This year our Ten Things series – which surprisingly appears on the tenth of each month – continues concentrating on the amusing, both real and fictional. So this month we have …

Ten Odd Names from My Family History
(direct relationship where known)

1. John Crotehole (my 12th great-grandfather)
2. Thomas Cuckow
3. Brothers Absalom, Israel & Jabez Hicks, and their grandfather Farclay Hicks (Jabez Hicks was my great-great-grandfather, and Farclay my 4th great-grandfather)
4. Spicer Marshall
5. Turner Marshall
6. Emma Mouser
7. Langman Murfet (my 6th great-grandfather)
8. Willson Gates Nowers (my 3rd great-uncle; right)
9. Marrianna Odeyarne (my 9th great-grandmother)
10. Philip Wildboar

This year we’re beginning each month with a (potentially logical) oddity to think about, and to keep the brain cells active. This month:

Do stairs go up or down?

Please leave your thoughts in the comments.

This year our Ten Things series – which surprisingly appears on the tenth of each month – continues concentrating on the amusing, both real and fictional. So this month we have …

Ten Strange Ancient Jobs

1. Nob Thatcher
2. Bum Bailiff
3. Fear-Naught Maker
4. Fish Fag
5. Gerund Grinder
6. Gong Farmer
7. Philosophical Instrument Maker (right)
8. Prick Louise
9. Rack Maiden
10. Vaginarius

This year we’re beginning each month with a (potentially logical) oddity to think about, and to keep the brain cells active. This month:

If anything is possible, then is it possible that nothing is possible?

Please leave your thoughts in the comments.

This year our Ten Things series – which surprisingly appears on the tenth of each month – continues concentrating on the amusing, both real and fictional. So this month we have …

Ten Organisations I Invented

1. Badger and the Road Kill; third rate 70s rock group
2. Beaver & Dyke; pub
3. Blunder & Bust; accountants to the impoverished
4. Forced Rhubarb; female barbershop singers
5. Gortmore Mews; merchant bank
6. Interbap; Russian state bakers
7. Kidney, Scrotum & Codd; debt collectors
8. Snottwright & Wedge; builders
9. Virgins in Paradise; Islamic girl band (right)
10. Wackford Squeers and the Cheeryble Brothers; gothic Motown rock band

This year we’re beginning each month with a (potentially logical) oddity to think about, and to keep the brain cells active. This month:

Many animals probably need glasses, but they don’t know it and neither do we.

Please leave your thoughts in the comments.