An empty plastic chair sits in front of a small palm tree on large white rocks by the sea in Naples.

Promo image for Odd and Wonderful. Graphic design with vibrant colours, the newsletter title, plenty of swirly arrows, and a picture of Francesco in the middle.

Rework of ‘MIDI Sans Frontières’, originally composed as a response to the EU referendum in 2016. The score and recorded stems of ‘MIDI Sans Frontières’ were...

Squarepusher - Midi Sans Frontieres (Avec Batterie)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=X_k2lih0T6U&si=Dua1pQ3Ql720H9Vx

A gate to a street between two buildings in Rome Garbatella, with plants and flowers all around it.

screenshot of Francesco's substack metrics for open rate in the last 30 days. Figures show 76.19%.

the particular sadness of

Some Gen Z workers are prioritising their workouts over meetings – and millennials cannot wrap their heads around it.

A career coach on why the many ‘demands’ of the Gen Z workforce might just be common sense

Two books laying next to each other on a table. One is a book called “a celebration of creativity from Italy”, the other is called “The Passenger: Mediterranean”.

Intercom phone from a brand called “Bellissimo”

Glimpse of a beach and a blue container from an opening on a wall

Fresh buns

open.substack.com/pub/oddandwonderful/p/fresh-buns

Building front reading “rage”, likely cropped from sto-rage

Plastic yellow sign in the shape of a police person, in the middle of a public toilet.

Picture of a page in a zine with the title “a deep diver into stacy’s mom” by Molly Wurwand

happy Bernese mountain dog smiling at the camera

Glazed swedish buns stacked high on a glass tray in a cafe

The English Channel on the horizon, grass swept by wind in the lower frame.

Fully experience the sights and sounds of the UK’s coastal resorts. Features Scarborough, Llandudno, Weston-super-Mare, Margate, Oban, Whitby & more.

British Seaside Simulator 🏖️🚗

Handwritten message in the post from a gutter cleaning company

Vintage teapots shaped like cars, pianos, bourse and other silly objects

Tree on a grassy hill with the sea behind it

Harbour with small fishing boats and speedboat, as well as a little floating house.

Two armchairs in a garden are lit by the sun at golden hour

An alpine mountain seen from an airplane, amidst the clouds.

Top-own view of Italian Nativity pieces: minuscule baskets of fruit, vegetables, bread, and other food.

Holding a book called Francesco’s Mediterranean voyage” with a man standing on a boat

Bridging the undefined gap between design, strategy, comms and art. Operating worldwide on GMT. Now available for special projects.

Francesco Imola

screenshot of the Never Not Ready website

Fox opening her mouth wide, a feet away from the camera.

The Folkestone harbour at low tide the hour before sunset

Folkestone harbour and lighthouse pictured against a blue sky and super still sea

An empty, blue pedestrian bridge, seen from the eyes of a pedestrian.

Screenshot of Glitch.com code featuring javascript that controls a synth

Met this very tall and beautiful boy today

I'm so excited for the launch of Your Fat Friend in UK cinemas this February! I've seen it twice already (at two premieres), and I urge everyone who's at least once looked in the mirror and wished their body looked different to watch this.

I'll bite the bullet. I've been working in cafes and bars for a month. The job hunt had taken over my mental health. It wasn't sustainable anymore. I'm still keeping an eye out for cool collabs, but for now, I'm enjoying being out there, making & serving things that people love.

In a moment of solitude today, I was browsing through my camera roll and found this from my recent trip to Naples. Poetry, don't you think?

I’m starting a newsletter! It’s packed with stories (mine), music playlists, resources for creatives, and inspiring articles and art. 

Landing in your inbox, gently like a paper aeroplane, on Feb 1st. 

Subscribe if that sounds right up your alley 📧 oddandwonderful.substack.com

Obsessed with this tune. It makes you feel instantly nostalgic. https://youtube.com/watch?v=X_k2lih0T6U&si=Dua1pQ3Ql720H9Vx

Yesterday, I helped my partner update his CV and write a letter to apply for a job. Less than 50 minutes later, his phone rang: he had got himself an interview! 🤯 

He deserves it, and I should be humble...admit I had nothing to do with it. But boy, did it feel good.

Sandwich is apparently home to a stunning medieval church which has been transformed into a…ahem, a charity shop.

On my morning walk in Garbatella a couple of days ago.

I don't usually obsess over numbers when it comes to my writing, but looking at the open rate for my Substack makes me want to give a big fat middle finger to all the companies that have turned me down for email marketing roles in the past.

Never has internet poetry felt so relatable http://www.theparticularsadnessof.com/

Just came across this Stylist article about prof boundaries and how my generation values them. And curious to hear from the Posts community, what can we learn from the overworked millennial/genx managers about maintaining a healthy work-life balance? http://tinyurl.com/ye25fyh2

Spent almost two hours this morning sharing stories about our journeys to creative freelancing with a new local friend I've made through my other job in food service. It was wonderful and so, so refreshing.

For the series “more books I’ll take ages to get to”: this time the theme is *clearly* nostalgia (for Italy) through design and documentary.

I’m taking my days one at a time lately. There’s some interesting news I’d love to share but I want to fully savour the moment myself first. And the weather on gorgeous days like today definitely helps.

Don’t have enough words to describe all the change that’s been happening lately. But it's good, mostly good.

And while I process it (over chocolate, hugs and downward dogs), I wrote about it here open.substack.com/pub/oddandwonderful/p/fresh-buns

Evening report: this building spoke to me

I know it feels illegal, but yellow policeperson did not stops me from washing my hands in this toilet.

Has anyone read this before? Thinking of ordering but slightly worried it might be one of those books with great intentions but poor execution.

Happy to share that an interview between Nicoletta De Santoli & Domenico De Leo, which I edited and translated, is featured in the 3rd edition of Passing Notes, out now.

🌠 https://www.wannapassnotes.com/issue03

Cover: Tim McFarlane, Seen and Heard Today Tomorrow Forever, 2022

When I feel stuck creatively, I remind myself that somebody decided to write this

Career update: I’m building my freelance business 🏗️ The goal is providing support and resources for busy creative professionals.

Not now, but soon. I’m working on it everyday. Hold on for news. It’ll be worth it.

In the meantime, enjoy this pic of my partner’s gorgeous Izzie.

We made plenty of cinnamon buns today 🧁

After a cold and muddy winter, it was liberating to make it up the cliff and enjoy these views once again.

Someone’s finally instagrammed a coffee I made. It’s a first. Feels like graduating coffee elementary school.

Here’s a little fun treat for those of you (un)lucky not to live by the seaside. In Britain. https://vole.wtf/british-seaside/

I’m a sucker for print marketing…when it’s done well, and I genuinely love messages like this!

Do you have a say in who gets through the door at your company? Have you ever said, "this person just doesn't have the right experience for this role" about a candidate? 

If so, have you ever wondered how anyone is going to get that experience if no one gives them a chance?

Disappeared for a while. I’ve been busy moving. This is the view out of my kitchen window at the moment ✌️🌞

A book about me that I didn’t know existed?

New personal homepage, same me. Thoughts? 😇 https://francescoimola.com/

Just got the umpteenth job rejection, this time through the phone. Kinder, but no less painful. This one stings more than others because I donated a lot of my time to their interview task and was super into the idea of joining.

Do you ever feel like every job application you submit takes away a piece of who you are? Or is it just me? It sucks, and I've been thinking of keeping tabs on the ones that leave me feeling drained vs those that give me hope and good vibes. You know, just for my own reference.

Two final interviews this week. I’m feeling the pressure 🫀💆‍♂️

My solo VA agency is now up and running and I'm feeling hugely proud of how the site has turned out www.nevernotready.club

Listening to Olivia Rodrigo and walking through forsaken parts of London

Has anyone else switched from Google Workspaces to Skiff? I'm in the middle of this transition and came to Skiff with the best of intentions, but am starting to notice all its rough edges. Would love to hear your pros and cons for migrating to Skiff if you've already done it.

I'm playing with generative music on the webpage today 😊