Writing.
I write about life, work, people and place. Expect oversharing. Here are some of my most popular essays from my newsletter, The Primordial Scoop.
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Meet Me in the Waves
Today, the nights are longer and the days are cooler. It’s so rare one can pinpoint the turning of time but that day, I could.
Between the sand and the sea, we crossed from infancy to boyhood.
Take It to the Sea
Sometimes we are the current, pushing and pulling and directing the flow of our lives.
Other times, the sands move from under our feet and we’re forced to move too. This year, I’ve experienced both.
Death to Perfectionism
When did perfectionism become so desirable?
‘Perfectionist’ has become a byword for a competitive, work hard, type A, productivity-obsessed personality trope.
For some, it seems to have replaced a personality altogether.
Is It Time to Stop Trusting Our Gut?
Trust your gut, they say. Your intuition. Your feelings.
But what if your gut is the most unreliable voice you know?
The gut is for younger, bigger emotions. We’re older now and the stakes are higher. With a family in tow and money on the line, it’s time for a new set of skills. I can’t rely on the gut alone.
It’s time for a meeting of head, heart and gut.
Your Mistakes Can Die Tonight.
My friend is low. My friend is lonely. He feels cut off, typing away in a room in a house. Zoom calls are a poor substitute for interaction with colleagues and god knows they’re forcing us to create a whole new work persona, like we weren’t forcing it enough already.
Cheerily smiling and waving into your own laptop. “Yes, I’m good, thanks. Are you?”
Of course not! No one is.
Trust Me, I’m Your Toilet Cleaner.
Why do we need to trust brands so much?
Did our grandmothers demand trust from their soap brands? I doubt it.
They had the church. The moral guidance of their families and communities. You can see the problems here too, but if we’re asking commercial enterprises to affect important social change, I fear we’re really in trouble.
“She’s All Right, But the Goldfish is Dead.”
My brother Declan is five years older than me. He is a journalist, and has lived in London, New Zealand, Istanbul, Athens and now Abu Dhabi.
He lives like an International Man of Mystery.
He is always posting pictures from amazing cities and no one ever knows who takes them. Who does take those pictures? “A friend.”
You’ll Need a Machete Where We’re Going.
This week I had a long conversation with someone I haven’t seen since March, but have known and loved for 15 years.
We talked about work, money, depression, property, pets, children, parents, Ireland, the Cotswolds, gardening and diets. This was all in under 90 minutes. You know how it is with old friends.
“It is Most Seemly to Die Before Forty at the Latest”.
I’ve had a birthday since we spoke.
Thirty eight, if you’re curious, although my spirit remains ageless and that’s the main thing.