iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Tried to post this last night when I first became aware of the Dell Ghoul...but my phone died. Anyway Morris anticipated that look by about 30 years. Colin Akavito comes back from the dead to execute Chapman Baxter..."Justice!!!"

Colin Akavito from The Day Today..."Justice".

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

You don't get a chance to forget in the Greville Arms.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Nine great albums. In ten minutes time I'll probably post another nine which mean just as much to me.

The 9 albums thing.

Curtis Mayfield, Genesis, Yes, Elton, Waterboys, Van der Graaf, Wilco, Talk Talk, Max Richter.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

A sunset woodland walk in Tring Park last night, gave me a spectacular lens flare.

A woodland scene at Tring Park is illuminated by a superb lens flare at sunset.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

In Tring we're quite a long way out of "Town" and our station is a long way out of our town...but Brill (in Bucks, beyond Aylesbury) was once part of the Metropolitan Line, so here's a theoretical sign... Love this roundel generator by @pixelframe.bsky.social

Tring Station, it's literally miles from anywhere.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Lovely bit of "I haven't got a fucking clue" captioning from @netflix.com last night. I have visited the town of Cheshire many times. It's where all the footballers live isn't it?

The blurb for a Netflix series thinks that Cheshire is a town. I blame the schools...or maybe the parents.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

The Zoological Society of London not giving a shit about unnecessary light pollution with their new thing of lighting up the chalk lion at Whipsnade. It's part of their 200th anniversary celebration. The illumination will last for an hour every day after dusk, until the end of the year.

ZSL's plan to illuminate the chalk carving of a lion on the Chiltern Hills near Dunstable.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

A fourth gig in a week, another standing show, my feet are sore! One of my daughter's faves- Good Kid, from Toronto. Really entertaining punky pop. A lovely young crowd possible I might have been the oldest there! Lots of good tunes, moshing, tickertape, beach balls, silly stuff. The Roundhouse.

Canadian band Good Kid on stage at The Rounhouse, London

The illuminated roof structure at The Roundhouse in Chalk Farm, London. Once a railway engine shed, it features a fabulous Victorian structure of cast iron pillars and wood.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

The shittest AI Slop I've seen today. The poster calls these birds European Robins. They're nothing like a European Robin (reddish hue on the chest excepted). One has three wings. Just fucking stop the slop people.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Gig #3 of this week. Death Cab For Cutie at The Troxy. Standing near the back cos my daughter doesn't like a crush...so we had to listen to a lot of gig talkers (why pay best part of £50 just to talk to your mates?) But the band was on good form, and Ben's voice seemed stronger than in the past.

Death Cab For Cutie on stage at The Troxy in London.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

There was nearly a lovely photo op this morning of the vividly painted house opposite ours, with a colourful sunrise. But the van from the care home (which they have been "doing up" for almost a year now*) decides to turn up at the wrong moment. *now I can see where my dad's £1600 a week was going.

Spectacular sunrise pic spoiled by van arrival.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

And it's for a schools competition...

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

A lovely evening catching up with @marillion.com on their home turf in Aylesbury. Wonderful selection of songs...starting with "Gaza" and "Season's End". In one form or another this band has been part of my life for 44 years!

Marillion on stage at Aylesbury Waterside theatre.

Mark Kelly and Steve Rothery of Marillion

Marillion bassist Pete Trewavas and drummer Ian Mosley..."The President".

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Spent yesterday evening up in the gods at the London Palladium, marvelling at the phenomenon that is Jon Anderson, 82 years old, still sings like an angel, and makes your heart soar to hear it. Playing with The Band Geeks, we got some of their songs and a pile of classic Yes.

The eempty stage at the Palladium, from the very top of the theatre

Jon Amderson and the band Geeks on stage

The band playing "Awaken", Jon is playing a harp.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

No fucking way, that's so sad. He did such good work for the cause of mental health awareness. Fly free and far Joe.

Joe Harkness' study of the benefits of birding for mental health.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Play badders, but not against Tilly...Tilly cheats and uses 2 rackets. Why do people post this shit to promote their club/ business? It makes you look stoopid.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

My daily reminder of the public information films of youth...

A child's ball lies on the ground in a gated compound for an electricity substation. Like a scene from the public information films of the 1970s, which gave stark warnings to children to not mess around in quarries, rescue their balls from busbar and other such perilous scenarios.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Here's a goat I met while on holiday in Mallorca.

A goat stands on a precipitous cliff in front of a view of the sea and dramatic rocks. It's beautifully sunny. It's in Mallorca.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Continuing my own "Slow Sunday" with this groundbreaking release from 1983. For some unearthly reason I shunned it when it came out, but soon realised my error.

The CD album "A Walk Across The Rooftops". Just one of a plethora of fabulous albums released by Scottish bands in the 1980s.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Some early Sunday afternoon listening. @olafurarnalds.bsky.social "Elegy For Evolution 2017", sparse, thought-provoking music while I do some small snagging work to our recently decorated lounge. Can't wait to see Olafur in London in October.

The CD packaging for Olafur Arnald's "Elegy For Evolution 2017". Displayed on our oak coffee table.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

I think this response mentions copyright once...hardly promising a robust defence of the rights of creatives...

The preamble to the usual government bollocks in response to a petition.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Well, that's it...four holiday books done and a week left. I didn't mean to read this one fast, it just grabbed me & drew me along with its magical writing. Tom Cox seems to be able in his writing to blur the edges of reality and the dreamworld, playing with time too. Heartily recommended.

The most recent book by Tom Cox "Everything Will Swallow You".

It's brilliant, I got my copy from Blackwell's the Bookseller.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

This must be the worst-made paperback I've ever read. First lot of pages (83) fell out after the first session of reading, and then successive clumps in the next two. I was only reading it for 2½ days. It's a very good read though, apart from a few ornithological anomalies from the (US?) author.

The book fell apart quite badly over my time reading it...the first lot went after my first session of reading.

Holiday Reading II. Anthony Doerr's "All The Light We Cannot See". Pulitzer Prize winning novel, a good read, but blimey it's badly put together physically.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

They walk among us. Even in rural Tring we have some truly hateful people ( who also can't spel). Be vigilant.

Some Nazi graffiti in the back end if nowhere in Tring.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Normally I'd be totally cock-a-hoop to get a new Trashcans album, but this arrival is tinged with sadness. What I've heard of this new collection sounds brilliant. Nice freebie print. And all of this has birds on it, so even better. #RIPJohn

Some new Trsahcan Stash. One of the most underappreciated bands on the planet.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

There could only be one album for the van CD player today. Following the sad news of the death, at 63, of John Douglas of The Trashcan Sinatras. "Cake", the band's debut came out in 1990, seemingly capping off a decade where Scottish bands could do no wrong. A huge jangle-fest of witty tunes

The album aartwork for "Cake" the debut album by the Trashcan Sinatras. A beautiful feast of witty lyrics and lovely tunes. The guitarist, John Douglas, died yesterday at the early age of 63...same age as me.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

My copy - bought 2nd hand in the 80s- has a different cover...Imperial Records?

The Dutch band Focus' lp "Moving Waves".

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

New built in cupboards in the lounge. MDF fashioned and fitted by Matt the Chippy (much cheaper than the other prices), preparation by me, Tikkurila paint, a lot of boring prep...and some unintentional #pareidolia for @richardmortimer.bsky.social

Built in cupboards in our lounge.

Half height doors, oak effect shelves, dark blue paint.

A lot of hard graft. But worth it in the end.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals* *and other projects.

Gruff Rhys onstage wearing a crash helmet and generally being a genius.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Great one here, featuring a player with a left-handed stick...something that doesn't occur in hockey. From the England Masters FB account.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

The dangers of AI Slop: From the actual account of an England Hockey "team". A Uruguayan lady player is using a left-handed stick...which has never been a thing in the game of hockey. I'm sure they could have done a split picture with two photos, and they wouldn't have created such a hideous image.

An image made for England Hockey Masters depicts a lady playing with a left-handed stick...which isn't a thing in Field Hockey. Fuck AI Slop

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

I sort of had these two in the van on alternate rotation for over a week. @deathcabforcutie.bsky.social #americanfootball

CDs by Death Cab For Cutie and American Football.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Some sort of a sick joke by this online football kit shop? All I can say is, if it's intentional, it's sick. If it's an AI thing then you need to rein it in, and it's sick. And also, go fuck yourselves.

Not sure if this isnsome kind of sick joke by this online football shirt company? Or just some AI-generated nonsense.

But, fuck them to high heaven.

Not sure if this is some kind of sick joke by this online football short company.

Or just AI-generated nonsense.

But, fuck them to high heaven.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Any other Bluesky folk come across this Belgian artist? His name is Bram Vanparys and he came to me via a YouTube suggestion. His albums seem hard to find (especially at anything like a reasonable price), but I picked this up off Ebay from Germany. Stylistically his voice echoes Thom Yorke

The cd of the album "Eleonore" by Belgian singer-singwriter The Bony King of Nowhere.

On the cover singer Bram Vanparys stands in a red and blue jacket in a snowy park.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Two very good albums from US bands to come out this year. Was really pleased to spot the @americanfootball.bsky.social album in a record shop in Whitstable...shame I'm away this weekend when they play London. I get hints of Real Estate, The Cure, Dirty and These New Puritans...

CD releases by American Football and Death Cab For Cutie.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

Delayed posting this because of a photo upload glitch in Bluesky. Hopefully this time it will work. Rebanks has created something very lovely with this book. A gentle tale of a little-known devotion to the Eider duck and its down.

The front cover of the book "The Place Of Tides" by James Rebanks.

It depicts an abstract image of waves in sky blue and muted yellow tones.

Its a very good read.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

The sky is epic this morning, after an astonishing storm last night.

Foreboding storm clouds tower above the Chiltern Hills this morning.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Feeling well and truly spoiled by my daughter and wife on Fathers' Day. My lovely Patricia is turning out to be a wonderful person.

Me and daughter walking in Wendover Woods, back in the day.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

I'd maybe play them this. Listened again today for the umpteenth time. It's still spellbinding even after hearing it so many times.

A screen grab of a webpage advertising Jon Hopkins' Prom from 2023.

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Ralph Darvill @tringdriventhing.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

A stunning evening at Brixton Academy in the company of @superfurryanimal.bsky.social It's been a while since I saw them (Somerset House a while back), but they were in sparkling form tonight, uniting the entire crowd in a reverie with classic songs from their entire back catalogue. Wonderful.

Super Furry Animals onstage at Brixton Academy

"Hello Sunshine"!

Super Furries onstage at Brixton Academy

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