On Thursday, while queuing for what turned out to be a splendid ham and piccalilli sandwich, I noticed a sign hanging close to the shop entrance advertising a charity called Campaign Against Living in Misery (CALM). As I waited for my butty to be freshly made, I scanned further detail about this campaign/charity, of which I’d no previous exposure. From this rare piece of inquisitiveness, I learned CALM has been […]
Last night I dreamt all of the curtain poles in my house simultaneously detached themselves from the walls in every room. Consequently, chez Strachan witnessed an unexpected synchronised crashing to the ground of wood, metal and drapes….. Strangely even in the garage, where there weren’t any fitted! In this night vision, on witnessing this scene I lambasted myself for misguidedly utilising velcro to affix the poles. Something my wife Karen […]
“Anything worth doing, is worth doing right.” Philosophical words of wisdom from late US writer Hunter S Thompson, advocating his belief in the necessity to undertake projects with pride, tenacity with aspirations it’s produced ‘right first time’. Prose expressing the importance of not settling for a completed job that’s unfit for purpose. In a far less eloquent manner, a close family member of mine imparts the same advice, only with […]
The aging process – Bosom buddy of cosmetic surgeons, bezzie mate with manufacturers of anti-aging products and inseparable amigo of the pharmaceutical industry. A nemesis, though, capable of imparting wisdom and highlighting coping mechanisms to improve the lot of the rudderless and disenfranchised. Unless you’re Benjamin Button, the process is an unavoidable existential companion to whom we are all shackled. Even though I’d like to think I ordinarily exhibit non […]
Friday 8th June – Yesterday, I spoke with a friend stricken by recurrent depressive disorder. A thought-provoking conversation where he revealed the mental lows regularly experienced in the dark corridors his erratic mind. This individual, who for the purposes of anonymity I’ll call Lord Smedley, told of his existence in this mental gutter. A solitary domain where he often resides until the metaphorical cavalry arrive in the shape of happier […]
Monday 14th May – There’s an old adage that ‘No good deed goes unpunished’. Yesterday afternoon it was a folklore teaching I was rudely reminded of by my ‘good’ buddy karma, in cahoots with his rancid sidekick cancer. Following undertaking five hours voluntary work for MacMillan Cancer Support, I returned home to witness the ‘reward’ for my magnanimousness a sight of my spouse in severe pain from her long standing […]
Tuesday 1st May – Met up with friend and ex-colleague this morning. For 20 years we stood side by side in the metaphorical trenches of IT Incident Management – For a number of reasons, March 2014 was the last time we were comrades in arms. I’ve no intention of elaborating on those reasons, other than to say the shell shock of undertaking the role, along with my wife’s illness, drove […]
