Douglas Ireland

from the dial-up days

“If I had understood the situation a bit better I should probably have joined the Anarchists.”

— George Orwell

“It takes much longer to get up north, the slow way.”

— Ian Dury

“Information is power. But like all power, there are those who want to keep it for themselves.”

— Aaron Swartz

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notes

more notes on bluesky →

writing

  • Premier League Dreams, Non-League Streams

    My team, Oldham Athletic, have reached the National League play-offs. The match on Wednesday is an eliminator. A one-off play-off game at home to Halifax. Win that, and we’re into the semi-final away at Solihull. Win that, and it’s Wembley on Sunday 1 June, with a place in the Football League on the line. I’m

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  • What’s Got You Most Hyped for a Reform UK Government?

    What are people actually looking forward to if Reform wins the next General Election and forms a government? Is it the generous tax cuts that will inevitably gut public services across the country, leading to the slow dismantling of everything from libraries to local councils, already held together by little more than duct tape and

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  • It’s not about the flies

    I heard the old saying again the other day.You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. It’s one of those phrases that feels too neat to be useful. But it’s stuck with me. I’ve tried vinegar.Sharp words. Cold silences.Avoiding people who rub me the wrong way.It doesn’t do much. You just end up bitter

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  • Running, Stopping, and Starting Again.

    I’ve completed the Couch to 5K programme twice before. It’s not magic, but it works. Each time I finished, I felt quietly pleased with myself. I’d reached a point where running 5 kilometres in around half an hour was comfortable. Not easy, exactly, but doable. I enjoyed it, too. Or at least, I enjoyed the

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  • The Nap That Ate the Evening

    We had a plan. Gym bags by the door. Water bottles filled. The noble intention of movement pencilled in for after work. But then the sofa looked inviting. And the thought of a “quick refreshing nap” crept in like a cunning little idea. Just twenty minutes, we said. Just a recharge. Nothing serious. Two hours

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  • Like Shit Off a Shovel

    I first got online in 1994. Back then, just saying that felt futuristic. Most people I knew didn’t have the internet at all. You had to dial in, literally. That high-pitched screech of a modem connecting was the sound of something new. We called it the information superhighway, and it really did feel like that,

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  • Moved a Bit, Felt Better

    Bank holiday Monday. No rush, no pressure. Just the quiet decision to go back to the gym for the first time in a while. I’ve been out of action since a herniated disc left me in hospital for four nights. It’s been a slow recovery, and today felt like the right time to move again.

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  • Showing Up

    Later today, I’m going back to the gym for the first time in a while. I had a torn disc in my back and ended up in hospital for four nights. It was incredibly painful, and recovery has been slow. Painkillers helped, but rest was the real work. I’ve missed movement. Not in a dramatic

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  • Back on My Feet, Thanks to Stephanie

    It’s taken a while, but I’m starting to feel like I’m coming back to myself again after the back injury. What made the biggest difference wasn’t the painkillers or the rest. It was a 1-to-1 yoga session with Stephanie. Being in pain for that long messes with your head. It wasn’t just the physical discomfort,

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  • Latte Not Hate

    Supporting decency, one overpriced coffee at a time. With @loveyogacrew.

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