Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Andrew Skudder

@skuds.bsky.social

57 followers 150 following 410 posts

Refugee from the other place. Mon-Fri: managing risk and Excel-whispering Sat-Sun: buying as many records as I can carry on a motorbike Everyday: drinking tea, reading books

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 5h

Picked up my repeat prescription this week, and the sheer scale of it just makes me feel my age.

Remarkably, only the three small boxes relate to my previous cancer at all. The rest is all down to my calcifying arteries.

Nine boxes full of various tablets. Enough to last three months apparently.

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 5h

Jayne is on a cruise and I have the house to myself for a week, so first thing on the agenda is naturally...

...finally get round to testing my new bread maker!

The results are in and it doesn't look too bad for a first attempt.

A freshly-baked loaf of bread. Smells good. Looks a bit pale, so the next time I will change the setting for that.

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 16h

How it started v. how it ended...

24 quid's worth of 1970's vinyl, including the one 'proper' Status Quo LP I was missing and an interesting-looking JEan-Luc Ponty live album.

A-Board outside Maidenbower community centre, advertising |"record fair here today"

Some 1970s vinyl LPS by Jean-Luc Ponty, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Status Quo and Argent

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 16h

53 quid now!

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 1d

A friend is currently lumbered with 1000+ books, nearly all military-related hardbacks, from a deceased relative.

Anybody know of a dealer who might be interested? A shame if they ended up in a skip.

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 1d

New specs.
Might not look much from your perspective, but from this side of the glass everything looks a lot better.

Will have to go out on the bike tomorrow, now that I can see where I am going.

Me, wearing glasses. The sort with only a rim at the top.

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 1d

Pick up my new glasses this afternoon and looking forward to being able to see properly and not squinting a bit to read subtitles on the TV.

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 4d

Same here but never been able to find a way to describe it so thanks for "new book inertia". The exception is if I am reading a series of books and start one straight after the last one.

Despite that, still getting through 2 or 3 books a week for the last few years.

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 5d

At least Chaka Demus & Pliers were on. If I remember rightly, 1993 was a cracker of a year for dancehall.

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 5d

Working through the backlog of recorded #totp episodes and came to a sep 1993 show.
First three tracks were Motorhead, Pet Shop Boys and Radiohead.

I was just thinking what a classic it was and then the 4th song came along... Jade??? Then a Lenny Kravitz ballad. What a front-loaded episode!

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 6d

"Why do petrol stations have to display the prices in lights visible from the road but EV charging points don't?
Not even the ones attached to petrol stations or motorway services. It seems a bit inconsistent."

"No. I meant any questions about the job"

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 6d

A strange way to admit that you have never heard Papa Was a Rolling Stone by the temptations.

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 6d

I fancied seeing Kraftwerk, but the ticket prices are a bit steep. Maybe I would if I hadn't seen them before but might try and catch Henge instead for about a fifth of the cost.

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 8d

Royal Mail kept me waiting until 7pm before they delivered this beauty from @warringtonruncorn.com (a belated birthday present to myself)

I was starting to think they had forgotten me.

The vinyl LP of Public Works and Utilities, the new record from Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan on a turntable. The record is half black and half red.

1 6

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 8d

Dilemma: do I stream the new @warringtonruncorn.com LP now, or wait for the postman to come with my vinyl copy from @normanrecords.com ??

2 2

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 13d

Back to work tomorrow after two weeks' holiday, and only about 10%sure I can remember my password.

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 15d

New post on Skuds.org called "September 2025"
Read it here:
https://skuds.org/2025/10/september-2025/

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 17d

New post on Skuds.org called "Cumpleaños en Madrid"
Read it here:
https://skuds.org/2025/10/cumpleanos-en-madrid/

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 17d

If anybody is going to Madrid and thinking of picking up some vinyl, I can recommend these shops + a few others.

Unfortunately no dirt-cheap bargains, and no sign of any Ojos de Brujo or Amparanoia LPs, but a very thriving vinyl scene and at least 10 shops in the city centre.

Delia's Records in Madrid. The Peruvian chap who was working there when I visited was very friendly and knowledgeable.

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 17d

My only regret about going to Madrid for a few days and visiting the zoo on my birthday is that I did not pack my big Canon DSLR with its 300mm telephoto lens.

Smartphone photos really do not do the job.

A giant panda eating bamboo at Madrid zoo

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 17d

Back home from Spain now. Always good to recognise Brighton from the air, even if we are a bit higher than when I flew over it in an A320 flight simulator/

I am all safe and sound, but can't say the same for my poor suitcase.

View from a plane window. One big orange jet engine and, far below, the Brighton coastline with the marina, pier and i360 visible.

Yellow hard-shell suitcase with a hole in it.

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 18d

Why do airports have to be so dull, soul-sapping, expensive, and frustrating?

I'm old enough to remember when flying was fun.

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 19d

Trying not to think about how I will be taking the rush hour metro tomorrow with a suitcase.

But I expect I will be fretting about it all night.

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 19d

Scorchio!

Andrew Skudder @skuds.bsky.social · 19d

Saying good morning to Cervantes and his characters before breakfast

Horrible selfie with the statues of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza in the background