An Ode To My Docs

Thy leather so nice, thy cushioning so sweet
The durable boots which cradled my feet
But holes did appear, and padding did die
So my dear Doc Martens, I must tell you goodbye

Fare thee well, you have served me admirably these past few years. Though I must say, your replacements are quite nice. I think I may now be a convert to Clarks Originals. It’s like walking on cotton and bubble wrap, draped in clouds.

Speaking of footwear, perhaps I should also have sprung for some new and improved running shoes. This thought came to me after seeing the map for the half-marathon that I’m running this weekend, which can be seen here. 13 miles sounds reasonable until you see how much territory it represents. Have mercy on my soul.

By the way, for those who live in or have visited Glasgow, you may well recognise some of the streets and areas the route covers. Turns out it goes straight through Pollok Park (down the street from my flat and home of several heilan coos) and then down the main street through my neighbourhood. Though humorously the map has spelled “Pollok” as “Pollock” for both Pollok Park and Pollokshaws Road on the map. This was, after all, designed and published by the City of Glasgow. Och - heads will roll, so they will!

Guilty pleasure of the month: The Darkness. Unabashed big-hair, cock-rock 80’s metal revivalists, led by a signer who sounds like a cross between the guy from Spinal Tap and Freddie Mercury. The music contains the right mix of tribute and irony that ensures the music is fun and accessible rather than lame and cliched. The band also doesn’t take themselves too seriously and put on a hell of a live spectacle. Result? The Darkness is now the biggest band in the UK with a #1 CD. Look out Canada – they’re coming for you… Check out the tracks “I Believe In A Thing Called Love”, “Friday Night” and the appropriately named “Growing On You".