Terminal lucidity is an uncanny phenomenon, a final gift from those who are leaving us, when clarity briefly pierces the fog of decline.
Autobiography
How I became me.
The Answer I Couldn’t Find
I’ve been an atheist for as long as I can remember. I would, however, describe my younger self as an “anti-theist”: vehemently opposed to anything religion. During that time I read a lot of scripture and mythology, seeking an answer I still haven’t found to this day.
Take the Drugs, Get Back to Work
I recently had a breakdown and ended up going to therapy. It was a strange experience, one that left me wondering if it was really trying to help, or had an ulterior motive.
The Liar and the Businessman
When I first moved to Shanghai I didn’t have many friends. But after a short while I started to become part of a small social group. One of these friends was rather unusual. He could knock back pints like the best of them, and he was a compulsive liar.
That Time We Pranked a Burn
The Shanghai Cacophony Society (also known as the Raccoon Society) are pranksters of compassion. As members we try to invent shenanigans that will trick, confuse, and delight people. One year at Dragon Burn we started a new theme camp that was less than it seemed.
Conversation with a New Friend
It finally happened. Someone tried to scam me on Steam. I guess I don’t play online games enough for me to be exposed to these scammers usually, but it was bound to happen eventually. Thankfully I was lucky enough to spot what was happening before any damage was done.
Exploring Cities of the Past
OneDrive has an “Explore” tag that automatically sorts all your pictures into categories for you. I though it might be fun to grab pictures from a specific tag and see what stories they can tell. Here are all the images categorised under “City”, and the story behind each.
Please Don’t Knock on My Door
A knock on the door can often bring good things. A friend coming to visit, that parcel you’ve been waiting for, a letter from a loved one. But there are situations where a simple knock can bring bad things. Sometimes a knock on the door can be utterly terrifying.
My First Time Into the Cage
I got into fighting when I was younger. Although I didn’t manage to keep it up, I still learned a lot from training MMA. It taught me a lot about myself and others that I don’t think I could have learned from anything else.
Our First Dog and Our First Cat
Perhaps one of the worst periods of my life was after I turned 17. I was in Cumbria, studying in sixth form. I was thinking about what to study at to university, about what I would do with my future.