Martin Baker
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martinbaker.bsky.social
Martin Baker
@martinbaker.bsky.social
67 followers 47 following 280 posts
Fran & Marty live 3k miles apart. Our book HIGH TIDE LOW TIDE inspires others supporting a friend with mental illness. Posts are Marty's. He/him/his.
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Martin Baker @martinbaker.bsky.social · Nov 11
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Martin Baker | Instagram, Facebook | Linktree
Mental health author and blogger
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martinbaker.bsky.social
Coming up tomorrow (Saturday) on our blog is a follow-on piece to my recent post for #InternationalMensDay. If you missed the original you can read it here. 

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/11/from...
From Joe 90 to Marty: Celebrating the Boy I Was and the Man I Would Become
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
November 28, 2025 at 11:08 AM
martinbaker.bsky.social
[new] Celebrating Friendship and Connection by the Sea

A fabulous day at the Spanish City Christmas Market with Fran Houston, Aimee Wilson, and Stacey and Jamie from Fox Under The Moon.

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/11/cele...
Celebrating Friendship and Connection by the Sea
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:52 AM
martinbaker.bsky.social
Tomorrow (Wed) on our blog we're celebrating friendship and connection after my day at the Spanish City #ChristmasMarket with Fran, Aimee Wilson, and Stacey and Jamie from Fox Under The Moon. In the meantime, check out my short story The Hundred Stories.

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/04/of-d...
Of Diaries and Dreams: The Hundred Stories
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
November 25, 2025 at 1:58 PM
martinbaker.bsky.social
#MondayBlogs From Joe 90 to Marty: Celebrating the Boy I Was and the Man I Would Become

"I became a man. Before that I was a little boy." — Adam Ant (Stuart Leslie Goddard)

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/11/from...

#InternationalMensDay #IMD
From Joe 90 to Marty: Celebrating the Boy I Was and the Man I Would Become
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:22 AM
martinbaker.bsky.social
Being a Man: Exploring My Gender Identity for International Men's Day

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2022/11/bein...

#InternationalMensDay
Being a Man: Exploring My Gender Identity for International Men's Day
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
November 19, 2025 at 1:36 PM
martinbaker.bsky.social
[new] From Joe 90 to Marty: Celebrating the Boy I Was and the Man I Would Become

"I became a man. Before that I was a little boy."
— Adam Ant (Stuart Leslie Goddard)

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/11/from...

#InternationalMensDay #IMD
From Joe 90 to Marty: Celebrating the Boy I Was and the Man I Would Become
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:35 AM
martinbaker.bsky.social
On our blog tomorrow I have a new post for #InternationalMensDay - From Joe 90 to Marty: Celebrating the Boy I Was and the Man I Would Become. In the meantime, here's last year's #IMD post, Six Qualities and Twelve Men I Admire.

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2024/11/six-...
Six Qualities and Twelve Men I Admire: Positive Thoughts for International Men’s Day
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
November 18, 2025 at 11:54 AM
martinbaker.bsky.social
#MondayBlogs [new] An Instrument for Living: How Am I Using My Words?

--
It’s no hyperbole to claim that our words can change lives, even save lives.
--

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/11/an-i...
An Instrument for Living: How Am I Using My Words?
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
November 17, 2025 at 2:08 PM
martinbaker.bsky.social
[new] An Instrument for Living: How Am I Using My Words?

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/11/an-i...
An Instrument for Living: How Am I Using My Words?
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
November 12, 2025 at 9:22 AM
martinbaker.bsky.social
Tomorrow on our blog I'm sharing my response to reading Colin Wilson's "The Outsider." In the meantime, here's another look at Occasional Spikes of Mayday: The Power of Analogy When Talking About Mental Health.

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/07/occa...

#mentalhealth #analogy #TimeToTalk
Occasional Spikes of Mayday: The Power of Analogy When Talking About Mental Health
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
November 11, 2025 at 3:16 PM
martinbaker.bsky.social
Content warning: discussion of tragedy including loss of life

#MondayBlogs In a Solitude of the Sea: Exploring My Fascination With Disaster Documentaries

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/11/in-s...
In a Solitude of the Sea: Exploring My Fascination With Disaster Documentaries
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
November 10, 2025 at 10:19 AM
martinbaker.bsky.social
Tomorrow (Wednesday) on our blog I'll be talking about my fascination with disaster documentaries. In the meantime, here's another look at Only Partly Clueless: The Secret to Being a Supportive Friend.

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2024/08/only...

#MentalHealth #friendship #support #FriendshipGoals
Only Partly Clueless: The Secret to Being a Supportive Friend
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:22 PM
martinbaker.bsky.social
#MondayBlogs Forward or Back? Thoughts on a Steam Train Ride from Heatherslaw to Etal

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/10/forw...
Forward or Back? Thoughts on a Steam Train Ride from Heatherslaw to Etal
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
November 3, 2025 at 10:25 AM
martinbaker.bsky.social
Tomorrow (Wednesday) on our blog we have a new post inspired by a steam train ride on the Heatherslaw Light Railway. In the meantime, here's another look at managing hope and expectation when you live with chronic illness.

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/05/ever...
Everything Is (Not Always) Possible: Managing Hope and Expectation With Chronic Illness
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:53 AM
martinbaker.bsky.social
#MondayBlogs Miserable Places: My Welsh Nightmare

Do you have "miserable places" you never want to revisit and can scarcely think about? Here's one of mine.

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/10/mise...

#holidayFromHell #Wales #carRental
Miserable Places: My Welsh Nightmare
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
October 27, 2025 at 2:06 PM
martinbaker.bsky.social
[new] Miserable Places: My Welsh Nightmare

Do you have "miserable places" you never want to revisit and can scarcely think about? Here's one of mine.

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/10/mise...

#holidayFromHell #Wales #carRental
Miserable Places: My Welsh Nightmare
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
October 22, 2025 at 7:27 AM
martinbaker.bsky.social
#MondayBlogs "Yes! Exactly!" When You and Your Friend Are on the Same Page

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/10/yes-...

#friendship #support #FriendshipGoals #mentalhealth
"Yes! Exactly!" When You and Your Friend Are on the Same Page
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
October 20, 2025 at 9:13 AM
martinbaker.bsky.social
[new] "Yes! Exactly!" When You and Your Friend Are on the Same Page

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/10/yes-...

#friendship #support #FriendshipGoals #mentalhealth
"Yes! Exactly!" When You and Your Friend Are on the Same Page
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
October 15, 2025 at 8:42 AM
martinbaker.bsky.social
Tomorrow (Wednesday) on our blog we have a new post about how great it feels when you and your friend are on the same page. In the meantime, here's Looking Out: An Open Letter to My Best Friend.

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/03/look...

#letterwriting #adventure #mentalhealth
Looking Out: An Open Letter to My Best Friend
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
October 14, 2025 at 5:45 PM
martinbaker.bsky.social
#MondayBlogs So What If You Don't Have a Workplace? WMHD Is for You Too

#WorldMentalHealthDay is focused on mental health in the workplace but what does workplace mental health mean in a world where not everyone has or wants a traditional workplace?
www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/10/so-w...
So What If You Don't Have a Workplace? WMHD Is for You Too
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
October 13, 2025 at 9:17 AM
martinbaker.bsky.social
Do More of What You're Good at and Keep Good People Close: What I've Learned about Prioritising Mental Health in the Workplace

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2024/10/do-m...

#WorldMentalHealthDay #MentalHealthAtWork #WMHD #WMHD2025
Do More of What You're Good at and Keep Good People Close: What I've Learned about Prioritising Mental Health in the Workplace
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
October 10, 2025 at 12:02 PM
martinbaker.bsky.social
So What If You Don't Have a Workplace? #WMHD Is for You Too

#WorldMentalHealthDay is focused on mental health in the workplace but what does workplace mental health mean in a world where not everyone has or wants a traditional workplace?

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/10/so-w...
So What If You Don't Have a Workplace? WMHD Is for You Too
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
October 10, 2025 at 9:47 AM
martinbaker.bsky.social
[new] So What If You Don't Have a Workplace? #WMHD Is for You Too

Your day may not begin and end with a commute to the office. Your week or month may not begin or end with a paycheck. Nevertheless, your mental health and your needs are important.

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/10/so-w...
So What If You Don't Have a Workplace? WMHD Is for You Too
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
October 8, 2025 at 6:56 AM
martinbaker.bsky.social
On our blog tomorrow (Wed) we have a new post ahead of #WorldMentalHealthDay. In the meantime, here's another look at "I Wish Our Friendship Could Keep You Safe But I Know it Can't. And That's Okay."

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2024/01/i-wi...
I Wish Our Friendship Could Keep You Safe But I Know it Can't. And That's Okay.
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
October 7, 2025 at 2:36 PM
martinbaker.bsky.social
#MondayBlogs Seven Hours on Sun-beds (I'm Not a Beach Person)

Sometimes, being a supportive friend means sitting with them through their darkest moments. And sometimes, it means sitting with them on a beach helping them relax.

www.gumonmyshoe.com/2025/10/seve...

#Poros #Greece #SelfCare
Seven Hours on Sun-beds (I'm Not a Beach Person)
No one is too far away to be cared for or to care. Inspiring those who support a friend living with mental illness.
www.gumonmyshoe.com
October 6, 2025 at 2:48 PM