Author: Gordon

Fighting the Shame of Skin Picking /// A Bicycle Is an Anti-Poverty Machine /// Is Your Brain Foggy? Here Are Five Ways to Clear It /// Ukraine war: Putin has redrawn the world – but not the way he wanted /// How to have less stuff /// How Sweden Sends Just 1% of Its Trash to Landfills /// He Was an Ex-FBI Serial Killer Profiler. Then His Lies Caught Up With Him. /// Alphabet Truck /// Apple TV+ announces season two renewal for global hit series “Severance” /// Ben Dark on the beauty of the magnolia tree /// Generation C /// How We See Ourselves /// Share your best iPhone macro photos for Apple’s Shot on iPhone Challenge /// Experience: my scream is famous /// Netflix shares crater 25% after company reports it lost subscribers for the first time in more than 10 years /// A Lego 5-Speed Manual Transmission /// Mud-caked feet, berries for breakfast and hiding from hunters: my life as a deer /// ‘The lunacy is getting more intense’: how Birds Aren’t Real took on the conspiracy theorists /// ‘That’s it? It’s over? I was 30. What a brutal business’: pop stars on life after the spotlight moves on /// Stop Trying to Be Nice All the Time /// Small Kindness /// How to live well with persistent pain /// How repealing Roe v Wade in the US will lead to more women’s deaths /// Background: Why I put my whole life into a single database /// ‘My problems wash away’: bathers reveal the healing powers of outdoor swimming /// Why Is Politics Getting Nastier? /// ‘They turn up in torrential rain’: the men who walk together for mental health /// A new study found this flirting strategy to be the most effective, regardless of your looks /// The Pursuit of Happiness /// The German cargo bike boom: 2021 market report /// Kai Lenny Surfs the Unsurfable /// Why Do Action Figures All Look Like They’re Jerking Off?

If in doubt, write about what you haven’t written about even though you’ve been trying to…

In the past when I’ve struggled to find time/motivation/words for this blog I’ve resorted to some cliched posts and, well, here’s another one.

I had planned to write about Father’s Day, given it was my first one as a Father myself. Admittedly I’m not big on these types of manufactured ‘days’ but it did give me pause; time to consider the fact that I’m a Dad and to wonder what my own Dad might have thought, the latter of course leading me to a place of melancholy that he isn’t around and didn’t get a chance to meet Jack.

But back to me and, on the whole, I think I’m doing ok as a Dad. I love spending time with my son, watching him play and learn, and learning how to be a Dad from him. It’s a wonderful, emotional cycle that, even during the not-so-fun moments (he’s currently only wanting his Mum at night) I still can’t quite believe how much I love him.

Elsewhere I’m still working from home – a huge boon with Jack around – and enjoying the freedoms that allows. I’ve not been out on my bike as often as I’d like but foot injury remains (ultrasound appointment soon), and we are settling into life in our new house well with the garden scheduled to be useable by August (from 8 years of neglect it’ll finally have a lawn and a small patio, just in time for a small crawling boy to explore!). Ohh and married life is pretty sweet too (she’s a keeper!).

Of course in the world of social media it’s easy to sway to the good stuff. On the whole life is very good but there are hard moments, as any parent knows. We are both exhausted for different reasons, but remain a good team. There doesn’t seem to be a day that goes by with a spare minute in it for either of us, but we are muddling through.

I’m not as active on social media for these reasons as well, but I’m still around, and it’s largely what’s prompted me to grab 10 minutes to write this post; there is still a desire to share my thoughts here, to capture moments of my life and, whilst a lot more of those go into my private journal, it’s nice to write for public consumption for a change even with the knowledge that it’ll only be read by 7 people (on a good day).

Anyway, enough about me, I hope you are all well and prospering in the life you’ve chosen.

All 7 of you.

Yesterday we had a Naming Ceremony for Jack. Just us and a small group of friends and family, the people we know will be in his life for years to come. Alas some people weren’t able to be there, but we know he was in their thoughts on this special day.

We all gathered at Pollok House and after a lovely humanist ceremony delivered by https://www.facebook.com/gerrie.douglasscott we all applauded as we welcomed Master Jack McLean! What a great wee guy he was on the day, all dressed up in his shirt and waistcoat with smiles for everyone, blowing bubbles at every opportunity, and generally reminding everyone just how cute he is.

I’ll happily concede that the day was more about bringing people together than any notion of a ceremony for Jack. We aren’t religious, this wasn’t a ‘substitute christening or baptism’, but we did want to do something for him, and hopefully he can look back on the photos and videos and get a sense of how lucky and loved he is and how that hasn’t changed as the years have gone by. We did appoint two Champions though, my sister Jennie and Becca’s brother Robbie, who promised to be there for him, and support him and help him grow in ways we can’t.

For Becca and I it was a wonderful day, bringing both our families and all our favourite people together, and the love and joy in the room was palpable. It was so nice to be able to mingle with everyone afterwards, enjoying donuts (thanks Nic’s NYC Deli) and cupcakes (thanks I Love Cupcakes) as well as the food served up by Pollok House staff. And what a glorious venue it was, even if the day was a bit dreich, it felt cosy without being small, and the staff were wonderful. Can’t wait to see the photos (we hired the wonderful Leigh at Pearl and Plum) to see all the love and laughter that filled the room.

Ohhh and Becca and I got married too, cos why not! It was a surprise for everyone, and just made the day so much happier and giddy.

Which is exactly how I feel, so very happy with my life, with my amazing son who is coming on leaps and bounds, and with the knowledge I’ve just married my best friend

What a great day.

Entry 582 of an ongoing series of posts about how minor injuries and life events continue to get in the way of carefully made plans.

Safe to say it’s been an eventful year so far, in no specific order…

At the end of January we had booked in to a hotel for a night to celebrate the anniversary of our engagement. It would also be our first night ‘away’ with Jack. We had a lovely time, the hotel was great, and all was good until we started the car next morning, only to hear a horrible crunching sound. That was 10:30am.

The tow truck eventually arrived at 4pm. Thankfully the hotel graciously allowed us back into our room for the day (there wasn’t anyone booked in it anyway) so we hung about Kenmore for the day, and with the car finally assessed (DMF failure) and towed it was Granny Morna to the rescue! She drove up to get us and got us safely home. The car is fixed now, all under warranty, but what a long day.

We’ve also had our landlord serve notice so we have to move in a few months. She was very apologetic as she knows our circumstance with Jack (she’s been a great landlord!) but she needs to move back in. So we’ve moved to Bothwell! From a maisonette in the city, to a 3 bed semi, with a garden and conservatory, a good place for Jack to grow up, maybe ever cloud does have a silver lining?! All depends on how much it’ll cost to get the garden turned into an actual garden as, at present, it’s more of an overgrown and neglected wasteland.

We also had a wee trip to A&E after Jack banged his head. He’s fine, but as the first ‘scare’ it was NOT fun for Dad who had to wait outside (thanks COVID rules) for a few hours until he could see his boy and hold him and cry over him as, lo and behold, he’s fine!

On top of all that and I’ve developed a sore foot which I think might be a nerve issue. Not a quick fix at the best of times, but with NHS still ‘behind’ thanks to COVID (not a complaint about the NHS!) it could be weeks until I get a proper consultation, looking at private options.

That said, we’ve moved in to the house, and now my mind is turning to cycling as I’ve three Sportives coming up and with next to no training in the last 6 months it’s time to get out on the roads (and up the hills!).

However the overarching positive is our son, our chunky little boy who is growing fast, and brings us smiles every single day even through the worst of the teething so far. I never knew that I could adore, love, and be so overwhelmingly consumed by fascination with anything, I am cherishing every single moment as best I can.