Long Form

When you’ve been on site long enough, you learn certain things: it’s tough, mistakes have consequences, and sometimes you’ve got to learn quickly. But what you also learn, often silently, is that being shouted at, called out, even humiliated are part of the trade. It’s woven into the day-to-day. And plenty reckon that this kind…Read moreRead more

Are we in a trust recession? A collapse, not of buildings, but of faith — in people, institutions, promises, the very glue that holds any society or industry together? I would argue that we are. Look around you: news headlines, social media outrage loops, political theatre. For many, the idea that you can believe what…Read moreRead more

The alarm clock doesn’t even need to ring anymore. Long before it sounds, the demolition worker is awake, staring at the ceiling, body heavy with exhaustion yet mind restless with yesterday’s problems and today’s challenges. At 3:45 am, the day begins in darkness. He dresses quietly, trying not to wake his partner or children, and…Read moreRead more

Ryanair’s Boeing 737 aircraft are equipped with three toilets: one at the front of the aircraft and two at the rear. In the past, Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, proposed charging passengers to use them. On another occasion, he proposed removing the toilets entirely to make space for more seats and, therefore, more paying customers. These…Read moreRead more

According to both Google and ChatGPT, talking to yourself is not just normal, it is healthy. It can improve memory and motivation and help regulate emotions. It was very different when I was a child. Back in the day, we used to say that talking to yourself was the first sign of madness. The second…Read moreRead more

So this farmer was out mending a fence one day when he had a mishap, so he went to see the town doctor. As he was getting his hand stitched up, the doctor asked how he’d happened to slip so badly with fence wire. “I was startled by a Post Turtle,” the farmer said. Now…Read moreRead more

For many people, Christmas is a time of light. For those of the Christian faith, it is a season of deep significance; a celebration of birth, renewal, and hope. Churches fill with carols and candles, reminding believers of something larger than themselves. Families, too, see Christmas as a long-awaited reunion. It’s the one moment in…Read moreRead more

On Sunday afternoon, it was announced that former world champion boxer Ricky Hatton had passed away. Even though he had been very open about his mental health challenges and his battles against the demons of drugs and alcohol, his death came as a shock. He was only 46 years old and he had been planning…Read moreRead more

Earlier today, I hosted the 1,000th episode of my daily LiveStream, The Break Fast Show. Before we get into the why and how I became a LiveStreamer at the (then) ripe old age of 55, let me put that into some context. My favourite band of all time is Ultravox. I was introduced to them…Read moreRead more