Shorter posts, links, or thoughts. No schedule, not heavily considered.
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Matthew Perry
Many years ago there was one of those early internet meme things doing the rounds. You picked three TV characters you thought best represented you, mine were; (If I’d put more thought into this, I’d swap out Gordon the Gopher for Lorelai Gilmore because ‘attitude and coffee’). It was, as ever with such things, a…
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Israel-Gaza war
I have so many thoughts on the current situation but lack the knowledge to properly articulate them. I am on the side of humanity, I wish the killing would stop, from both sides, and that somehow Israel and Hamas find the strength to stop acting like children (you bombed us, so we bombed you…) as…
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How to raise a man
Man up, sit downChin up, pipe downSocks up, don’t cryDrink up, don’t whine“Grow some balls,” he said“Grow some balls” The maskOf masculinityIs a maskA mask that’s wearing meThe mask, the mask, the mask Samaritans by Idles We want Jack to be kind, considerate, and thoughtful. We want him to be present, to live a happy…
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Today is now
I’m a sucker for a plan. I consider myself a goal driven guy. The type of person that’ll find the motivation they need by setting a goal, then doubling down by adding a healthy dose of guilt when I publicly state my intentions. I’ve always got half a mind on finding new challenges which inevitably…
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Reasons to work
I’ve been made been made redundant three times in my career, so far, and the first two were from my first two jobs. Not a great start, you’d think. The first time was from a small Scottish company called Crossaig (I built their website back in 1999, christ I’m old…) they were, in hindsight, just…
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Almost 50
Apparently old age hits when you are 68, or so I read. I’m not sure why that is, and I’m sure smarter people than me have outlined the reasons in great detail but, on the whole, it sounds about right given that I’m soon to turn 50 and I do not think I’m all that…
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Used
This may come as a surprise to some of you but, believe it or not, I’m not really that into fashion. I know, you’d never tell from looking at me, right?!! It’s not that I don’t understand fashion and the part it plays in society but personally I veer more towards practical clothing, even if…
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Hotel Life
Hotels are strange places. Particular the big chains that always give me pause when I am woken from my slumber by an early alarm, those initial few seconds it takes to remember where I am in the world when confronted by yet another bland room with the exact same layout as the other bland rooms…
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Everything changes
We human beings are a strange and complicated lot in many ways, none more so than when something alters in our worldview. I know that change is viewed by a lot of people as a bad thing yet it seems that, when it is thrust upon us, we adapt to it far more easily than…
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Que será será
I start a new job this week – on a Wednesday for some reason – my first new job for several years. It wasn’t planned but as my first day approaches I’m getting more and more eager to get going. Throughout my career working life I’ve only ever really wanted to do something useful, I’ve…
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Moving Home
Coming home I feel like I,Designed these buildings I walk by Guy Garvey (Elbow) – Station Approach When I finally left Dumbarton, the town I grew up in, a place that holds more memories for me than any other, I never looked back. I’d long since felt like I’d outgrown the increasingly claustrophobic small town…
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The Disappearing Dad
And here we are, half past three in the morning. I’m the only one awake, in my lap my son is gently snoring, my wife is asleep in our bed, the dogs are asleep on the sofa downstairs. The dark is punctured by a night light, the stillness outside broken occasionally by a car, it…
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Rabbie
For many years my Dad performed at Burns Suppers; singing, reciting poems, or delivering various parts of the usual speeches, including the ‘infamous’ Toast to the Lassies. Latterly he became involved with Dumbarton Burns Club holding various positions on the committee, and whenever Burns Night rolls around my thoughts immediately roll back to memories of…
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Good advice
Stop trying to define yourself with negative labels “Labeling yourself is not only self-defeating, it is irrational. Your self cannot be equated with any one thing you do. Your life is a complex and ever-changing flow of thoughts, emotions, and actions. To put it another way, you are more like a river than a statue.”…
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Bye bye 2022
Another year draws to a close, a very different year for me as it was the first full year with my son. Looking around the internet, blogs are full of recaps and ‘best of’ lists all of which only go to re-enforce how much of a (good) impact Jack has had on my life. Working…
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Day of boxes
Twas the day after Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even our boy Jack (he’s just gone down for his nap). What a lovely day we had yesterday, picked up my Mum late morning and visited my sister and her family. My adorable nieces Lucy and Daisy – who…
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Finding a way
Our son is almost 14 months old (no I don’t know when you stop counting in months) and thriving. We are adapting to his needs as best we can and overall we have each day down to a pretty regular routine. Recently we’ve started to realise we both need to carve time out for ourselves…
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Jack is 1
Hey kiddo, Somehow, although I’m not quite sure how, it’s been a year since your Mum and I spent all night in hospital waiting for you to arrive. One year since we met you, this tiny little boy who was chomping away on the towel he came wrapped in, one year since your first feed…
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Busy doing a life
Short versionLife is good, parenting is exhausting but wonderful, not much else is happening. Longer versionJack is almost one year old and thriving. So many parenting cliches are true, the time does pass too quickly and I feel very blessed and lucky that I’ve been working at home this entire time and been able to…
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RIP QE2
I am still processing the news of her death. I am not a royalist, I don’t believe in what they represent even if the Queen did try and change things (a little). From what I can tell, she seemed a likeable woman, not heavily burdened (a little unaware?) with her position, quick to laugh and…