Stephanie Harris
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mllesharris.bsky.social
Stephanie Harris
@mllesharris.bsky.social
1.3K followers 1.1K following 910 posts
Lawyering, contracting, research funding. Formerly of universities, now Senior Contracts Manager NIHR. Photos of my cats and garden.
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mllesharris.bsky.social
My timeline is full of things to be very upset about. But let’s not forget that it’s the time of day when my cat comes to sit on top of me and purr.
A tortie cat with a black nose and white bib is lying on top of me. Her paws are crossed over. Soon she will reach out to touch my face.
December 9, 2025 at 8:51 AM
mllesharris.bsky.social
On 6 December 1989 a man went into a university and murdered 14 people for having the audacity to be women studying engineering.

We remember their names every year but this year is particularly poignant as the world he wanted threatens more than ever.

Image now with alt text
GENEVIEVE BERGERON HÉLÈNE COLGAN NATHALIE CROTEAU BARBARA DAIGNEAULT ANNE-MARIE EDWARD MAUD HAVIERNICK BARBARA KLUCZNIK-WIDAJEWICZ MARYSE LAGANIÈRE MARYSE LECLAIR ANNE-MARIE LEMAY SONIA PELLETIER MICHELE RICHARD ANNE ST-ARNEAULT ANNIE TURCOTTE Image by Michael de Adder
December 6, 2025 at 9:38 PM
mllesharris.bsky.social
Well. That was a lovely letter to wake up to.

It deserves alt text.
Saved by Stoppard Sir, In 1993 my wife and I went to see the first production of Arcadia by Tom Stoppard (obituary, Dec 1), and in the interval I experienced a Damascene conversion. As a clinical scientist I was trying to understand the enigma of the behaviour of breast cancer, the assumption being that it grew in a linear trajectory spitting off metastases on its way. In the first act of Arcadia, Thomasina asks her tutor, Septimus: "If there is an equation for a curve like a bell, there must be an equation for one like a bluebell, and if a bluebell, why not a rose?" With that Stoppard explains chaos theory, which better explains the behaviour of breast cancer. At the point of diagnosis, the cancer must have already scattered cancer cells into the circulation that nest latent in distant organs. The consequence of that hypothesis was the birth of "adjuvant systemic chemotherapy", and rapidly we saw a striking fall of the curve that illustrated patients' survival Stoppard never learnt how many lives he saved by writing Arcadia. Michael Baum Professor emeritus of surgery; visiting professor of medical humanities, UCL
December 2, 2025 at 9:14 AM
mllesharris.bsky.social
At this time of remembrance we in Britain focus on what really matters
Tweet by riles @raaleh ME, CALLING INTO BABESTATION: hey beautiful what are you wearing BABE: just a thong baby ME: just a thong? BABE: yeah baby ME: where's your fucking poppy
November 9, 2025 at 10:23 AM
mllesharris.bsky.social
Americans (and friends) are understandably horrified by the brute damage being done to the White House. It feels irreversible. But of all the things that have been destroyed in these past few months I feel that this is the most easily mended.
The Frauenkirche in Dresden, 1945. It was once a magnificent church, now its a pile of rubble with two half destroyed columns at either end. The Frauenkirche, Dresden 2015. A night shot and the lights of the church and surrounding buildings glow. The church was restored stone by stone and from this photo you would never know that there had been such destruction.
October 21, 2025 at 9:25 PM
mllesharris.bsky.social
The fact that the letting agent knows what they’re doing and arguing it’s reasonable makes this extra special. There is part of me that would like to play the argument out that but for the home the work would not have been created. I feel that’s… weak.
Additional Terms IP Assignment by Tenant 1. The Tenant agrees that any intellectual property, moral rights, copyright, design rights, trade secrets or proprietary information of any kind (including but not limited to inventions, discoveries, designs, processes, improvements, works of authorship, software, data, photographs, recordings, artwork, ideas or other creative or inventive output) which are conceived, created, developed or reduced to practice by the Tenant, alone or with others, during the tenancy and in relation to the residential premises (or using the landlord's materials, tools, facilities or resources) (hereafter "Works") shall immediately upon creation be the sole and exclusive property of the Landlord 2. The Tenant hereby assigns to the Landlord all right, title, and interest in and to the Works (including all intellectual property rights therein) without further consideration. 3. The Tenant waives (to the extent legally possible) any moral rights in respect of the Works in favour of the Landlord. 4. The Tenant agrees to execute all documents, do all acts and things reasonably necessary (at the Landlord's expense) to give effect to this clause, including registration of any rights or filing of any applications required to perfect the Landlord's ownership. 5. This clause survives the termination or expiration of the tenancy agreement with respect to any Works created during the tenancy. Hi bro, No stress. That is a pretty standard term in agreements these days. Its to help not have any disagreements in the event of certain situations. Its nothing to get worried about. If you need help understanding call me on • Otherwise lets get this agreement signed and get going!! Please get lets get this done before EOFY today so you can secure you're new place. After the call today the landlord has decided to not longer consider you're application for Good luck in you're future search.
September 23, 2025 at 8:47 AM
mllesharris.bsky.social
I’ve had many cats but never one so conscious of how adored she is by her humans as this #ProofOfCat
A small tabby cat stretches luxuriously in the sun, reaching out to me as I take the photo.
September 21, 2025 at 1:45 PM
mllesharris.bsky.social
My cats are all hiding under the covers. Here’s a lovely Japanese print instead.
Japanese print. A black cat with a long tail spies a tiny insect flying under a tree with white blossoms. Set against a gold background.
September 17, 2025 at 8:29 PM
mllesharris.bsky.social
An actual comment I've just read on LinkedIn. For shame, NHS!
The NHS has a huge bias towards medicine. It's a real shame and a real disservice to those in need.
August 29, 2025 at 1:10 PM
mllesharris.bsky.social
Well done to England’s Lionesses!
Cartoon from Canada’s National Post February 2014 during an Olympics in which the women’s ice hockey exceeded the men’s in every way. The coach is saying to the men’s team: “play like girls”.
July 28, 2025 at 4:50 PM
mllesharris.bsky.social
A Scarry for all seasons.
Close up of a scene from a Richard Scarry book. A house is on fire and a ginger and white cat calls to be rescued as a ladder has been put up to the window. The text reads “beautiful screaming lady”. A Richard Scarry drawing of an anthropomorphic rabbit wearing red overalls and a yellow shirt. It stands on its hind legs and is blowing dandelion seeds. The scene is calm and idyllic. The text reads: “when I dream of being at the top of my field.”
July 22, 2025 at 4:45 PM
mllesharris.bsky.social
Cats love open window season.
#ProofOfCat
A small tabby cat sits on a dresser with her tail curled around her. She stares intently through an open window to the green outside, watching and listening.
July 13, 2025 at 9:57 AM
mllesharris.bsky.social
It’s that time of year when I go to the garden to get my breakfast.
A plastic container with a handful of perfectly ripe blackberries and raspberries. Out of focus in the background is the bush where the raspberries grow.
July 9, 2025 at 8:50 AM
mllesharris.bsky.social
It’s a hot #Caturday and she’s got the right idea. Look at those feet!
A tortie cat with a white chin and neck sleeps. Her white paws are arranged one over the other.
June 21, 2025 at 10:49 AM
mllesharris.bsky.social
A mural of Leonard Cohen above Crescent Street in downtown Montreal. He is wearing a hat and smiling slightly.
June 12, 2025 at 5:20 PM
mllesharris.bsky.social
It’s Iris season in the garden. 🌱
Close up of a deep violet iris in full bloom. Foreground: white irises in bloom. The petals are threaded with subtle purple on the inside. In the background are purple irises.
May 18, 2025 at 12:33 PM
mllesharris.bsky.social
Canadians reacting to Trump’s latest message.
Screenshot of Samuel L Jackson in Pulp Fiction. He is standing and holding a gun to the head of a man who is sitting on the floor. Text reads: Say “51st state” one more time, motherfucker.
April 28, 2025 at 1:51 PM
mllesharris.bsky.social
On a hot April day in 2017 I joined hundreds of Canadians in Vimy to commemorate the centenary of a battle that features strongly in the national memory.
9 April 2017. Canadian Mounties in red dress uniform stand to attention on the steps of the Vimy memorial in France. Along the steps are empty boots representing those who died in the war. Visible is a statue of a weeping figure. The memorial is a brilliant white and the sky is a hot blue.
April 9, 2025 at 8:18 AM
mllesharris.bsky.social
This is god tier “here’s why that’s bad for Biden” stuff.
Tweet from Bill Ackman: I have no anger toward Dems. Just disappointment. I don’t think this was foreseeable. I assumed economic rationality would be paramount. My bad.
April 7, 2025 at 7:50 PM
mllesharris.bsky.social
Aww they’re going to invade Greenland to protect Canada. Such heroes!
Excerpt from FT article: “It's really important: a lot of other countries have threatened Greenland, have threatened to use its territories and waterways to threaten the United States, to threaten Canada, and of course to threaten the people of Greenland," Vance said. There have been no public threats to Greenland except from US President Donald Trump, who has refused to rule out military force in his desire to take the island from Denmark.
March 26, 2025 at 11:01 AM
mllesharris.bsky.social
Language lessons I didn’t think I needed…
日本では政府を自由に批判することができる。 In Japan, we can criticize the government freely. Duolingo
March 19, 2025 at 7:33 PM
mllesharris.bsky.social
In other news, it’s a beautiful warm #Caturday here in southern England.
A tortie cat is sitting in front of an old fashioned lattice paned window. Her head is turned to the left as she watches the tabby cat come in through the cat flap.
March 8, 2025 at 2:31 PM
mllesharris.bsky.social
“You stupid boy!”
Keir Starmer giving a press conference in Washington. He stands in front of two enormous flags saying: “there’s a famous slogan in the United Kingdom…”
February 28, 2025 at 9:21 AM
mllesharris.bsky.social
Scene from Blackadder. Hugh Laurie as the Prince Regent is being interviewed following an election: “Well, er, first, I'd like a word about the disgraceful circumstances in which this election arose. We paid for this seat, and I think it's a damn liberty that we should have to stand for it as well.”
February 13, 2025 at 10:02 AM
mllesharris.bsky.social
Trying to take some time away from the chaos of North America and literally touch some grass. Great thing about WFH is the morning walk.
Standing in a square field enclosed by trees. The ground is covered in frost and mist hovers above. Light from the recent dawn streams in from the right just above ground level. Just after sunrise. The sky is a pale blue but also still pink. The ground is very frosty and a double track leads the eye along the path.
February 4, 2025 at 8:55 AM