcock, maybe migrating from Russia. Luckily when we tried to put him in a box as per RSPCA instructions he pulled himself together & flew off
Having a small glass of Madeira to keep out the cold like a Victorian sea captain’s widow
November 19, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Having a small glass of Madeira to keep out the cold like a Victorian sea captain’s widow
How much money can stripping near-destitute people of their jewellery possibly bring in anyway? It’s just pointless, aside from the cruelty of it
November 17, 2025 at 12:23 PM
How much money can stripping near-destitute people of their jewellery possibly bring in anyway? It’s just pointless, aside from the cruelty of it
Just seen a butterfly in our garden. A coastal garden in November! Insanity! He’s having the equivalent of Dorothy being blown to Oz, just an absolutely wild time
November 17, 2025 at 12:16 PM
Just seen a butterfly in our garden. A coastal garden in November! Insanity! He’s having the equivalent of Dorothy being blown to Oz, just an absolutely wild time
We went out to dinner at 6.15 because it was the only time available at a new nearby restaurant, which seemed ridiculous when I booked it but I’m already home & watching Local Hero & now I’m thinking, hmm these children & old people are actually on to something
November 15, 2025 at 8:39 PM
We went out to dinner at 6.15 because it was the only time available at a new nearby restaurant, which seemed ridiculous when I booked it but I’m already home & watching Local Hero & now I’m thinking, hmm these children & old people are actually on to something
After abandoning multiple overhyped Apple & Netflix series it’s such a relief to start watching Blue Lights & realise it’s a proper drama by writers with a point of view & characters you actually care about straight away
November 14, 2025 at 9:15 PM
After abandoning multiple overhyped Apple & Netflix series it’s such a relief to start watching Blue Lights & realise it’s a proper drama by writers with a point of view & characters you actually care about straight away