I built my first website in 1995. I call this from the dial-up days because I miss the internet before the noise. Before the dopamine loops and the surveillance. It was slower, weirder, and more human.

This garden is quiet on purpose. No likes, no shares, no algorithms. Just words, when they’re ready.

I’m Douglas Ireland. Originally from Manchester, I’ve been living in the west of Scotland since 2016, now settled in Paisley, trying to make sense of the weather and the world.

I write here to explore how we keep going. The world is in crisis, and while we can’t control the global headlines, we have absolute agency over how we show up to fight them. Expect reflections on digital rights, green politics, and social justice, usually grounded in the rain of the west.

But serious politics needs balance. So you will also find notes on League Two football (Oldham Athletic), the joy of a cheap Casio watch, and the importance of a good nap. It is an attempt to be a principled citizen without forgetting to be a regular human.