Open Thinkering

Weeknote 09/2025

• 4 min read • Weeknotes / weeknote / work

“If you don’t stand for something then you’ll fall for anything”

(‘Harder Than You Think’ by Public Enemy)
Photo of sunset at Druridge Bay

There are some video games where you, as a character, build up your powers as you move through the game. By the time you reach the ‘boss level’, you are at your peak and should be able to defeat anyone or anything. It’s interesting that (except with sequels), we never find out what happens to our hero after they defeat the ultimate enemy. I like to think that they retire to sit in a rocking-chair, occasionally polishing their sword, doing some tai-chi, and regaling descendants with stories of their prowess.

If only life were like that.

This week has been half-term for our two teenagers, and my wife had three days off. Meanwhile, I’ve been on quite the emotional rollercoaster. On Monday, I went to A&E early this week about the ongoing issues I’m having with my heart. My chest has been super-tight, but I was scolded and sent home by a clinician for presenting there because “this hospital is for emergencies.” While I knew that, I’d had travelled there on the advice of a (free, anonymous) phone call with a nurse from the British Heart Foundation. They’d told me I need an echocardiogram, and the fastest way to get one was to go to A&E. That didn’t materialise, unfortunately.

So I made a GP appointment, spending 45 minutes with a doctor who took me seriously, didn’t try to gaslight me, and who diagnosed me with suspected (stable) Angina. He’s prescribed me a statin, blood pressure medication, and GTN spray. I’ve got an outpatient appointment a different hospital the week after next. I’m just relieved to find a reason for going from running 1,000km last year and hitting to the gym three times a week, to not being able to walk up hill without resting half-way up.

I’m a vegetarian non-smoker who exercises regularly and drinks moderately, yet here we are. Things will improve, probably quite slowly, but the frustrating thing is that the main cause seems to be… my genes. My grandfather had Angina, and my father has an IED fitted, so there was never much chance of me avoiding some heart issues.

As a result, I’ve decided not to travel to Glasgow next week to present and help facilitate the Awards Network event. Instead, the organisers have been kind enough to let me participate remotely. I’m fine, but I need a bit of time to get used to my new reality. A marathon is probably now no longer on the cards, but given the right medication, diet, and so on, I should be able to get back to doing more than soft-pedalling an exercise bike in the garage. Fingers crossed🤞

Everything else has been much paler in terms of significance, but here are some highlights:

  • On Monday night I was back at the Lit & Phil in Newcastle, this time with my mother, for a talk on the life and influence of Edgar Allan Poe.
  • The Open Recognition is for Everybody (ORE) community call was on Tuesday and it made me think how groups like us, organised around a mission and vision, are key to making the world a better place. I also applied for about 10 jobs, because I hadn’t heard back from any potential client work.
  • Octopus Energy spent 3.5 hours at our house on Wednesday doing a survey for us to potentially get a heat pump. We’re visiting some houses and asking questions of homeowners next week before we make a final decision.
  • On Thursday, I got potentially good news from one client. I also worked through things ready for upcoming online sessions:
    • Awards Network Annual Event (Tuesday 4th March) — as mentioned above, I’m now doing this remotely, so worked on my slides and a video recording of a custom GPT I’ve created for an afternoon activity.
    • F*ck Around and Find Out (Thursday 6th March) — a paid for, ticketed event but nevertheless “a safe space to play with AI tools and learn about the social and cultural issues that underlie the field of AI.”
    • AI Literacies for Open Educators: An Exploration (Friday 7th March) — my first collaboration with Dr Angela Gunder, as I discuss in this WAO blog post.
  • Friday morning was dominated by an Opening Up session about “opening up knowledge in ​the charity and philanthropy/grant-making sectors” which I enjoyed helping facilitate with Tris Lumley. After reading a weeknote by Tom Watson, my wife and I went for a walk on nearby Druridge Bay beach, one of my favourite places in the world.

It’s looking like the builders we’ve chosen to convert part of our garage into my new home office are going to be ready to start next Thursday. I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to moving out of the utility room. Between a clanking boiler, washing machine, tumble dryer, and fridge, I’ve had enough of that space. Not to mention that it’s the coldest room in the house.

Life is weird at the moment, but then I guess it’s only going to get weirder in the omnishambles, permacrisis world that we currently inhabit. What a time to be alive! I hope your 2025 is going well.

Photo: Druridge Bay