October 2022

Our baby hasn’t arrived yet, and we are past due. Harriet and I are keenly awaiting the big day, whenever that will be. Thinking about this is how I’m spending my days at the moment.

Harriet and I have been able to spend more time together in October now that she’s on maternity leave. As a Doctor, it’s rare that she gets extended time off, and we’re keen to take advantage of it. We have been taking lunchtime walks, eating out a little (tried Sister Bao in Newington for the first time, Ondine for dinner, The Palmerston for lunch, and returned to The Southern and Southpour for pub fare), attended a lovely wedding near Crieff, and walked to see autumn leaves in the Pentlands.

We re-joined the Scottish National Galleries, and went to see the “A Taste for Impressionism” expo. It was great, with a selection of paintings from Van Gogh, Monet, Millet, Degas and Matisse. It’s on until 13th November, so there is still time to sneak in a visit.

I hosted another EdinburghJS Meetup. We have had two months in a row with 35-40 attendees. I’m pleased that we have been able to grow and have people keep on coming back. We have one more Meetup this year in November, and then a social in December. Esteban Munch Jones my co-host will be ensuring that it all runs smoothly if I’m still out of action on paternity leave.

Reading

This month I dabbled in a few books on climate change, but spent my time reading more of Francis Fukuyama. I think it is good to cluster books together, either several on a topic, or several by an author. I’ve been trying to read sets by a single author as it can help you really understand what they are focussed on; and also understand how their thinking or writing has evolved over time.

• The Origins of Political Order, Francis Fukuyama.
• Political Order and Political Decay, Francis Fukuyama.

The books main themes are splitting out the package of the rule of law, democratic accountability and the “modern” state. It is usually thought these develop together, but Fukuyama illustrates the histories of each of these ideas and where they have arisen. The order in which they arise and the driving forces behind them help explain how the world is constituted today.