Here Are Some Things That I Am Always Thinking About.

30/6/2026

Blaike Gillshaw

1. How everyone has a different walk.

   Different arm swings, different stride lengths, a different amount of bop, swagger, or confidence. There aren't that many steps in the process of walking. One foot moves forward and then the other follows and the arms swing with the opposite leg. That's it. Yet there is so much variance and personality in all of them. When did we change our walks and how are they informed? Did we know we were making choices or are they all subconscious? Do we know that our walk becomes an accessory and an indicator of our style?

   
   

2. How everyone has different handwriting.

   For example, I remember thinking Daniel Radcliffe's handwriting was cool in one of the H*rry Pott*r movies growing up (Sorry for the J.K Rowling jump-scare) and so I started making my handwriting look like his. Now, that's just how I write. Some people's handwriting is really bubbly, or rounded and others are jagged and messy. Some people draw 'a' like this font and others draw it as a circle with a stick. Some people dot their 'i's with hearts or circles rather than just a dot. And how about cursive vs capitols. What about '&' vs 'and' or all the hundreds of fonts we have access to now to model our writing on.

   
   

3. Compositions in the landscape/cityscape

   I love taking photos of random, mundane things. in fact, I don't think they are random. Nature and even concrete, man-made scenes look considered and beautiful if you find the right frame for them. I love walking and looking at what would be good photos even if I don't take the pictures.

   
   

   There is a building in the city centre where I used to live with white walls and ground floor windows that open almost all the way. There is an older, sturdy looking man with grey hair and a beard who leans out of the window to smoke. On windy days, the yellow blinds flap and fly out of the window too. That is a brilliant photo I never took.

   
   

4. When we see colours we don't know what each other are seeing.

   I know that this one is talked about a lot. But, what I really think about when I think about this is how many other things it is true for. How much pain we are in, what our emotions feel like when we say we are joyful or giddy or devastated. How many times we must have dismissed or over-reacted based on colours misaligning.

   
   

5. There is value in the thing before there is value in the thing.

   This is something I wrote about in more detail in my book 'This Isn't Everything' but it is true. We think that we have to become successful before our ideas, or skills or projects are valuable or are in themselves a success but it's just not true. A masterpiece is a masterpiece regardless of whether it has been exhibited. An actor might be the next Zendaya but right now they are waitressing and have never gotten through to the final round of auditions. It doesn't mean they don't have value now. It means that that value hasn't been recognised. There is always value in the thing or the place or the person before it becomes widely believed or understood that there is value in the thing or the place or the person.

   
   

6. These three movies

   Sharkboy and Lavagirl, Bridge to terabithia and Spykids. I think they are untouchable classics and should be up there with Citizen Kane.

   
   

7. These three televsion shows

   Wynonna Earp - Gay cowboys, vampires and small town drama. Doctor Who, come on you've heard of it. And Schitt's Creek - American comedy this Brit can get behind.