Terry O'Sullivan

@jdflynn @JDVance JDs of the world unite

People dunking on @JDVance because he hopes his wife will become a Christian are completely out of touch with reality. Dunk on Vance for his politics, or his rhetoric, or his suits. But dunking on hims because he hopes his wife will share his faith? That's weird.

@andrewCDmcg @tasminlittle @BBCRadio3 Fantastic insights and infection enthusiasm from the wonderful Tamsin Little. I really enjoyed listening to your conversation with her - as always!

Rachmaninov's Etudes-tableaux head for the Library today - study-pictures for solo piano, part virtuosic exercise, part mini tone poem, all Rach...Keelan Carew brings his shortlist to the studio to compare live at 3pm. New things from 2pm, guest reviewer @tasminlittle @BBCRadio3

@andrewCDmcg @BBCRadio3 Joanna MacGregor 💯% riveting reviewer as always - great programme!

It's one of Mozart's great piano concertos, with a slow movement that's had a life of its own in the cinema...which recordings take us to the heart of No. 21 in C major K467? Pianist Joanna MacGregor joins me for Building a Library at 3pm. Plus new things from 2pm 👇 @BBCRadio3

@andrewCDmcg @BBCRadio3 The first, and best, of my many favourite pianists - thanks @andrewCDmcg for this reminiscence

Alfred Brendel. What a life, what a musician. And a lovely sense of humour…a delightful interview at home with me back in 2014, reminiscing about his career from beginning to end, and how Haydn is still under-rated. One of my favourites @BBCRadio3 bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02…

@Hanifkureishi Where can I get one of those jumpers?

Last night, Isabella was reading to me from the newspaper. Listening to her, while thinking of other things, I suddenly said, “What do you think we would be doing now, you and I, if this accident hadn’t happened?” Her face changed. With some distress, she said, “We can’t go there. It is not fair to indulge in that kind of thinking. The comparison would kill us.” But I thought: who doesn’t imagine another life, a better one, running parallel to their own; an ideal other world, which feeds us emotionally, sexually, intellectually? The Buddhist idea of living in the so-called present is impossible and against reality because our lives are built around a necessarily imagined future. We are constantly in dialogue with this phantasised world; an ongoing conversation about our jobs, creative pursuits, sex, our partners, or money. We negotiate and argue with it, building it up and adding details. To be motivated, there must be an imaginary, a store of images that nurture our desire, allowing us to construct cities, space stations, and write novels. The immigrant experience, for instance, is centred around desire: a better world is possible. But in other circumstances, this alternative world could be used as a stick to beat yourself with; the further away you get from your ideal, the more punishing the phantasy becomes. It’s the “I could have been a contender” syndrome. Failure can be an act of rebellion—pathologised, indulged, and even enjoyed. Online shopping creates a phantasy space. When making a purchase, we are plunged into an ecstatic waiting period where our desire for the object increases. We order a jumper and believe it will substantially improve our lives. And we know how it feels when it does arrive: some pleasure but not the whole-body anticipatory orgasm of the wait. The only solution is to keep buying. This anticipatory feeling is a useful engine. But being consumed or addicted to shallow forms of desire—narrowing the range of what you are interested in—will block a more nurturing and sustaining phantasy. The essential question is: how do we keep our desire alive? What keeps us moving? At the end of the 1920s, Freud’s colleague and biographer Ernest Jones developed a theory called aphanisis, which is concerned with the extinction of sexual desire and with the question of what happens to us—as in depression—when we can no longer demand anything. What he implies is that to remain alive, we have to want and make demands of ourselves and others. Demand is the currency of social intercourse. When I was young in the ’60s, we were enveloped in an enervating boredom: sitting in your tiny living room with your grandparents in front of a coal fire, watching a gloomy Dickens adaptation on a tiny black-and-white television. There was little to want until pop opened our world. Now, we must create opportunities for reflection and ennui—there is too much to want—and we need space where new aspirations can arise. In Britain, desire is dead. Austerity and a lack of industry have destroyed our enterprising culture. There are pockets of ambition—individuals empowered by new technologies—but we lack a story or sense of direction that must come from the state working in collaboration with private inventiveness. Our country is sick, impoverished, and mentally ill. As is America. Still, they have a president in Trump who, in many ways, desires too much. This is what is beguiling about him. René Girard, the French sociologist, argues that desire is mimetic: we envy others’ excitement and want it for ourselves. What liberal commentators usually miss about Trump is how contagious his activity is. This is what populist leaders do; they tickle your libido, promising anything without accountability, and have you believe in an exciting future. “What would we be doing now, you and I, if this accident hadn’t happened?” This thought isn’t serving me. As Isabella said, it takes us nowhere. You must learn to give up or suppress certain phantasies in order to make space for new, more realistic ones. I’ve been wanting to get my left ear pierced since my accident. When I was seventeen, I had it done for the first time. I remember my dad having a fit as I looked at myself in the bathroom mirror while he railed at me, asking if I had become homosexual. People were nervous in those days that the genders were fusing. Anyway, this weekend I decided to get it re-pierced. So Isabella and I, on our way to Sachin’s for lunch, decided to hit Westfield, where I received a small diamond stud that pleased the children and gave everyone a good laugh. Next, I will be getting a tattoo, possibly on my hands or my neck. My repunking is an onward project.

@EmmaCleobury Who would totally approve of the gesture in my humble opinion. Very tastefully done as well e.g. the neat stencilling effect, on easily cleanable surface. I wonder how long it was left before someone stepped up with a duster?

Whatever the rights and wrongs of the use of oil and climate change, this is the wanton desecration of a grave, and the grave of one of Britain’s finest minds at that.

@DefiantLs I'm sure Darwin would approve 100%! Great to see older activists at work 👍

Climate activists target Charles Darwin's grave.

@revpaulwhite Nowhere near enough wolves for a wildlife programme.

Hilary Mantel didn't do her research for Wolf Hall very well. I literally only read half a page on Wikipedia about Oliver Cromwell and I could tell she got everything wrong! Overrated.

@StevenIsserlis Thanks for this lovely clip -- and all the best to you and yours for a happy and healthy 2025!

A chorale prelude for New Year's Eve by Bach, which I recorded with organist Francis Grier c 35 years ago in Eton College Chapel. A sad piece - but maybe not inappropriate for 2024? Let's hope that in 2025 our fears lessen, our hopes grow. Happy New Year! soundcloud.com/user-908660452…

@CeliaRichards0n Can't work it out alas, but thanks for all your cheering posts this year and keep up the good work in 2025!

Trolled in a crossword. Telegraph natch.

@benmcbean Merry Christmas -- thanks for your posts which are always an inspiration. All strength to you.

Leg is literally red raw. Feels like it’s on fire. This is what a skin graft looks like though. Back on antibiotics due to infection so hopefully I’ll feel better in the new year. Hopefully in a few weeks I’ll be up and about properly. Thanks for all the kind messages, means a lot. Have a good Christmas everyone! 🫡

Christmas shoppers ( including me alas) take note.

🚨 BREAKING NEWS: NIGHT CLEANERS AT CITY UNIVERSITY VOTE 100% TO STRIKE! IWGB members working as night cleaners at @CityUniLondon have been balloting for strike action, and the results are in - with 100% voting yes to strike action!

@OUFreeLearning Any gift is good in my humble opinion. But thank you ( not just at Christmas) for the gift of @OUFreeLearning

NOT ***** SOCKS AGAIN! Not everyone likes getting socks for #Christmas, apparently. But what’s an acceptable response to opening a duff gift? Can you swear in front of the family on Christmas Day? Find out behind door 20 of the #OpenLearnAdvent open.edu/openlearn/misc…

@StevenIsserlis Haha -- that time as teacher quote is a classic. Thanks!

Hector Berlioz b otd 1803! Extraordinary - such unfettered imagination. "Which of the two powers, Love or Music, can elevate man to the sublimest heights? ...Why separate them? They are two wings of the soul." "Time is a great teacher, but unfortunately it kills all its pupils."

@jk_rowling Can' wait for the next one! Good luck!!

A week ago I thought I might be able to post that I finished The Hallmarked Man on Strike's birthday. I'm sooooo close, but not quite, so happy birthday, Cormoran, and try not to be a grumpy sod about turning fifty.

@BishStrickland Sounds good. Where can I get hold of the talk?

Another opportunity for bishops around the world to finally speak up. What WILL it take!!! BREAKING: Pope Francis' new preacher promotes homosexual reading of Scripture and Christ - LifeSite lifesitenews.com/blogs/breaking…

@StevenIsserlis 'I suffer very eloquently' -- genius!

Happy 81st to Joni Mitchell! I'm an 'individual.' I'm someone who can't follow, and doesn't want to lead. I'm not a pitiable creature. It's just that I suffer very eloquently. When the world becomes a massive mess with nobody at the helm, it's time for artists to make their mark.

@psframes Perhaps I am a pleb, but I like the one on the left better. Lovely paingint either way.

We framed Pieter de Hooch‘s Courtyard Scene today. The clumsy gilded 20th century replica frame was replaced with a newly acquired Dutch 17th century ebonised fruitwood ripple moulding frame. This is 400th re-framing of the permanent collection (NG) during my tenure.

@BishStrickland Od no people of colour in this picture of heaven bish. Hope u are happy th ere

These words from the introduction to the 4 Volume set of the writings of Anne Catherine Emmerich are critically important for Catholics in these times. “Through these revelations, one sees clearly that man’s task is not the foolish one of creating for himself a religion after his own liking, but rather that he must submit in obedience to that religion given him by Almighty God: the Catholic religion—the one religion prepared for man from the time of Adam, brought from heaven by the Son of God, and guaranteed to endure, to unite men with God, and to lead souls to Heaven, until the very end of time.” Volume 1, p. xxxii