Ever Learning Dad

Started off the day by looking at YouTube and never really recovered after that. I did go to the local high school Grace will attend for a parents info evening all about the transition from P7 to S1. Quite impressed with the school and she is absolutely buzzing to get started. Rangers comfortably beat Aberdeen 3-0 at Ibrox. Not really starting this year on the front foot. I’m poor, it’s cold and I’m not in the mood. Picture from Lake Como last summer.

Digits.co.uk Images, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons I don't have an interesting (if I ever do) life update today so instead here's how I'd run this country's approach to the workforce. Or at least the policy standpoints I'd take if I was ever minded to become a politician! Work All people aged 23 - 60 would be required to work with a cap of 40 hours per week. The recommended maximum to employers from government would be 32 hours. Work would be banned on Sundays with the exception of emergency services, leisure facilities, cafes and restaurants. Pubs would also be closed and professional sport would be banned on Sundays. Employers breaching these conditions would be fined with money being diverted to the culture and leisure sector. On appointment, all employers would be required to pay the national living wage, which would be adjusted to meet current costs. Wages would increase as standard with the inflation rate ...

Monday morning and back to the office today. Half of me hates getting up so early on a Monday but the other half of me quite likes getting out the house and into the city. I also like seeing colleagues and there's usually a few in on a Monday so the chat is good. Got through some editing and posting, joined a couple of meetings, learned more about our soon-to-join Foundation Apprentice and picked up some more books on my lunch break! Drove to work also today. £8.50 for a peak time return on the train is just outrageous in my opinion. I can park for £6 all day in the city centre. That said, driving is fairly tedious and the standard of some folks on the road is appalling. Not sure if a lot of people have watched so much American TV, they now think we drive on the right hand side in this country. And just the lack of basic manners and behaviour is sad. After that, a basic night in front of the telly with some Still Game (again lol) and a good few pages of Stanley Tucci's book ...

Finally done with the painting! Yas! I didn't do much else to be honest and my brain is on autopilot. Watched the Rangers game for a wee break. 3-1 win at home to St. Johnstone. It was tedious after the third goal went in. Betty, as ever, had the right idea this morning.

Another day painting adding a second coat of primer to the whole kitchen. Set up nicely to finish the job tomorrow with the top coats. I must admit it looks so much fresher and brighter already just having the white walls so I’m a wee bit pleased! But I couldn’t face another full day in and headed out to spend some Christmas money in Waterstones. I picked up their book of the month, ‘The Anxious Generation’ by Jonathan Haidt, which examines the effects of digital and social media on young people. I’m a wee bit anxious to read it given I’m already worried about how hooked my own girls are on things like YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat. I really wish I hadn’t let them on these things at such a young age; it’s a huge regret if I’m honest. I can’t see any benefit to them while the negatives are plenty. I take a bit of solace knowing I’m not unique as a parent and it’s as much down to societal pressure as it is to individual choices. I also got ‘LESS’ by Patrick Grant, which looks more at m...

It only took two months after the plastering was finished but I finally got round to painting the kitchen. It’s fresh plaster so needs the full two coats of primer and topcoat. I’ve also painted over the bright red wall in there too. Who paints their walls bright red!? Anyway, I made a start finally, spurred on by the fact I now have a holiday to pay for and funds can’t stretch to getting a professional decorator in. But man, I hate painting. It’s tedious beyond words. If it was just a case of whacking up a bit of matte topcoat, no bother. But it’s all the mundane bits beforehand; filling holes, cracks, smoothing them out, cleaning the wall, the aforementioned primer etc. and then waiting hours in between coats. Yawn. I shouldn’t moan. It was previously artex all over in a minging puke-y colour. Much better white and smooth. So that was my Friday. Well, I managed to progress on Resident Evil Village too! I think I’m getting close to the final boss. How exciting a life I live.

First full week back at work done. I’m so glad I switched to compressed hours last year. I cram my 35 hours into four days and get my Fridays off. This week was just about getting back into the swing of it. Had a few meetings, done some social media stuff and a bit of planning. All good. Went to see ‘A Real Pain’ last night, starring Jesse Eisenberg (also writer and director) and Kieran Culkin who deservedly picked up a Golden Globe for his role. It was a solid 4/5 movie. Beautiful cinematography around Poland with a lovely piano led soundtrack. The supporting cast was excellent and Eisenberg himself was great as the wound up David.

£280. Interim service and rear break pads. The latter being my own fault as I had an advisory on those back in August. But I also only just got the exhaust repaired in November which was close to £400 as well. I could cry every time I hear something scraping, screeching or jolting in the damn thing. It's done. Move on.  I at least got my steps in walking from the garage to home and back again later in the day. I very rarely spend near two hours in a day walking (pitiful) so I'm sure my lungs were at least thankful. Pretty bog-standard Wednesday. I checked my bank account just to confirm the dwindling funds, two and a bit weeks until payday and the car money went on the credit card, which has taken me over half my limit, which I really try to avoid doing.  This is not a very fun post so I'm leaving it there. I also don't have any nice photos today because when I go back to work my inner creativity dies a little. So here's a shitty picture of my shitty work desk. My s...

We’re going to Tenerife in July! I’m not sure how I’m going to afford that, along with trips to Bologna and Aalen also this spring/summer but I’m sure we’ll make it work. The kids are buzzing and I really did want them to have something nice to look forward to this summer. However, the cost for a week is mental. Even more annoying that we have to fly for Manchester because the additional cost of flying out from Scotland made it unaffordable. Really frustrating. At work, I’m interested in applying for a development role with our Service Design team. I spoke to the team manager today and had a positive conversation about what the role entails and I spoke with my current manager and she was, as ever, very supportive. I’ll get my application in and see where it leads. It would be for a higher grade and without being too desperate I really need this.

I could try and do something here, which outlines my hopes and ambitions for the year…but today was simply about getting back into it, getting through the day and settling in to 2025. I make no apologies. I don’t even have a photo so there’s Betty looking thoughtful.

After watching Rangers and going through the wringer of emotions (again) as they pissed away the lead, TWICE, against Hibs for a 3-3 draw, we went to the basketball. Caledonia Gladiators’ women’s team were playing Essex Rebels at the Playsport Arena in East Kilbride. Our home team ran out winners in the end scoring 91 points, which was a pretty impressive return. Some of the shooting was excellent with more than a few 3s being sunk! We’d got some complimentary tickets through Anna’s football team and I think there must have been a few comp tix given as the crowd was pretty decent. I was actually sad not to be able to stay for the men’s game taking place shortly after. I’d definitely recommend going to see the Gladiators. First, Playsport is an excellent venue and it’s a genuine home arena as the team owns the space and so it is fully decked out and really looks the part. You feel like it’s an occasion going to see a high quality sports team. That presentation will be crucial to helping...

A bit of a late morning getting ourselves up and out. Partly my fault I guess and annoyed as I wanted to do a wee trip to the Kelvingrove Art Galleries but if I don’t get us out before midday I can’t face driving in to the city. So we went to Whitelee Windfarm instead, which provided both a strong breath of fresh air, some exercise and a chance to get the kids off their screens for more than 10 minutes. It was blustery, the kids refused my instructions to wrap up and subsequently looked frozen but my attitude is to let them learn the hard way if they don’t want to take advice. The attitude infuriates me and I have to bite my tongue. I do wonder what the balance is between just being a parent who dictates and being a parent who encourages learning. I’m sure there is a balance and I’m just not getting it. I had a few great non alcoholic beers into the evening. The quality of AF beers has come so far in the past couple of years. I had the Joker and Caesar Augustus AF beers by Williams Bro...

No kids until later on in the day, so we took mum’s dog Kounellis a walk around Strathaven Park and the village centre. It was a beautiful day and I always feel a bit more at ease after a visit here. It’s got an old timey charm, especially compared to the traffic, housing estates and roundabouts of EK. Later, I made tagliatelle bolognese and had a cheeky wee red wine with it even though I really do want to cut out the booze for a while. Overdone it over the Christmas period. The pasta was great though. Again, talking about things which put me at ease and I’d say chopping veggies, the smell of garlic and onion and the sight of it all coming together is definitely one of those things.

At lunch with the girls I had my niece, Martha today from 10-4 and I have to say it was lovely. I always feel apprehensive before babysitting because I have the fear that I won’t be able to keep up, maintain energy to entertain a small child and also keep her safe but as ever, it’s an unfounded trepidation. She was a wee star all day and my own two were great big cousins, especially on our walk to the East Kilbride town centre. Rangers also finally beat Celtic, which has gotten 2025 off to a great start! Went to see Nosferatu in the evening. Very good and followed the formula nicely. 

A wee vino at Curious Liquids Kicking off 2025, the year I turn 40, with the first post of a daily series (hah!) to capture general activities and musings. As it is, I’m absolutely knackered today as per usual following a late night beyond the bells for the New Year. We were also invited for dinner at my mum’s house. So I’m suitably stuffed and ready for bed. That said, briefly, my goal for 2025 is simply to try and establish some healthier habits for my mind and body. Things like: Establishing a regular routine for learning German Drinking more water and less couch-based boozing Being more mindful of the food I put in my body Exercise - literally anything Proactively advance my career by better understanding how I work best throughout a day Be more conscious of my home and caring for it regularly. So, some lofty ambitions and we’ll see how it goes. Let’s face it, it’ll be a miracle if I do this every day but hopefully most days to give myself an inner accountability and strength.