James
@retrojames.bsky.social
Designer | Writer | Retro video producer | '80s soul (music and mind) | Writing a book about Hong Kong - publishing in early 2026 🙂 | Despise right wing and corriander
Warning to my BlueSky pals.
I have urges to make retro Christmas videos. Not just yet, but from early December onwards it will be time to say…
“Happy Kitschmas”
Food, toys, and everything else.
It’s tacky, it’s commercialised, it’s not real.
But I like making them 🙂
I ho ho hope you enjoy them 🎅
I have urges to make retro Christmas videos. Not just yet, but from early December onwards it will be time to say…
“Happy Kitschmas”
Food, toys, and everything else.
It’s tacky, it’s commercialised, it’s not real.
But I like making them 🙂
I ho ho hope you enjoy them 🎅
November 16, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Warning to my BlueSky pals.
I have urges to make retro Christmas videos. Not just yet, but from early December onwards it will be time to say…
“Happy Kitschmas”
Food, toys, and everything else.
It’s tacky, it’s commercialised, it’s not real.
But I like making them 🙂
I ho ho hope you enjoy them 🎅
I have urges to make retro Christmas videos. Not just yet, but from early December onwards it will be time to say…
“Happy Kitschmas”
Food, toys, and everything else.
It’s tacky, it’s commercialised, it’s not real.
But I like making them 🙂
I ho ho hope you enjoy them 🎅
When I rave about British countryside, I often hear “But you live in Austria, it’s incredible there”
It is, in its own beautiful way, but I will always love this - and possibly more. The smells, the sounds, and also the people that live there. If heaven is real, I want mine to be Devon’s nature.
It is, in its own beautiful way, but I will always love this - and possibly more. The smells, the sounds, and also the people that live there. If heaven is real, I want mine to be Devon’s nature.
November 16, 2025 at 9:06 AM
When I rave about British countryside, I often hear “But you live in Austria, it’s incredible there”
It is, in its own beautiful way, but I will always love this - and possibly more. The smells, the sounds, and also the people that live there. If heaven is real, I want mine to be Devon’s nature.
It is, in its own beautiful way, but I will always love this - and possibly more. The smells, the sounds, and also the people that live there. If heaven is real, I want mine to be Devon’s nature.
My wife added this app called Merlin to her phone which picks up bird sounds. It’s excellent - I added it and used it in Devon - this is just a tiny sample of what I picked up from the back garden.
November 16, 2025 at 8:42 AM
My wife added this app called Merlin to her phone which picks up bird sounds. It’s excellent - I added it and used it in Devon - this is just a tiny sample of what I picked up from the back garden.
One second later I sneezed, and Sam, the new member of the family, was startled and hid under the table!
Wokingham, April 89.
Lovely times.
Wokingham, April 89.
Lovely times.
November 15, 2025 at 3:04 PM
One second later I sneezed, and Sam, the new member of the family, was startled and hid under the table!
Wokingham, April 89.
Lovely times.
Wokingham, April 89.
Lovely times.
Yes, I know, it’s too early - but after the madness with a family member - I’ll have a mince pie…merry not Christmas, everyone
November 15, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Yes, I know, it’s too early - but after the madness with a family member - I’ll have a mince pie…merry not Christmas, everyone
At the tender age of 50, I’m finally learning to not let a narcissistic and bitter family member hurt me anymore. There are only so many metaphorical smacks across the face followed by empty apologies that I can take.
This is a mental illness - sorry to say, some are beyond help. Time to be happy.
This is a mental illness - sorry to say, some are beyond help. Time to be happy.
November 15, 2025 at 12:28 PM
At the tender age of 50, I’m finally learning to not let a narcissistic and bitter family member hurt me anymore. There are only so many metaphorical smacks across the face followed by empty apologies that I can take.
This is a mental illness - sorry to say, some are beyond help. Time to be happy.
This is a mental illness - sorry to say, some are beyond help. Time to be happy.
I always discover old photos when I visit my parents. This was my first day in the UK after arriving from Australia, also the day we found out that due to an admin error, my dad’s request to go to Falklands on HMS Ardent wasn’t processed in time.
Things didn’t end well for Ardent. I kept my dad.
Things didn’t end well for Ardent. I kept my dad.
November 14, 2025 at 11:53 PM
I always discover old photos when I visit my parents. This was my first day in the UK after arriving from Australia, also the day we found out that due to an admin error, my dad’s request to go to Falklands on HMS Ardent wasn’t processed in time.
Things didn’t end well for Ardent. I kept my dad.
Things didn’t end well for Ardent. I kept my dad.
We can all recall wonderful feelings that filled us with joy, & up there for me was hearing on local radio that school was closed due to snow. It was 1984, & TSW said Dartmoor villages “might” be blanketed - so I went to bed with my fingers crossed.
When I woke up - well, I “might” have guessed…
When I woke up - well, I “might” have guessed…
November 14, 2025 at 11:30 PM
We can all recall wonderful feelings that filled us with joy, & up there for me was hearing on local radio that school was closed due to snow. It was 1984, & TSW said Dartmoor villages “might” be blanketed - so I went to bed with my fingers crossed.
When I woke up - well, I “might” have guessed…
When I woke up - well, I “might” have guessed…
New-build memories - maybe this is just rambling pointlessness, if so let me know and I’ll delete. 😊
November 14, 2025 at 5:20 PM
New-build memories - maybe this is just rambling pointlessness, if so let me know and I’ll delete. 😊
A beautiful walk through the lanes of Devon - complete with a house that reminds me of the one in The Snowman…you can probably tell which one 😊 Dad and I then bought a couple of pasties and found a bench in the village. Just one of those perfect days etched in my memory.
November 14, 2025 at 11:33 AM
A beautiful walk through the lanes of Devon - complete with a house that reminds me of the one in The Snowman…you can probably tell which one 😊 Dad and I then bought a couple of pasties and found a bench in the village. Just one of those perfect days etched in my memory.
Because I’m a good boy….
Now that I’ve swept up the leaves in my parent’s garden, I can play with the train set ….😊
Now that I’ve swept up the leaves in my parent’s garden, I can play with the train set ….😊
November 14, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Because I’m a good boy….
Now that I’ve swept up the leaves in my parent’s garden, I can play with the train set ….😊
Now that I’ve swept up the leaves in my parent’s garden, I can play with the train set ….😊
The local in Witheridge - with the landlord keeping watch. Lovely smells outside of wet leaves, chimney smoke, and crisp air. (The landlord needed a scratch behind the ear, too - maybe I’ll get a free pint tomorrow…)
November 12, 2025 at 8:16 PM
The local in Witheridge - with the landlord keeping watch. Lovely smells outside of wet leaves, chimney smoke, and crisp air. (The landlord needed a scratch behind the ear, too - maybe I’ll get a free pint tomorrow…)
Heading “home” to Devon. Just passing through what I consider to be the border to the West Country - Westbury 🙂 I remember coming through here on a 125 back in the 80s. Same vibes, different train
November 12, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Heading “home” to Devon. Just passing through what I consider to be the border to the West Country - Westbury 🙂 I remember coming through here on a 125 back in the 80s. Same vibes, different train
Something very strange in the sky over London, like a yellow ball emanating bright light…
November 12, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Something very strange in the sky over London, like a yellow ball emanating bright light…
I @ed all the bands and singers with tracks I edit to - but only one every got back to me, shared my video, and said how much it was enjoyed.
That man was Richard Darbyshire of Living in a Box.
RIP Richard
That man was Richard Darbyshire of Living in a Box.
RIP Richard
November 11, 2025 at 10:07 PM
I @ed all the bands and singers with tracks I edit to - but only one every got back to me, shared my video, and said how much it was enjoyed.
That man was Richard Darbyshire of Living in a Box.
RIP Richard
That man was Richard Darbyshire of Living in a Box.
RIP Richard
You trust me (I think….) with my retro videos, so if you’re in London, trust me with this restaurant.
Unreal flavours, incredible atmosphere, brilliant team. Non fussy but refined.,
OMA - Borough Market.
I’ve not had food as good as this in a long time.
www.theguardian.com/food/article...
Unreal flavours, incredible atmosphere, brilliant team. Non fussy but refined.,
OMA - Borough Market.
I’ve not had food as good as this in a long time.
www.theguardian.com/food/article...
November 11, 2025 at 3:32 PM
You trust me (I think….) with my retro videos, so if you’re in London, trust me with this restaurant.
Unreal flavours, incredible atmosphere, brilliant team. Non fussy but refined.,
OMA - Borough Market.
I’ve not had food as good as this in a long time.
www.theguardian.com/food/article...
Unreal flavours, incredible atmosphere, brilliant team. Non fussy but refined.,
OMA - Borough Market.
I’ve not had food as good as this in a long time.
www.theguardian.com/food/article...
Just larking around in London….
November 11, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Just larking around in London….
Wife in the fabric shop - oh look what’s a few shops down….
November 10, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Wife in the fabric shop - oh look what’s a few shops down….
How beautiful - thank you Alison, I need to find a way to get this as my alarm clock ringtone on my iPhone. What a lovely melody to wake up to. 🙂
November 9, 2025 at 9:06 PM
How beautiful - thank you Alison, I need to find a way to get this as my alarm clock ringtone on my iPhone. What a lovely melody to wake up to. 🙂
A fireworks party taking place somewhere over Hoxton. My camera didn’t capture it well, but it was pretty spectacular from the skylight.
It’s so trippy being here - lots of memories of our shoebox terrace in Farnham back in 2017.
But no 6:30am commute on the zombie train tmrw, just a holiday 🙂
It’s so trippy being here - lots of memories of our shoebox terrace in Farnham back in 2017.
But no 6:30am commute on the zombie train tmrw, just a holiday 🙂
November 9, 2025 at 8:43 PM
A fireworks party taking place somewhere over Hoxton. My camera didn’t capture it well, but it was pretty spectacular from the skylight.
It’s so trippy being here - lots of memories of our shoebox terrace in Farnham back in 2017.
But no 6:30am commute on the zombie train tmrw, just a holiday 🙂
It’s so trippy being here - lots of memories of our shoebox terrace in Farnham back in 2017.
But no 6:30am commute on the zombie train tmrw, just a holiday 🙂
Roast chuck and Yorkshire pud - what a Sunday. Feels dream-like yet normal
November 9, 2025 at 4:49 PM
Roast chuck and Yorkshire pud - what a Sunday. Feels dream-like yet normal
At the Duke of Cambridge for a Sunday roast and a pint.
Great to be home.
Great to be home.
November 9, 2025 at 4:26 PM
At the Duke of Cambridge for a Sunday roast and a pint.
Great to be home.
Great to be home.
And now I have the Close Encounters melody in my head for some reason…
November 9, 2025 at 7:44 AM
And now I have the Close Encounters melody in my head for some reason…
From Austria to Angel…
A little break in London ahead - leaving home to go home 🇦🇹🇬🇧
A little break in London ahead - leaving home to go home 🇦🇹🇬🇧
November 9, 2025 at 7:06 AM
From Austria to Angel…
A little break in London ahead - leaving home to go home 🇦🇹🇬🇧
A little break in London ahead - leaving home to go home 🇦🇹🇬🇧
The local snack in Graz on a beautiful autumnal day
November 7, 2025 at 10:04 AM
The local snack in Graz on a beautiful autumnal day