Nonfiction
Never End: Chapter 1(Red Balloon). Content Warning.
Adam Louis sat in his usual spot at the back of the classroom, next to the window. The first rays of morning sun streamed through the glass, casting long shadows on the worn-out desks. It was just another ordinary day at school, or so it seemed.
By spooky session2 years ago in Chapters
A Different League
As I write this, both North East teams are in the footballing headlines here in the UK. Newcastle because they’ve just placed their Director of Football, Dan Ashworth, on gardening leave following his controversial announcement that he was interested in a move to Manchester United, and Sunderland because they have sacked their manager Michael Beale (below), after only 12 games in charge. Quite remarkably, his sacking means they have had 17 managers in 16 years. I read reports of both these stories in the morning paper, alongside an article by the brilliant sports journalist Daniel Storey which remarked, on the Ashworth story, that the excessive interest in a role such as his indicated how much football has changed in the last twenty years. The roles of directors, backroom staff etc are as important as the coaches and the players. Football is a multi-million pound business, and that, I suppose, was inevitable, but it has, or has certainly set out to, put a significant distance between true fans and their clubs.
By Matty Long2 years ago in Chapters
A Different League
I need not remind anyone of what happened in 2020 when the world turned upside down. Stuck in our homes, one hour of exercise a day, endless Zoom meetings, endless stress and inability to find income for countless working people, and no knowledge of what would happen next. It truly was a historical time period for all the wrong reasons, and I'm sure many will agree that we very much appear to be in a colossal hangover period from it.
By Matty Long2 years ago in Chapters
Atomic Habits, sort of.
Near the end of last year, I decided to spend more time writing. I committed to writing one article a week, which seemed like a solid start since I have never dedicated any time to writing- which is weird because all I ever do in my head is… fake write. I walk through life crafting sentences, paragraphs, book titles, fictional conversations, without ever putting them down in writing. I have scrap papers laying around with little tidbits that I would like to include in a book or poem someday, but until last year, I never spent time making time to write. But I figured, if I wanted to be a writer, and wanted to write books, and to make a living doing it, I should probably actually do the thing. So, one article a week seemed like a good starting point.
By Morgan Longford2 years ago in Chapters
A Different League
I described Steve Bruce as a tragedy when the Newcastle takeover first looked to happen in 2020. Back then, I meant it as a sympathetic term; I genuinely did feel a bit sorry for him. But a lot has changed since then. When I surveyed Newcastle fans with the simple question "What do you think of Steve Bruce?" I received answers such as:
By Matty Long2 years ago in Chapters
Hearing Beyond the Normal Range
Imagine strolling down Fifth Avenue in the heart of New York City, and suddenly, your ears pick up an intriguing symphony—rumbling, swooshy, and mysterious. You might think it's the subway, but surprise, the subway is out of service. In this hypothetical scenario, your ears have acquired a magical ability—they are attuned to the movements of tectonic plates deep beneath your feet. Welcome to the realm of hearing beyond the normal range, a fascinating journey into the soundscape that eludes our everyday perception.
By Abdallah Daud2 years ago in Chapters
The Green Sky City
In the summer of 2022, something extraordinary unfolded in the skies over South Dakota, captivating the attention of locals and sparking a viral sensation across the internet. As I delved into the events of that July day, I uncovered a mesmerizing tale of nature's wonders and the mysterious green hue that painted the heavens.
By Abdallah Daud2 years ago in Chapters
Sketching a New Destiny — Overcoming Life's Curveballs
Standing on the brink of 1975, life had me fooled with its quiet, predictable rhythm. I was 29, armed with a stable job, a loving family, and dreams neatly tucked away. Little did I know, the ground beneath me was about to shift, unraveling everything I thought I knew about life, success, and art.
By Rick Allen2 years ago in Chapters
