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
now spinning
the turntable’s quiet right now.

notes

printed from bluesky
connecting to bluesky…

writing

  • The gym bags were packed, the plan was set, then a “quick twenty-minute nap” turned into two hours. Takeaway and beer won the evening instead. Sometimes what you need isn’t discipline, just a pause, a laugh, and a decent curry.

    read on →

  • Getting online in 1994, the modem screech, Usenet, and IRC before feeds and algorithms took over. A look back at the small, personal web of the dial-up days, and why it’s worth bringing a bit of that spirit back, without turning away from what’s new.

    read on →

  • First proper gym session back after a herniated disc: Power Plate, a slow treadmill walk, then gentle yin yoga with Stephanie. No pushing it, just showing up, moving, and ending the day lighter than it started.

    read on →

  • Heading back to the gym for the first time since a torn disc landed me in hospital for four nights. No big comeback moment, just trying again and seeing how it feels. After everything, showing up feels like enough.

    read on →

  • After a long back injury, what actually helped wasn’t rest or painkillers, it was a 1-to-1 session with Stephanie at Love Yoga Crew. Gentle movement, no pressure, and a reminder that healing sometimes means doing less, with intention.

    read on →

  • A quiet act of protest against Trump’s trade war with Canada: two lattes at Tim Hortons, with Stephanie. Supporting decency, one overpriced coffee at a time.

    read on →

  • On quietly stepping away from social media and rebuilding a slower, calmer corner of the internet instead. This site can do most of what the feeds do, just without the noise, the ads, or anyone else controlling the space.

    read on →

  • Some thoughts on truth, and how hard it is to hold onto when the world feels chaotic. On people deciding what they want to believe first and hunting for evidence after, and on trying to stay someone who keeps looking at the facts clearly.

    read on →

  • Homegrown leeks, potatoes, and chives from my own back garden, turned into a simple vegan soup. A few substitutions to the usual recipe, and perfect comfort food for a blustery autumn day.

    read on →

  • I lasted three minutes watching the Coronation before switching off. As an Englishman living in Scotland, the pomp felt less like tradition and more like a reminder of a hierarchy I don’t accept. I went for a curry instead, and it tasted a lot better.

    read on →