81% of guide dog owners have experienced an access refusal in the past. This should not be the reality for guide dog owners. Can you help us get to 60,000 signatures on our Open Doors petition before we hand it in to Downing Street next week?

Sign here 👉 bit.ly/3U0BaB9

Etymology of the day is ‘bumf’: a shortening of ‘bumfodder’, 19th-century slang for toilet paper. It was later applied to any throwaway material or paperwork.

Word fact of the day (with apologies to those who knew it already): the terms 'upper case' and 'lower case' began with the two type cases or trays that were used in the printing trade to hold the movable type. Each was positioned on an angled stand, and the case containing the

Congratulations to you both Greg Jenner Dr Campbell Price!

An interesting article about endangered languages, their value, and the efforts to document them.

theguardian.com/science/2024/a…

This was discombobulatingly fun. And just a reminder: this is a comedy podcast!

Word of the day is ‘fling-brand’ (17th century): one who takes pleasure in breeding dissent and argument, purely for the sake of it.

Some (very nearly) final dates for my one-woman wordy show. I’d love to give it a proper send-off if you’ll join me.

On Thursday I launch my funny new children’s book series, TOTALLY CHAOTIC HISTORY. Book 1 is all about Ancient Egypt, cowritten with expert Egyptologist Dr Campbell Price - it’s only £6.49 at Waterstones, full of amazing facts, and hilarious illustrations by Rikin Parekh🇪🇺💙☮️

For kids 8-12 👍

This is a lovely tribute to our guide dogs, the love they bring, and the incredible work they do.

Tsundoku, from Japanese, is the act of buying yet another book that you fully intend to read, but never quite get round to.

That’s confelicity.

Etymology of the day is an important one. The root of ‘compassion’ is a Latin word meaning ‘suffer with’.

This has kept me amused all day. Thanks everyone. There is light relief to be had.

I’m writing something about the famous field of nominative determinism and would love your best examples. Mine (so far) is the consultant urologist Mr Burns-Cox.

Word fact of the day: ‘penguin’ is one of the few words in the dictionary of Welsh origin: it comes from ‘pen gwyn’, ‘white head’.

(And a reminder that penguins were also once known affectionately as ‘arsefeet’.)

Word of the Day is ‘limbeck’ (16th century): to fatigue the brain with attempts to extract something useful from it.

Dear Friends. On Thursday, 21st March, Virginia, ⁦Born Free Foundation⁩ team & I will celebrate 40 years fighting for wildlife and we’re holding an amazing auction. My request’s simple: Might you bid & share? Here’s the link. Thanks so much. Wx⁩ ww1.emma-live.com/FootstepstoFre…

I was so glad to be a part of the inaugural Nero Book Awards. Congratulations to all the category winners, and especially to Paul Murray for a remarkable novel.