2021

It’s seemed a little pointless trying to write something out of nothing for the past year or so; and I am readjusting to life as a recluse by collecting newspaper for my windows. I an usually take a little inspiration from the ubiquitous mundanity of everyday life, but when even that is reduced to staring at the same damp spot on the ceiling night after night thinking I should do something about it, while knowing that I will never do anything about it; you sort of stop worrying about being creative! 

I think 2021 will be the year I finally bury what little business I have left. I left Twitter just before Christmas - partly out of a need to cut out the noise that is unnecessary and unhelpful, and partly to see if I could live without social media for January. 

Social media has never been anything I’ve been into in a massive way. I deleted Facebook years ago but kept Twitter as over time I managed to cultivate nearly 4,000 followers. A mix of industry links and people who liked my work and was sort of a necessity for networking and exposure, and has given me opportunities. 

Unlike Facebook who keeps your account there forever and a day for when you finally cave, Twitter is brutal. They change the locks as soon as you are out of there, and you are left crying on the kerb in the rain, begging to be taken back. I found this out earlier…

So, now I am embracing being a social media nomad. So what if I have something to crow about, or publicise?! Who needs to eat?! 

For Christmas, my boys bought me a little travel journal. I have never kept a journal before. I always thought it embarrassing and indulgent. However, in my younger days, I though nothing of oversharing everything on a blog for the whole damned world to laugh / be disgusted at. I am increasingly convinced it’s an age thing. I love my journal. It’s like a blog, but without the pressure of entertaining an audience, and it’s private! Who knew of such joy? 

Yesterday served up the first highlight of 2021. One of my photographs is being used as the cover art for a new standup comedy album by the amazingly talented and funny comedian Sean McLoughlin. It’s called Hail Mary and is honestly one of the best hours of comedy I’ve seen over the past few years. It’s streaming just about everywhere, so please go and take a listen and share with everyone! 

It is only now that I realise the actual power of social media and its point. Now I have no way of helping to push things like this and feel like an idiot! So farewell career, it was nice but it was all my own doing.



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