iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Five years ago, Juliette and I were approached to contribute a chapter to this Oxford Handbook of Allegory. We submitted three years ago. It is finally out, and our chapter on 'Allegory and the Absurd in Post-1950 Drama' is half-way in. global.oup.com/academic/pro...

global.oup.com

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

Heading to the Bolton Octagon to see Waiting for Godot. Taking the boys for their first experience of SB.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 22/03/2026

And Rachel (the last ever Practical Essay in the WT)

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Yep. Stabbed in the back. We’re seeing out the last cohort. The WT will have a continuing presence in the school in some form.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

Back to Leeds for the last ever weekend of Practical Essays.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 15/02/2026

I’ve just found this old self-portrait from 1989 of 22 year-old me.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 29/01/2026

Lovely to get Scatter volume 2. But, shouldn’t that say 1991-7 on the spine? @timbowness.bsky.social @stevenwilsonhq.bsky.social Nonetheless, looking forward to spinning.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

When you say ‘just’ when did this happen?

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

And Trump conceded in Davis that Greenland not Denmark gets to decide mineral licenses. And it’s not like he’s done anything to piss either off.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 23/01/2026

Companies that currently have licenses to mine for minerals in Greenland: Amaroq Minerals Ltd. (Canada); Greenland Resources Inc. (Canada); GreenRoc Strategic Materials Plc / Greenland Graphite a/s (UK); Energy Transition Minerals Ltd (Australia); Ironbark Zinc Limited (Australia). US: not yet.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

The two instances when Peter Gabriel’s cover of Bowie’s Heroes is played in Stranger Things (S1 and S3) is following the believed death of a character who subsequently is discovered to be alive. Just saying.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

Between When Doves Cry and the eponymous closing song on the second side of Prince’s Purple Rain LP, are the tracks Baby I’m a Star and, notably, I Would Die 4 U. #strangerthings

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

TBF, life kind of feels like there’s always a secret traitor somewhere in the background.

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Reposted by Mark Taylor-Batty

Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

🧵How much should the NHS worry about this winter's flu wave? You may have seen this alarming headline on the BBC website today... I think it's too early to make this claim and the data does not support it. I think it will be a bad flu season but no evidence to think worse than previous yrs 1/8

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 06/12/2025

Don’t do Spotify, but Apple Music is summing up my conservative tastes.

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Reposted by Mark Taylor-Batty

Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

This is incredibly grim

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 13/10/2025

My 14-year old lad insists that there needs to be a Wild Opera vinyl release, and has designed the deluxe edition tracklisting. Just in case you needed a nudge @timbowness.bsky.social and @stevenwilsonhq.bsky.social

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Methuen Drama @methuendrama.bsky.social · 02/10/2025

“Reliably excellent.” – The Year's Work in Critical & Cultural Theory Interested in contributing to the Methuen Drama Engage series, edited by Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social & Enoch Brater? We’re welcoming proposals now. Details here: bit.ly/3T7T6tG

Methuen Drama Engage series Call for Proposals with book jackets

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 28/09/2025

There were a lot of people hanging about in Shipley market square last night.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 06/09/2025

Prog rock trivia. It is now the same amount of time since the last Genesis studio album as there was between their first and that last studio album.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 22/08/2025

More time has elapsed between the release of the Beatles’ Anthology series and the new Anthology 4 this year, than between the Beatles disbanding and that first 3 Anthology releases.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 03/08/2025

Me (1985), my son (2025), same @marillion.com t-shirt, same garden.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

Watching Live Aid in iPlayer. I was 18 and it was the summer before going to university. Looking back, even the old people look young. The oldest songs performed were only twenty years old or so at that time.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

The coffee at the Greek Corner in Shipley is reliably good. Thought I’d try the baklava today. Fantastic, but at £6.50 it needs to be! (Yes, I checked).

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 04/07/2025

Thinking back to the Oasis/Blur rivalry, and how it was paralleled to the Beatles/Stones in the media if the time. Despite their overt homages to the Beatles, Oasis played The Rolling Stones role in that parallel. They had none of the invention, eclecticism and progression, which Blur so clearly did

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

The British national anthem, God save the King/Queen* originally contained a verse about crushing the Scots. Don't sing it at Glastonbury. *Delete as appropriate

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

The ‘tamed’ (‘apprivoisé’) here never does justice to that sense of comfort you find in the intimacy and proximity you construct with true friendship/love bonds. But adjoining emotional responsibility/accountability to that mutuality is key to Saint-Exupéry’s message.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

Yesterday was the 125th anniversary of the birth of Antiine de Saint-Exupéry, author of Le Petit Prince, the first book I ever translated (as a gift to my then girlfriend). “You are forever responsible toward those you have tamed”.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 18/06/2025

You were crucial, focussed, informed, balanced and determined. Thanks for all your work.

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 01/06/2025

Romana II - Princess Astra The Master - Consul Tremas 6th Doctor - Commander Maxil 12th Doctor - Lobus Caecilius 16th Doctor - Rose Tyler? #regenerationadoptions

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Mark Taylor-Batty @cupofassam.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

My home-made custard creams no longer look worthwhile.

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Reposted by Mark Taylor-Batty

University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 25/05/2025

At #UCU2025 we passed motions to reaffirm our commitment to trans rights. We’ll keep fighting for inclusive spaces, supportive policies and real solidarity. #TransRightsAreHumanRights #UCU2025 #UnionPower

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