Battle Mode

On the recent hiatus with Hard Lines

What Midjourney made after prompting: ‘Hard lines & divergent circuits’

OK, I'll just say it. Work on Hard Lines has crashed headfirst into a ditch.

I've not posted for weeks, creating my own Stranger Things-esque barrier to re-entry. Worse, I've stopped engaging with or logging into Substack as various challenges have loomed into view.

You deserve better than this, readers. And so, to that end, please know that I'm really sorry. More cool stuff is coming, and I’ve taken steps to ensure such a drop-off doesn’t happen again.

*

These days, I don't post many life updates. Most of the time, let’s face it: life isn’t that interesting. Still, given recent events have killed any ability to publish, it's only fair to let you know what's happening behind the scenes.

As some of you may know, there's been a lot of shenanigans going on at work. You know the kind of thing. Long hours for no extra pay. Conversations with HR where they cheerfully tell you to check the small print in your contract.

Sadly, situations like this can take a toll on your health if they carry on for too long. And so it’s more likely that all these extra hours have caused the recent flare-up in the EDS condition that I live with.

At the same time, my four-year-old son has recently been diagnosed with autism. He ticks every box according to the paediatrician. And given he’s not yet five, his support needs are described as high, with significant challenges expected at every milestone.

*

Of course, he's had this condition since the day he was born. Moreover, his needs have developed in the two and a half years that we've waited for him to be seen. And like many parents in similar circumstances, we’ve felt the level of care our boy has needed has sometimes exceeded our ability to cope.

It’s not a nice place to be. Of course, we're hoping that will change soon. But, at the moment, it's fair to say that we're in full-on battle mode.

Hopefully, now that we have his diagnosis, we can put more support in place. There's a massive challenge ahead, though, and I'd be lying if I said we didn't feel daunted. Life is changing unexpectedly, once again, and in so many areas all at once.

*

Our son is a beautiful boy and we love him to bits. And the good news is that, after living in limbo for so long without help, we now have the key to unlock more support.

We're also getting to know other parents and carers in the local special needs community, which feels like progress. God willing, this change should usher in a new and calmer period for all of us.

So, the future is bright. It always is, despite what others may want you to believe.

Anyway, this is just an update. I know it's a bit off-brand, but I hope it explains why I've been so quiet lately. It feels like we’re trying to redesign our lives.

Thanks for your support and patience. More instalments with Hard Lines will resume shortly.