A week is a long time in politics, especially when that politics is throwing gas bombs at your tent in a refugee camp. On Monday morning, I wrote an email to The Guardian. I thought they might be interested in the news that I shared with you last Friday: that the mayor of Samos seemed … Continue reading As Predicted: Fire on Samos
The weekend was spent ‘shadowing’ a Duke of Edinburgh Bronze practice expedition. Not in preparation for my own attempt – they tell me I’m too old – but as something of a ‘trial shift’ for future employment as an instructor on said expeditions. What I learned from my shadow 1. Even the bronze expeditions are … Continue reading What I learned from shadow walking
What am I bringing into being that will outlast me? Of course, it’s impossible to know, but it’s a reasonable bet that my writing will outlast me. Certainly the writing that’s kept in the BBC archives and (still can’t believe this) in the British Library. My notebooks will probably outlast me. And any of my … Continue reading What am I bringing into being that will outlast me?
Last Sunday morning, more than 40 people crammed into a wide circle to ‘talk migration’ under the wooden beams of Impact Hub in Kings Cross. Talk Migration was a day of talks and discussion around the topics of migration, borders and refugee rights, organised by Thighs of Steel. Every year, Thighs of Steel cyclists come … Continue reading Talk Migration: The 21st Century Slaves of Indefinite Detention
The secret of comedy, they say, is timing. This is such a well-known truism, that it has, in its fame, become false. The only remaining secret of comedy is the weather. Like a meteorologist, comedians (by which I mean anyone attempting to make another person laugh, whether professionally or not) see the world around them … Continue reading The Meteorological Secret of Comedy
I am reaching the end of my winter sojourn in Bristol. I have been here, more or less, since October last year, and next week is my last. Since leaving London permanently at the end of 2017, I have learned one thing beyond doubt: my local habitat plays an incalculably important role in the things … Continue reading Small is Sociable London to Bristol
Foiled has been clipping along all week, with the usual ups and downs. Example: We thought we had a lovely opening episode until our producers said the BBC won’t countenance anything to do with people going missing. Spoil sports. As I write this, Beth is out networking with potential famos for Series 3. She’s pulled … Continue reading The Foiled Diaries: Life as a Way of Writing
I’m not the first to notice that trees are operating on a completely different time scale to us puny humans. Take this wild cherry, for example, just now coming into blossom in the park outside my house. She’s about as old as I, and yet still doesn’t have her own BBC radio sitcom. Some trees … Continue reading Domesday Trees
People talk about the difficult second album, but what about the third? Studious readers of this newsletter will know that Beth and I are in the throes of writing Series 3 of breakout hit BBC Radio Wales sitcom Foiled. (I’m pretty sure I can use the term ‘breakout hit’ thanks to our repeat on Radio … Continue reading OK Foiled
My name is David Charles and I probably met you out somewhere. Thanks for stopping by! I’m the co-writer of BBC radio sitcom Foiled. I also write for the Center for International Forestry Research, The Bike Project and the stupendous Thighs of Steel. I do bike touring and nature walks. Sometimes I teach other people … Continue reading Hi!
In May 2016, I set off a very long bicycle tour, following the routes of migration from the safe refuge of London to the bombed-out streets of Syria. Although I got absolutely nowhere near Syria (it was only ever a destination of the mind), the 2,000km ride was my most ambitious story-telling adventure to date. … Continue reading Cycling to Syria
After last week’s missive on rejection, this week I’ve dabbled in a little rejection therapy. I can’t tell you the story of what I tried on Wednesday, but I can describe what happened when I took rejection out for a spin yesterday. Picture the scene… Drenched on the aptly named Fishponds Road, I walk out … Continue reading Tame the Mane
It’s not every week that I read a book cover-to-cover in under 48 hours. Admittedly, at only 200 pages Rejection Proof by Jia Jiang is a quick read, but I absolutely guttled those pages. Why? Because Jiang offers a creative solution to a problem that I think almost every live human being struggles with: rejection. … Continue reading I believe in Rejection!
Science is complex. The science of the gut is both complex and young. I’m not a scientist, let alone a gastroenterologist. At best I am ‘sciencey’, with just enough reading to unwittingly mislead myself and other people on the internet. And yet here we all are. So, without further ado, here is what I think … Continue reading Absolutely Gutted
How was 2018 for you? Do you look back and remember a year full of bad news, bad news about Brexit, Trump and Russia? In which case, here’s something to make you feel better: “[The news] doesn’t relate to the ordinary person’s existence, any more than a crime thriller… But we are competing for people’s … Continue reading More than a crime thriller
One of my favourite aphorisms is “Happiness is the very opposite of selfishness”, attributed to Anthony Seldon, vice-chancellor of Buckingham University and obsessive historian of Tony Blair. [Read an elucidation of his aphorism on the BBC] This aphorism is a great tonic for when I find myself footling around in my brain for that elusive … Continue reading Work is the Opposite of Worry
The half term holiday was the perfect opportunity for Beth and I to go down to Wales, breathe the comic airs and get started on series two of Foiled. The temptation, of course, was to treat the half term holiday as, well, a holiday – and there were indeed blows along the respective proms of … Continue reading Foiled Series 2: A Sitcom Writer’s Diary
This year, I have tried my best to ignore the edutainment of what is colloquially known as “The News”. According to my internet browser history, I have visited only 52 unique pages on the BBC News website this year – previously my number one news source. There was an understandable peak around the General Election … Continue reading 2017: No News is Good News
The man whose heart is palpitating for fame after death does not reflect that out of all those who remember him every one will himself soon be dead also, and in the course of time the next generation after that, until in the end, after flaring and sinking by turns, the final spark of memory … Continue reading Meditations on Meditations: Praise and Service (4.19)
UPDATE 28/1/19: The extension mentioned below no longer exists. Instead, you can use an extension like No Tabs, or just change the options so that your browser opens all links in a new window. WARNING: This could be the most boring positive constraint ever conceived. To be honest, I did feel pretty embarrassed about sharing … Continue reading No Tabbed Browsing
In Britain, the first border controls were put in place with the Aliens Act of 1793, as a drastic measure to prevent French republicans from crossing the Channel and fomenting revolution. A few years later the perceived danger had passed and the controls were lifted. It’s hard to imagine border control as a temporary emergency … Continue reading #16: National borders were supposed to be temporary
For Mark Boyle, who lived without money for four years, money is a wedge that separates us from the consequences of our actions – and he’s not just talking about material goods. “For the first time I experienced how connected and interdependent I was on the people and natural world around me. More than anything … Continue reading #15: We all live moneyless Most of life is made up of spider’s web networks of cashless exchange, favours and gifts
My local Sainsbury’s has more than thirty aisles; my greengrocer has just two. There is, without a doubt, a heck of a lot more choice at a supermarket than at a corner shop, but I wanted to know exactly how much more choice. So I went to Sainsbury’s, clipboard once again in hand to do … Continue reading #12: Supermarket choice is terrible!
One of the biggest myths perpetuated by supermarkets is that they offer “everyday value” to the customer through their extensive promotions, multi-buy deals and discounts. The myth isn’t that supermarkets don’t run these formidable promotions: researchers found that more than half the food sold in supermarkets during 2015 was “on special”. No, the myth is … Continue reading #11: Supermarkets aren’t cheap
We think we’re in charge when we walk through the supermarket sliding doors, but that’s naive. Be in no doubt: when we enter the gleaming aisles, we’re entering a fully immersive, three dimensional, 360 degree, multi-sensory marketing experience. Every last element has been fine-tuned to nudge us into making just one more purchase. The question … Continue reading #10: Supermarkets aren’t convenient
Imagine the scene. You’re on holiday with a big group of people you don’t know too well. The twelve of you hired a huge house in the countryside, sharing rooms to split the cost. You’ve been sunbathing on cushions in the garden, enjoying the sights, sounds and smells of summer, drifting away in a meditation … Continue reading Are you experienced?
Journalism portfolio Center for International Forestry Research As science writer for CIFOR, I have published many articles on landscape conservation and restoration, covering topics like fungi and soil carbon, negative emissions technology and how to survive the Anthropocene. Global Landscape Forum author page Forests News author page Forests, Trees and Agroforestry: From governments down to … Continue reading Portfolio and Press
In October last year, I started a very exciting experiment with crowdfunding publishers Unbound. We had a target of £10,648, and an initial funding period of 90 days. Sadly for me and the 100+ people who pledged money for my book You Are What You Don’t, earlier this week we acknowleged that, despite raising around … Continue reading Experiments in Publishing: Unbound Crowdfunding
This May, I shall set off on a 3,000 mile bicycle tour, following the routes of migration from the safe refuge of London to the bombed-out streets of Syria. Don’t worry: safety is my first priority. I am fully expecting never to reach Syria, but that is my destination of the mind. Along the way, … Continue reading Cycling to(wards) Syria
Once a week, you’ll receive a selection of words from my keyboard. It could be a story about refugees in Chios, a behind-the-scenes look at writing a BBC sitcom, or a deep dive into the science of psychedelics. Whatever it is, it’s always fresh and never spammy. If that sounds tasty, head over to Substack … Continue reading Happy Friday! Subscribe here for weekly stories from my keyboard.
This question has fascinated me for a long time. Why does anyone do a Thing, when doing no-thing is so much easier, more secure, and more comfortable? What makes a middle-aged computer programmer with a young family do a complete career swerve and retrain as a chiropractor? What makes a retired marketing manager, who had … Continue reading What Makes a Person Do a Thing?
In today’s digital age, No Television isn’t much of a positive constraint for a lot of people. We can do all our couch potatoing in front of the computer instead: Netflix, YouTube, DVDs. Distracting diversions and an escape into ennui is right at our fingertips. But, for me, No Television is kind of where it … Continue reading No Television
Today, October the 5th 2015, England finally caught up with the rest of the UK in trying to encourage a nationwide experiment in positive constraints: No Plastic Bags. From today, all shops and chains with more than 250 employees (in total, not per shop) will have to charge at least 5p for a plastic bag. … Continue reading No Plastic Bags
This is part of a series of blog posts on positive constraints. You can read much more here. Rather than an experiment, this blog post deals with the idea of Minimum Viable Technology, one of the most important basic concepts that governs the wider application of positive constraints. First, a little story to illustrate the … Continue reading Minimum Viable Technology
Firstly, I don’t consider myself part of the media, a journalist or a film-maker. However, I have published many writings about my experiences in Calais and have produced a short film showing conditions in the camp. I have also spoken to many journalists and film-makers who have gone on to produce content that is very … Continue reading Advice for Media, Journalists & Film-makers in Calais
There are probably as many myths floating around about migrants and migration as there are UKIP voters. (Fascinating fact: there are as many foreign born nationals living in the UK as there are UKIP voters.) In this post, I bust a good few of them: They’re stealing our benefits! Well they’re stealing our jobs, then! … Continue reading Migrant Mythbusting!
This is the twenty-sixth in a daily series of articles taken from Elevate #10. I hope you enjoy the read – and come back tomorrow for more! CLICK HERE FOR PAY WHAT YOU LIKE DOWNLOAD OR £10 IN PAPERBACK Amy Goodman, host of the independent daily news show Democracy Now!, has been working to change … Continue reading Amy Goodman: The Journalist Connection
This is the twenty-fifth in a daily series of articles taken from Elevate #10. I hope you enjoy the read – and come back tomorrow for more! CLICK HERE FOR PAY WHAT YOU LIKE DOWNLOAD OR £10 IN PAPERBACK Dean Puckett is a film-maker from the UK. His films Crisis of Civilisation (based on the … Continue reading Dean Puckett & Sengwer: Conservation vs Communities
This is the seventeenth in a daily series of articles taken from Elevate #10. I hope you enjoy the read – and come back tomorrow for more! CLICK HERE FOR PAY WHAT YOU LIKE DOWNLOAD OR £10 IN PAPERBACK Shoshana Zuboff, Harvard Business School professor, is beamed into Forum Stadtpark from the US over a … Continue reading Reality is the Next Big Thing: Keynote
This is the twelfth in a daily series of articles taken from Elevate #10. I hope you enjoy the read – and come back tomorrow for more! CLICK HERE FOR PAY WHAT YOU LIKE DOWNLOAD OR £10 IN PAPERBACK What is Creative-Response? “Southern trees bear strange fruit, Blood on the leaves and blood at the … Continue reading Creative Response / Ability
This is the sixth in a daily series of articles taken from Elevate #10. I hope you enjoy the read – and come back tomorrow for more! CLICK HERE FOR PAY WHAT YOU LIKE DOWNLOAD OR £10 IN PAPERBACK Think Hope “Hope explodes, volcanically, with rage.” It just so happens that John Holloway lives next … Continue reading Think Crisis, Think Hope
Welcome, kind reader! Thank you for reading my (our!) book. Personally, I much prefer reading paper and ink, but I know what a pain in the neck it is to type out all those web addresses. So here they all are, organised by chapter. I hope you find/found the book and these supporting links stimulating … Continue reading Elevate #10: Online Bibliography
Welcome to the first edition of Calais Migrant Factgasm, in which I quite metaphorically round up every piece of internet about the Calais migrants and incarcerate it in the detention centre of my blog. Featuring news from the past week and analysis of Eritrean migration vs big business and the lorry driver protest organised for … Continue reading Calais Migrant Factgasm: Episode 1
You might have seen some stories in the news recently about illegal immigrants trying to get into the UK. I recently spent some time in Calais, teaching English and generally hanging out with the wannabe immigrants there. I was staying with about sixty people in a squat originally set up by an activist group called … Continue reading Do We Need Borders?
Foiled is a hair salon sitcom written by David Charles and Beth Granville. It started life as a 5-star Edinburgh Fringe Festival show in 2016, before morphing into a BBC Radio Wales series broadcast over three series in 2017-19. Guest stars have included Miles Jupp, Ralf Little, Sir Derek Jacobi, John Culshaw and Felicity Montagu. … Continue reading Foiled
My PWYW Creation Myth Once upon a time, far back in the mists of time – and, more literally, in the hill mists of Guilin – I heard a travellers’ tale about a wise old Chinese doctor. This antiquated physician, they said, would sit cross-legged at the entrance to his modest wooden hut, high up … Continue reading My Pay What You Want Mission Statement
Writer I write stories that help you and me understand the world (and ourselves) a little better. Every Friday, I send said stories out to a self-selecting group of well-regarded and discerning readers. You can join our ranks by signing up here. I am co-writer (with Beth Granville) of BBC Radio sitcom Foiled, set in … Continue reading About me Writer, Speaker, Outdoor Leader and Cyclist-At-Large
This is something I’ve been working with for a while. The premise is simple: don’t spend any money on Mondays. This is a fairly meaty post, so I’ll cut to the chase: Why No Money Mondays? It helps me to be more mindful of money, of how easy it is to spend, and how pointless. … Continue reading No Money Mondays
The louage driver slaps my hand and gives me a toothy smile. “Ahh, 2011!” he says, then gives me directions to the giant hand-cart. I’m in Sidi Bouzid. It’s a town in central Tunisia. A working town, like any other. It reminds me of Sfax, only smaller and with zero tourists and zero tourist appeal. Except for … Continue reading Cycling to the Sahara: Tunisia after the revolution
The town of Marseille is dishonest. That’s how it seems to me. And I don’t mean that as you might think. I don’t mean it because a friend of mine got pick-pocketed twice within an hour of arriving here. That’s ridiculous. That could happen anywhere. It certainly didn’t happen to me. The tangle of streets … Continue reading (Not) Cycling to the Sahara: Marseille 2
