The next Post Of The Week will be announced on Sunday evening.
Please note that nominations for next week cannot be accepted until then.

Yes, hello, it’s time for this week’s shortlist.

In no particular order…

1. Antiseptic by Sex and Self Pity
   “She is being held somewhere in Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town I only really know from the rather odd days that I used to go out there with the students from the LGB Society at Keele University when I was wedged into a back brace following particularly invasive spinal surgery”
2. Useless Capitalist by Never Knowingly Underwhelmed
   “I have realised that I would make a useless capitalist. I am a small businessman, in that I’m self-employed, and ticking along fine, but aside from the pleasure I get from my work, I do it in order to make enough money to live comfortably. I have no burning desire to “expand”, or buy a second car, or a second house, and doubt I ever will do.”
3. Hairy Botter by May Contain Notts
   “Here’s where I have total sympathy for the poor sod. I worked in a factory in Hucknall once, and the bitchiness would have put the entire cast of Queer As Folk to shame. There was one lad there who had a divorce, and every time he cocked up over the slightest thing, the entire factory would shout “NO WONDER ‘IS FOO-KIN’ MISSUS PISSED OFF!”"
4. New Tears by East Coast Squarehead
   “Yesterday afternoon, (Friday) forty-eight hours after surgery and time to remove the dressing. I went to the pharmacy before work, while she was sleeping. I purchased extra thick padded gauze, four by fours and tape so she could dress it again if needed. A guy came to the door with flowers and get well balloons from her friends at the plant. I left her a note. “Damn, if I ain’t been trumped. All I got you was bandages”. That’s what the note read.”
5. A Panic Attack by Pole to Polar
   “I am afraid to turn off the light and go to bed. I need light and sound right now, I am afraid of silence or inactivity. If I don’t fill every moment between now and unconsciousness with thoughts and actions, I will panic. If there are gaps in my mind, then they will be filled with horrible images, so I need to be busy until I simply can’t be awake anymore.”
6. Having an abortion is pro-life by Woman of Experience.
   Abortion is, and always will be, the most personal of decisions. For many women, it will be the most agonising and frightening one of their lives, one that requires them to make a judgement that, despite the idiotic pronouncements of MPs, is not as easy as taking a number and waiting in line. And yet when they make that decision, when they have walked the floorboards late at night, speculated on what could be and what couldn’t be and looked at the cold reality of their lives, many of them will still be unsure. But they will go ahead because they actually don’t have a choice.”
   
   Note: Apologies to all, I’d mixed up two excellent posts, and merged the source from one into the quote from the other. Je suis un twonk.
   
   
7. “Dear Ferris” by The Gilded Moose.
   “You’re probably busy, though, what with the baby and working for the Senator and all.”