Line(s) of the Day #Catfish

They used to tank cod from Alaska all the way to China. They’d keep them in vats in the ship. By the time the codfish reached China, the flesh was mush and tasteless. So this guy came up with the idea that if you put these cods in these big vats, put some catfish in with them and the catfish will keep the cod agile. And there are those people who are catfish in life.

The quote by Vince Pearce that gave the title to the documentary film Catfish (2010). Telling of an online romance that revealed some major secrets on one side, the film has since spawned a successful MTV series. Co-hosted by Nev Shulman, who was the star of the film, it is currently on its sixth series.

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Line(s) of the Day #DearNoOne

My soul should dream no further, but it does, and I do

Taken from the piece Dear No One by Tosha, who has as much talent for poetry as she does with singing. You can find more of her work at Everything I Never Told You.

Creative: Autumn Leaves

Autumn is the judgement of time,
the lovely hold between
the leaving of summer
and the returning of Winter.
It counts its days
by the leaves that fall,
slowly, smoothly,
to the ground,
and the temperature that lowers
quickly, roughly,
before reaching
the call from the ice statues,
that come back to the foreground
from an eternity in the oblivious background.

Line(s) of the Day #InYourRoom

In your room
Where time stands still
Or moves at your will
Will you let the morning come soon?

The opening lines of In Your Room by Essex band Depeche Mode from Songs of Faith and Devotion (1993), an album which among other notable successes topped the UK and US charts. I’m a huge fan of the band and saw them live at the 02 a few years ago. They’ve just released their 14th studio album, Spirit, which along with all their other ones has been a UK top ten smash. Other songs I’ve quoted here have been Precious and Walking in my Shoes.

Gr8at: Drew Struzan’s Film Posters

After seeing the documentary Drew: The Man Behind the Poster, I became aware of the incredible talent of the illustrator Drew Struzan. Seeing his portfolio, I realised just how highly regarded he is within the industry and how much of his work I was already familiar with. While I pay close attention to actors, directors, composers and scriptwriters, I’ve never really thought about film posters before, apart from when I highlighted the ones I have in my bedroom. Here are eight of Drew’s more famous works, with some bonus ones thrown in. Do you have a favourite? For more information n the man himself check out this Wired article.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

First Blood (1982)

The Thing (1982)

Hellboy  (2004)

Back to The Future (1985)

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Pan’s Labyrinth  (2006)

Bladerunner (1982)

And here are some from his most famous collaboration

Line(s) of the Day #GameofThrones

Chaos isn’t a pit. Chaos is a ladder.

The scheming Petyr ‘Littlefinger’ Baelish (Aiden Gillen) in the phenomenally successful Game of Thrones (2011 -). Based on the novels by George R R Martin, the series tells of the many violent campaigns taking place to secure the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms.

Photography: Shadows Within a London Nightfall

Even in a place as busy as London, there are times when it can feel that the city is all yours.

Line(s) of the Day #HiddenFigures

Vivian Mitchell: Despite what you may think, I have nothing against y’all.
Dorothy Vaughan: I know… I know you probably believe that.

Kirsten Dunst and Octavia Spencer in the truly inspirational Hidden Figures (2016). Based on the true story as told in the book of the same name by Margot Lee Shetterly, the film tells of three black women who served a vital role in the early period of the Space Race. Highlighting that heroes can be found in all places, it reminds us of the outrageous racist prejudice that existed at the time and the grace, effort and ingenuity needed to overcome it.

Line(s) of the Day #WeHaveAlwaysLivedintheCastle

I remember that I stood on the library steps holding my books and looking for a minute at the soft hinted green in the branches against the sky and wishing, as I always did, that I could walk home across the sky instead of through the village.

The novella masterpiece We Have Always Lived in the Castle (1962) by Gothic writer Shirley Jackson, who also wrote one of the finest short stories with The Lottery (1948). As told by the unreliable narrator Mary Katherine ‘Merrikat’ Blackwood, it tells of a family’s ostracising in a small town after a poisoning incident that killed four members of the family.

Line(s) of the Day #ArthurAshe

Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.

Three time Grand Slam champion and four time Davis Cup winner Arthur Ashe (1943 – 1993). As well as his impressive achievements on the court, he was a true inspiration off it. Ashe played a crucial role in forming the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), vigorously campaigned against racism even during his career and set up the Arthur Ashe Foundation for the Defeat of AIDS and Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health.