State of the Matthew Address 2026

I am alive and well. As this is the baseline for me to give an address we will move swiftly on.

Regarding my Health

I am still currently a bit fatter than I need to be. This appears to be a constant. I'll enter the new year at fifteen stone give or take a pound. I am going to work on my diet this year and aim to lose a very modest pound a week. I am hoping this will bring me closer to a healthy weight by the end of the year.

I have been running throughout 2025 and have already started training for 2026. I had completed two 50k races this year, and I have two 50 mile races and a 100 mile race in 2026. The reasoning for the 100 mile race is to give me something I have a genuine chance of not completing. I am looking for a challenge.

I am hoping to give up drinking for 2026, I will have a dilemma in this is most likely to be the year that Jamie will get married and he will have a stag do to be planned and attended. perhaps no drinking with one exception?

Regarding my Professional Life

I've shaved my beard off and I'm determined to be more businessy this year. Business Matthew does business things. Hopefully we can make it through and open up some opportunities to move forward in my career.

Regarding my Personal Interests

I concentrated on working on my book throughout 2025. I have a basic draft and I'm going to go slow at it throughout 2026. I am hoping that the whole book will be ready to be reviewed by someone else by the end of the year.

Photography continues to happen, and I will get better if I keep working at it. Considering a little video work this year, just to see if I can make anything interesting.

Regarding my Travel

I got myself to the USA, Mont Blanc, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan and Orkney this year.

I'm looking at a more reserved travel year this year, I am hoping to get myself to Lithuania to see nick Cave, Israel to see the sights of Jesus and then a few other Scotland based events, maybe a trip out to St. Kilda.

Regarding my Volunteering

Still the chair for Tayside Re-Users. I'm still working on getting the basics sorted. We are having a long journey to get banks sorted and all of our processes sorted. The biggest challenge is that we are looking at ending the year in deficit, hopefully we can come very near break even and concentrate on earning more in the 2026/2027 financial year.

Regarding my Education

I have not really done much for my own education. I have ramped up my reading and I'm really hoping to read three books a month this year. It's an ambitious goal, let's see where I get to.

Regarding my Finances

I am very comfortable at the moment. I could always be more comfortable, but I seem to be doing OK. All money is now focused on saving up a down payment for a house. I think we are about two years out from having everything we need in order to buy our first home.

Regarding the Future

I am strong, I am fit and I will keep moving forward.