Tag: weeknotes

Weeknotes #108: from Kyoto to Åre

A week of great food, entertainment, and cultural experiences.

Week commencing Monday, 10 February 2025

This image shows the exterior display of Sohoplace theatre at night, featuring a digital billboard for a play titled "KYOTO". The billboard includes the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company) logo and the tagline "SAVING THE EARTH IS A FILTHY BUSINESS". The show's title is displayed in large red letters with an image of Earth in the middle of the 'O', surrounded by what appears to be splatter or debris effects.
Seeing Kyoto

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 5/7; Exercise 5/7 and Move 14/7. (66%). Morning walks: 0/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 50,828

Life

  • It was pub quiz again. One of the rounds was really tough for us, but it turned out that it was tough for everybody. Mid-table seems to be our position.
  • Food that was batch-cooked last Sunday lasted the week. And it was very useful. Also, tasty.
  • We had an impromptu dinner at Mora Meza on Thursday night, and it was delicious.
  • If I wrote that we went to see a play that dramatises the 1997 climate change treaty negotiations in Kyoto, it would sound a bit dry. If I added that a big scene featured arguments over the placement of a comma, you might think to avoid it. In fact, the high stakes of the event – and the politics for the ten years leading up to the Kyoto summit – were gripping. A fantastic piece of theatre at Sohoplace.
  • Related, it was the first legally binding agreement to commit industrialised countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The US never ratified it. The UK met its obligations for the first commitment period, to 2012.
  • Our Valentine’s dinner was post-theatre. The later hour meant we were the only ones in the restaurant. They were packing up around us. The food was delicious, but the ambience was – perhaps – not so romantic.
  • Saturday, to see Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy at the Odeon in Streatham (£7 seems like a bargain ticket). I’m not sure I’ve seen any of the movies since the original. It’s always best to have low expectations because I came out having thoroughly enjoyed it. Bridget is now a single mother and navigating life once again looking for love, but older, if not wiser. Surrounded by the consistent group of friends (including Hugh Grant, Sally Phillips and Emma Thompson) that helped make previous films. No spoilers, but is Roxster even a name?
  • Relatedly, related. I never read film reviews until after I have seen the movie and have my own opinion. But I love how The Guardian’s website can simultaneously have a poor review (2 stars, Peter Bradshaw) and a much more positive one (4 stars, Wendy Ide). I am not sure who that’s trying to help. My review: engaging, funny and not as clichéd as imagined. Probably 4 stars.
  • We saw Patti LuPone at the Coliseum on Sunday night. As PY quipped, Old Compton Street must have been deserted. The show is just Patti and two on-stage musicians. It had ballads and musical showstoppers, and the music spans her life, woven into her story. I think it was supposed to appear unscripted, but it was a bit too slick into and out of songs to be anything other than pre-written. There was a lack of personal showbiz anecdotes and not much spontaneity, but it was a wonderful evening of song. Did we just see an icon of stage? I think we did.

Media

  • More crime drama. This week it was the turn of Netflix’s Swedish drama, “The Åre Murders”. I was expecting subtitles but got the dubbed version. It was only on episode 4 I realised I could have the original Swedish audio; by then, I opted not to. It’s good, but the underlying reason for the show – detective Hanna Ahlander retreats to Åre after facing suspension in Stockholm – is somewhat glossed over. Be prepared for a lot of snow.
  • While watching another video about Dutch transit, I discovered a new word for the bricks used in road building. Technically, it’s a Dutch word: klinkers. See also this video.
  • Jon Stewart & John Oliver Welcome America to Its Trump Monarchy Era went on a bit. The monarchy bit was funny.
  • More YouTube rabbit holes: it’s been seventeen months since I worked in Staines. But I think it now has TFL contactless payments; no promotion: Gen-Z are saying they have ‘no interest’ in middle management; James May admits he ‘weeps’ about Brexit’s impact on television.

Weeknotes #107: tofu and gardens

A week of discoveries, good food, and reflections.

Week commencing Monday, 3 February 2025

This image shows a winter scene at RHS Wisley, capturing one of its distinctive rock garden areas alongside a reflective pool of water. Despite being taken in February, the garden displays the characteristic year-round interest that Wisley is known for, with various textures and forms creating visual appeal even in the dormant season. The rockery rises in terraced levels, with moss-covered stones creating natural-looking steps and platforms. A gravel path winds through the rocky landscape, leading upwards through the garden.
A winter scene at RHS Wisley

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 5/7; Exercise 3/7 and Move 4/7. (57%). Morning walks: 0/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 46,616

Life

  • To prove that I am nothing if not a mass of contradictions. After last week’s dive into, perhaps, useful AI, this: “The LAST thing we needed was a better way to generate plausible-looking horse shit for random gullible people to consume unwittingly, but here we are, and it’s only going to get worse.” Rachel By The Bay is also spot on. What a world.
  • Relatedly related. It was announced that Google’s Gemini assistant is being enabled at work. That would allow me to add material to the notebook service I talked about last week. I am not expecting hitherto unnoticed insights. Yet.
  • Thursday was too cold to sit out for drinks for our usual Thirst Thursday, so we moved to Mildreds, where I continued my rule of not ordering anything “chick+n” but broke my rule of avoiding tofu. The kimchi bokkeumbap, which contained salt and pepper tofu, was delicious.
  • Saturday, to the RHS gardens at Wisley. The Orchid House had colour, and there were snowdrops in bloom. I bet it’s even more impressive in summer.
  • Sunday to a crowded Ikea to buy a light. And then a tram and bus to Lower Morden Garden Centre, where we bought some new plants. To avoid carrying it, potting compost was ordered from Amazon for delivery tomorrow.
  • Note to future self: parsnip gnocchi was a lot of work, but delicious.

Media

Weeknotes #106: Happy Lunar New Year

AI experiments, personal reflections, life updates, and intriguing challenges explored.

Week commencing Monday, 27 January 2025

A sea view at Seaview

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 6/7 and Move 5/7. (86%). Morning walks: 0/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 58,567

The weeknotes are a bit different this week as I spent some time reading and playing with a number of AI tools, specifically using my own material—like these weeknotes—to see what the models might do with them.

Let’s talk about AI

  • Once again, there’s a lot of chatter about AI. The Chinese DeepSeek models made a big splash this week and caused US technology stock prices to plummet. It’s so overhyped.
  • Unrelated, I am experimenting with Google’s Notebook LM, using last year’s weeknotes and a collection of old blog entries from 2002/3. Even though the app says my data is not used to train the AI, I figured it’s public anyway. This is where the real power of AI will come to most people: when it can be used on their own data.
  • – I asked for a cast of characters, which came out OK, but I guess it’s a surprise for people I know IRL called Frank who the AI assumes are the subject of a drag musical. For clarity, they are not the same.
  • – Related, the AI says my weeknotes highlight “a lifestyle that values social connections, shared experiences, and cultural engagement”. I think that’s mainly because I don’t write about the hours I sit at my desk typing product requirements for work.
  • – I was pleased it said that the overall tone of the weeknotes is generally positive and reflective, but it’s missing so much information about me it made me think about how I am characterised online.
  • – In another task, the AI couldn’t distinguish between me and my father when writing about countries where I have worked.
  • In response to this, I asked ChatGPT if it knew who I was. It basically regurgitated materials I have online, which (I think) is good. Other AIs, including DeepSeek, didn’t come back with anything.
  • Google Notebook LM will produce what it calls an Audio Overview which, for me, was like somebody had created a podcast about my life as viewed through those blog entries. It was uncanny. And, yes, I think it’s very much like the fortune reader whereby much of the generic stuff sounds really personal but isn’t, but it was unnerving listening to a podcast about yourself; there was enough reality alongside the generic to make it seem like it knew more about me. It was capable of referencing cultural changes between the early 2000s and today, which made the analysis seem very real. A bit like listening to my own obituary. I can’t decide if I liked it or not.
  • There are a lot of interesting capabilities. I wonder how much longer before I decide to pay for access to more powerful models and tools?

Life

  • I am trying to arrange broadband for a place in Spain while not speaking Spanish nor understanding the format of many things. It’s more stress-inducing than I imagined.
  • On Wednesday, we passed into the Lunar New Year of the Wood Snake. At my Tai Chi class, we all wished each other a happy new year.
  • This week, I learned the government has a Hammersmith Bridge Taskforce. The taskforce met 16 times between 1st October 2020 and 25th November 2021. The bridge is still closed. Pretty terrible such vital infrastructure isn’t funded so it can be repaired.
  • Our first visit to the Isle of Wight for 2025. Delighted by how lovely it was.

Media

Weeknotes #105: more office days, winter lights and Burns night

A busy week of home updates, social events, and reflections.

Week commencing Monday, 20 January 2025

This image shows a large, illuminated "WINTER LIGHTS" sign in bright white neon lighting, creating a striking display against the dark evening backdrop. The sign is part of the Canary Wharf Winter Light festival installation. Several people can be seen around the sign, including some taking photos of the installation. The scene has a misty, atmospheric quality, with the lights from surrounding buildings and the illuminated sign creating a warm glow in the winter evening.
Taking pictures of lights

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 6/7; Exercise 4/7 and Move 5/7. (71%). Morning walks: 0/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 2/5. Total steps: 49,575

Life

  • Monday, a new fridge freezer was installed. Feels bigger but is the same size. Unlike the one that disappeared in the van, the fridge bit works as expected. Now, we can shop properly again.
  • Same day, I cracked and started doom-scrolling the news. Then I remembered, and I went back to being calm again.
  • We got another door quote. £4,000 cheaper than the last one. Then we got references because we’ve never used the second quote company. Came back good.
  • I had two office days this week. Tuesday ended with more leaving drinks for Andy. This time I made the train home.
  • Related, tired by the end of Wednesday meant I skipped my Tai Chi class. That’s a non-resolution broken.
  • Getting home after being in the office on Thursday, a day with no evening work social event, was nice. But I am reminded how short evenings are after I have commuted and opened the door.
  • I thought I might check up on my pension transfers. This is a blood pressure-raising moment as money has gone from one provider, but the new one says it’s waiting. They told me not to do it, but I did it anyway.
  • I am consolidating a number of providers with one of my existing ones. They sent a note to say it was going ahead because they’d detected the new provider wasn’t a scam. It’s the same company; good to know they consider themselves safe.
  • Winter Light at Canary Wharf is always interesting. But, goodness, a lot of people.
  • We made a Burns Night dinner and watched a related BBC Scotland show. It included whisky, and it didn’t give me indigestion.
  • A dinner for Chinese New Year in Covent Garden on Sunday evening. Lots of steamed dumplings.

Media

Weeknotes #104: a quiz, a leaving do and a lingering sense Christmas

A fun and eventful week with social events.

Week commencing Monday, 13 January 2025

A night-time photo of a Christmas tree on Shepherd's Bush Green in London, taken in mid-January. The tree is decorated with bright white LED lights and is surrounded by temporary metal barriers. The scene captures that particular post-Christmas period in London when some festive decorations remain up into the new year, creating a lingering sense of the holiday season even as winter properly sets in.
A lingering sense of Christmas

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 4/7; Exercise 4/7 and Move 4/7. (57%). Morning walks: 0/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 38,460

Life

  • Got the quote from one of the big London firms to fix the rotten wood around the door. I am not sure what else we can do with £5,000, but it won’t be this. I assume they don’t want the work. Alternatives are being searched for.
  • Pub quiz is back. It was great fun, as always. Most frustrated I could not remember Carl Douglas’ name (the singer of Kung Fu Fighting). Somewhere in the middle again!
  • Big corporate thing on Wednesday. I watched it remotely. It was very well done, but it took most of the afternoon.
  • Thursday to the office, followed by a leaving do. Fun evening that ended up in a pub where the karaoke accompaniment was a live guitarist. We watched. Nice to see MB over from Japan.
  • Related, a very jolly member of Shepherd’s Bush station staff told me I’d missed the last train. I don’t think the big smiles were due to my predicament. Uber to the rescue.
  • Relatedly related, talked football all the way home. Felt vaguely knowledgeable because the family WhatsApp keeps me up to date on events at Goodison Park.
  • Relatedly, the Christmas tree is still up— and illuminated— in the middle of Shepherd’s Bush Green. Do they need to leave it up all year now?
  • A mainly quiet weekend, a decluttering of books went to charity. The weather has been terrible. Sunday, friends for dinner. A lovely afternoon.

Media

  • Watched the first episode of The White Lotus. The plot is based on new guests arriving at the White Lotus resort, bringing their own set of problems. They felt disconnected. But not a lot happens, and it’s slow going and felt like hard work. The characters, however, are fascinating but not likeable at all.
  • Randomly watched a YouTube video about the end of Southern Television, the ITV franchise for the south of England, and one about a man who lives in a tiny house on wheels, hidden inside a truck. It looked quite smart.
  • Also went back to one of my pre-pandemic favourite channels, The Endless Adventure, and discovered I’m five years behind on their adventures.
  • Tried to listen to Tim Cook on the Table Manners podcast, but found I couldn’t quite stick with it. I think it was too long for my liking.

Weeknotes #103: cultural start to the year

Week one: a week of culture and great food.

Week commencing Monday, 6 January 2025

Palladium Pantomime 2024

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 6/7; Exercise 6/7 and Move 6/7. (86%). Morning walks: 1/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 67,017

Life

  • I guess we are fully in 2025. Can I keep this going for another year? I’d like to think so.
  • The first day back at work was hard. Although I did get out for a walk beforehand – and afterwards – so the week started well.
  • Watching TV one evening, I wondered what is the point of saying they are ‘live’ when BBC One continuity announcers introduce themselves in the early evening? Do any viewers care (I understand TV people might)?
  • Tuesday, to Robin Hood, this year’s Palladium Pantomime. Julian Clary starred as the titular character, with Jane McDonald as Maid Marian, and a supporting cast of panto regulars. All in all, a spectacle of extravagant costumes, celebrity cameos, and a thin plot. Absolutely brilliant.
  • Saturday, first delayed train of the year to Birmingham, primarily to see the Ikon Gallery’s partnership with macLYON: Friends in Love and War; works by over twenty artists from the British Council Collection and macLYON that explore the theme of friendship. I’m trying to see more art because I don’t understand it. This was wonderful, but I am sure I didn’t appreciate it properly.
  • Later, the Cuban afternoon tea was great, but there’d been a mix-up and we’d been booked in when the main service finished. The Sri Lankan dinner was excellent, and we’re on the hunt for a local equivalent.
  • In between, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra: CBSO Explores: Friends in Love and War, featuring the world premiere of Héloïse Werner’s siren suite for soprano and orchestra. Not the usual type of performance we’d see, but really interesting to experience.
  • Sunday, to see the National Trust’s Birmingham Back to Backs. It’s the last surviving court of back-to-back houses in the city. The houses, built back-to-back with shared courtyards, offer insights into the lives of ordinary people in the 19th and 20th centuries. A really well-done and recommended tour.

Media

  • More ‘talking shop’ about radio, as Dermot called it. Paul Gambaccini, broadcasting for 50 years, has a neat story about Sir Elton, also Scott Mills and Rev Kate Bottley. Lovely listening on BBC Sounds.
  • More “lovely listening”: The Shipping Forecast: A Beginner’s Guide, beautifully celebrating one hundred years of the Shipping Forecast on the BBC. It made me look for a map of sea areas.

Weeknotes #102: countdown

New Year activities, media, and reflections on personal moments

Week commencing Monday, 30 December 2024

The image shows a small Christmas tree decorated with coloured lights and ornaments, positioned next to a TV displaying what the Colosseum in Rome lit up at night. Silver tinsel garland is visible along the top edge of the frame, and there bookshelves in the background.
Here comes 2025

Quantified Self

  • This week: I blame the holidays: Stand 5/7; Exercise 3/7 and Move 3/7. 52%. Office days 0/3. Total steps: 33,288

Life

  • The last one with a 2024 start date. I am filing it under 2025, regardless.
  • I worked Monday and Tuesday. Not many people in: quiet. Thursday was busier, but I got away for the first train south of the year.
  • Tuesday, while in my study, I switched on Radio 2 where it was Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Kitchen Disco, which seemed a bit too much of a party for me starting at a screen for work. I let it play into Tony Blackburn and then into Bob Harris’ Sounds of the 70s, opening the show with the very sad news that DJ legend Johnnie Walker had died. JW had a remarkable presenting career spanning almost 60 years, from the pirates to today. While not the 70s party playlist scheduled, it was a show full of music and memories and seemed very fitting.
  • New Year’s Eve was with friends and a lovely evening was had. Somehow, the clock jumped from 1am to 3am remarkably quickly.
  • Queer (at the BFI) on New Year’s Day. Daniel Craig’s portrayal of a 1950s gay man grappling with loneliness and addiction is really good – different from Bond – but the ending confuses. PY found an explanation.
  • Friday we had an aborted walk on the Isle of Wight: the narrow country lane we needed to start the journey was busy with cars going too fast.
  • Sunday, it rained a lot. Just in case parts of Ryde flooded we left a bit earlier than planned.

Media

  • Radio 2 All Stars: Mark Goodier, Owain Wyn Evans, and Angela Griffin. She still worked in Burger King whilst starring in Coronation Street.
  • “The left’s greatest sin seems to be, and I speak as a sort of leftist, is that it would rather be right than effective”, Stephen Fry guesting on Triggernometry

Weeknotes #101: it’s Christmas

Relaxing Christmas week filled with family, friends, and festive fun.

Week commencing Monday, 23 December 2024

This image captures the festive atmosphere in Edinburgh on Christmas Eve. The scene features the Scott Monument illuminated against the evening sky, with its Gothic architecture beautifully lit. In the foreground, a vibrant fairground attraction, Star Flyer, stands out with colourful lights and intricate design, adding energy to the scene. A Ferris wheel is visible on the left, glowing against the soft hues of a wintry sunset.
Star Flyer at Edinburgh Winterfest

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 3/7 and Move 6/7. (76%). Total steps: 57,603

Life

  • Christmas break all week. Monday, flying to Edinburgh via London City Airport. It was remarkably quick to get to LCY.
  • Driven through Edinburgh to my brother’s house. The city looked lovely after dark.
  • Three relaxing days with family. The Christmas dinner was fantastic. There was a lot of food.
  • On Christmas Eve I wouldn’t go on the Star Flyer with my niece. Spinning 85m above the city does not appeal. She loved it.
  • A couple of good walks along the waterfront at Portobello didn’t keep my monitored exercise streak going. I don’t mind; it’s the holidays.
  • Low cloud over the south of England meant over an hour sat on the runway in Edinburgh waiting for a slot to get home. The staff were lovely.
  • At Heathrow, we bumped into friends who were returning from Madrid. Catching up on the tube ride home made up for the lack of speedier trains.
  • Saturday night Mexican in Wimbledon with more friends was a lovely way to spend the Twixtmas.
  • A walk to Cannizaro Park on Sunday ended the week well.

Media

Weeknotes #100: Christmas is coming

A festive week full of celebrations

Week commencing Monday, 16 December 2024

This is an image of Battersea Power Station in London at night, featuring a vibrant projection of Wallace and Gromit, iconic characters from the beloved British animated series. The projection is cast onto the station's façade, with the tall chimneys visible above, illuminated in soft light.
Wallace and Gromit on a chimney

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 7/7 and Move 7/7. (100%). Morning walks: 0/5. Office days 0/5. Total steps: 68,697

Life

  • It seems appropriate that the 100th weeknote is the week before Christmas. I can’t believe I’ve completed 100 of these, although this run only began with weeknote 22 back in June 2023.
  • Related, it’s the first year I have written something here every month of the year since 2005. That feels like something to celebrate.
  • I saw the Wallace and Gromit projection on Battersea Power Station and thought it was great. The £9 mulled wine wasn’t worth it.
  • Gave blood. Interesting chatting to the staff; they will be making up the Christmas holidays with extra Sundays because two days less blood in the system isn’t great. Give blood. Don’t miss your appointment.
  • Walked to ‘the big Tesco’. It’s full of different Christmassy things.
  • I made a shepherd’s pie using parsnips as the mash. It was delicious.
  • Friends’ Christmas dinner in Wimbledon Village was saved when E persuaded the staff to move us out of the middle of somebody else’s Christmas party. The food was excellent.
  • Christmas shopping in Kingston. It was busy (good for the shops) but not manic (so, good for me).

Media

Weeknotes #99: entertainment every night

Enjoyable week of festive activities, concerts, and media moments.

Week commencing Monday, 9 December 2024

This image depicts a lively musical performance on a stage with dramatic lighting effects. The background features a large banner with bold red text that says, "WELCOME TO HEATONGRAD." Yellow and green beams of light pierce through haze or stage smoke, creating a dynamic atmosphere. On stage, multiple musicians are performing.
Heatongrad

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 7/7 and Move 7/7. (100%). Morning walks: 0/3 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 2/5. Total steps: 69,501

Life

  • Some of the Christmas lights went up. The tree was out of the box, undecorated by week’s end.
  • Monday evening, to the cinema for Wicked. Concluding in three hours, you’re only at the interval (if you were at the stage show). It is, visually, very impressive and seems like a faithful adaptation of the musical. The chemistry between Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande sparkles. Special shoutout to Jonathan Bailey who makes Fiyero stand out.
  • Tuesday, Paul Heaton in concert. £35 tickets; a bargain. I kept my coat on in honour of the performance. 25 songs. The new ones, like Fish ‘N’ Chip Supper, are just as good as the classics, Rotterdam (Or Anywhere). Rianne Downey, a new voice that works perfectly. Perfection.
  • A pension meeting. I don’t know what else can be said. Necessary admin.
  • Wednesday, The Truth About Harry Beck, a drama about the creation of the London Underground map, (oops, diagram). Staged in the London Transport Museum, it’s the story of Beck’s life from draftsman to designer, with his wife Nora as his biggest supporter. It’s nicely done, playing off the audience a little, with a clever scene trying to visualise the map on stage. But, yes, a play about the tube map.
  • Christmas party two. I stayed longer than I should have done but it was good fun. Tried to find a bus home that wasn’t due for 30 minutes and ended up missing a tube by a minute and having to wait ten.
  • The Lightning Seeds at O2 Forum Kentish Town needed a walk from Camden. Twenty songs: a great set. The encore The Life of Riley was partly played by Riley (now a guitar-playing adult).
  • We played oven-glove pass-the-parcel at the annual Stokey Christmas. As much laughter as the first time I played it. Nice to see everybody again.
  • Delicious dinner in New Malden with friends. Perfect way to end the hectic week.

Media

Weeknotes #98: party time

Reflections on Advent, train delays, and engaging media choices.

Week commencing Monday, 2 December 2024

People at a bar enjoying a Christmas party.
Christmas Party

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 7/7 and Move 7/7. (100%). Morning walks: 0/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 63,405

Life

  • How is it already Advent? Our advent calendar is coffee-based (thanks J&M!).
  • I learned that the Holderness coast of East Yorkshire is the fastest-eroding coastline in Europe at 2m a year. Scary.
  • Delay repay update 2: TfW agreed and were ”sorry that you experienced a delay to your journey”. My faith in the process is restored.
  • More train delays on the day the government announced that South Western Railway would be the first train service to return to public ownership. But what will that do? It’s so frustrating. See below.
  • Unexpected discovery of the week: my driving licence has expired. Renewal was easy, but not as easy as not noticing. The new one is issued without the EU flag on it. It saddened me.
  • Christmas party 1: I don’t enjoy attending parties where I’m unsure how many people I know, as I’m not good at making small talk with strangers. I was very restrained, still really enjoyed it, and was grateful the next day.
  • Related, I didn’t make my own cocktail but got one of the staff to make me an espresso martini. My drink did not look as lurid as some of them.
  • Last week I listened to a lot of discussions about energy use. This week I read that the UK has likely reached “peak petrol”.

Delay (should repay)

  • I’ve mentioned a lot of train delays recently; here’s this week’s adventures. I write this so that in a year I can look to see if taking trains back into government control has made any difference.
  • Tuesday: Cancelled trains into Waterloo, OK homewards.
  • Wednesday: Cancelled trains into Waterloo. The next train arrived with packed 4 carriages. I abandoned.
  • Thursday: Morning, another packed train short-formed. Delayed homeward (train skipped all stations before Raynes Park).
  • Friday: More cancelled Waterloo-bound trains. I noticed with sufficient time not to miss my on-time Portsmouth connection.

Media

Weeknotes #97: Christmas and my leg

A lively week with food, fun, and festive adventures!

Week commencing Monday, 25 November 2024

A gigantic illuminated Christmas Bauble in the grounds of Waddesdon Manor as part of the light show
A nighttime photograph of trees in the Waddesdon Grounds illuminated by red, blue and green lighting
Outside Waddesdon Manor, the house is bathed in projection telling the Sleeping Beauty story
The snooker table at Waddesdon Manor, decorated to tell part of the sleeping Beauty Story

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 6/7 and Move 7/7. (95%). Morning walks: 0/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 63,828

Life

  • Observant readers will note this is the first week in a while where my exercise streak has been broken. It’s frustrating, but there’s a reason.
  • Related, at the start of the week I renewed my gym membership, even though I have hardly visited this year because of my shoulder. I vowed to do better next year.
  • Relatedly related, I injured my leg on Wednesday (ironically on the way home from my Tai Chi class). Somehow my leg disappeared from under me on some stairs (did I slip, miss a step?), and I was suspended above ground by holding onto the railing. I have been unable to walk without pain for the rest of the week.
  • Before I fell, I’d been stuck on a train that didn’t move for about an hour due to delays. Waterloo was in chaos. People were angry. I always feel sorry for the platform staff on nights like this.
  • There are Christmas songs on the radio.
  • Delay repay update: Transport for Wales did receive my delay repay request forwarded from Avanti, but won’t process it until they know how to pay me. Even though they may conclude not to pay me.
  • I hobbled around the office on Thursday before heading to Carnaby Street for Thirsty Thursday drinks. I was early, so enjoyed my first Five Guys burger.
  • Related, the Carnaby Street lights are a bit disappointing when compared to last year’s colourful extravaganza. Apparently, they are energy-efficient and will be reused for years.
  • Friday, dinner at the new branch of Scott’s in Richmond was delicious. Their festive lunch menu is served until 5:30 pm, and the fillet of pollock with cauliflower and woodland mushrooms is lovely.
  • Related, the fried Brussels sprouts with kimchi dressing are even better.
  • Relatedly related, the off-festive-menu oysters were better again.
  • I was taken to a comedy show at Richmond Theatre. I’d never seen, or heard of, Henry Rowley before. Described by Sky News as “The British ‘posh boy’ who became one of the year’s breakout TikTok stars”. I really enjoyed it.
  • Related, didn’t feel old. So, that was a win.
  • In spite of my inability to walk well, Christmas at Waddesdon is fantastic. The interior has been decorated for Christmas, inspired by the Sleeping Beauty story. There are more Christmas trees than I have ever seen in a single house. An outdoor light trail, projection, and Christmas market are great.
  • First mulled wine of the year has been ticked off.

Media

  • Listened and watched quite a bit about green energy, starting with Zero Bills homes: Getting rid of energy bills for good, a podcast by Octopus Energy. The basic idea is that modern, well-insulated houses, with the right set-up, can offset their entire electricity bill by providing power to the grid at times of peak demand.
  • Which led me to an episode of the Everything Electric Show about a B&B that runs with very low running costs thanks to a low-energy set-up: Low Energy Bills! This B&B Makes It Possible!
  • Related, Just Have a Think: Global Energy Market Disruption. This man has THE PLAN!! discusses Octopus Energy’s CEO Greg Jackson and how the company plans to revolutionise the UK energy sector.
  • On a train, I finished listening to Toto Wolff (Team Principal & CEO of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team) on High Performance – a fascinating insight into how to be better.
  • My new favourite podcast is Dish! I am working my way through the back catalogue. This week Sara Cox was cooked mackerel with a watermelon rojack, but you know she’d have been just as happy with chips and gravy.

Weeknotes #96: hats and Christmas

A lively recap of trains, media, and seasonal delights.

Week commencing Monday, 18 November 2024

A tea cup and saucer hat. The slogan "Sandown Is Just My Cup of Tea"s is written on the front of the cup.
Cup and saucer hat

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 7/7 and Move 7/7. (100%). Morning walks: 0/3 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 2/5. Total steps: 55,436

Life

  • Avanti Trains rejected my delay repay request because they said the delay was an issue with Transport for Wales. Is claiming intentionally hard?
  • Unusually, I was in the office on Tuesday as colder temperatures hit. More train delays and quite a cold office.
  • Also on Tuesday, Zoe Ball announced she would leave the Radio 2 breakfast show next month. It seems short-notice news, but it must have been in the works for a while as, simultaneously, Scott Mills was announced as the new host. Finally, he has a national breakfast show of his own.
  • Jaguar cars showed-off their rebrand and everybody has an opinion. I have no idea if it’s good or bad, relevant or irrelevant. I am just amused by The Internet’s reaction.
  • I don’t know if this is really the tone of the impartial journalist, but the Isle of Wight Observer’s article about the departure of Red Funnel’s operations director did make me laugh; “It remains uncertain if Ms Lakes’ new role at the RNLI will allow her to continue working from her comfortable home in Scotland, where she is said to be overlooked by a painting of a highland cow above her fireplace.”
  • Regular readers will recall I mentioned the wonderful Sandown Hat Parade back in the summer. This weekend some of those hats were on display at Quay Arts and it was fantastic to read the story behind them.
  • I am officially in the Christmas spirit after have a wander around Christmas World. A lot of money could have been spent if I’d wanted my house covered in Christmas.

Media

Weeknotes #95: diaries and delays

Reflective week balancing personal, media, and creative activities.

Week commencing Monday, 11 November 2024

A nighttime photograph of Lord Hill's column in Shrewsbury and the roundabout in front of it with no cars circulating.
Shrewsbury

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 7/7 and Move 77. (100%). Morning walks: 0/4. Office days 1/5. Total steps: 60,568

Life

  • Hedge trimmers turned up on Monday morning about two hours early. I was in the shower, but PY let them in. They were completed within forty minutes, and there is way more light to the back decking. Wish I’d done it earlier in the year.
  • Related, we met the neighbour whose hedge was technically being cut. He was delighted we were doing it.
  • Quiz night: we got a few more correct puzzles this time, so we’re improving. We are still in the middle of the ranking; we cannot compete with our score the first time we went.
  • I re-read How I ship projects at big tech companies several times this week. It’s a useful reminder to focus on getting the project out and telling people about it.
  • Down memory lane, I found a blogpost written in 2004 after I’d been running a training course. It made me hunt my diaries for who I was training and what was the dinner. And I found the answer.
  • Related, later in the week I wanted to write a blog post about diary writing, so I did.
  • Relatedly, related, the article I mention in the blog post is compelling, touching, and fascinating. I urge you to read it.
  • Train delays to Shrewsbury on Thursday night and back on Sunday afternoon were not great. But the weekend was very enjoyable.
  • Sad news about Howard Hughes. He was The News Voice of Capital in the 90s.

Media

Weeknotes #94: fireworks and music

A lively week full of events, media, and minor challenges.

Week commencing Monday, 4 November 2024

The stage lit up with the words 'Come On and Take Me, Come On and Shake Me' as part of the Eurovision On Tour performance in London.
Eurovision On Tour – London

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 7/7 and Move 77. (100%). Morning walks: 0/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 60,073

Life

  • I coughed a lot. And it gave me a headache. Not the greatest week for feeling good.
  • Later in the week, Boots cancelled my pre-booked flu jab for the second time. I walked into another local pharmacy, and they did it there and then. And they were really lovely about it.
  • I didn’t watch any of the on-the-night coverage of the US elections after I’d watched the opening 5 minutes of Channel Four’s coverage, and it was already shouty and argumentative. I found out the result when I woke on Wednesday. People were visibly down at my morning stand-up.
  • It was a last-minute decision to see the fireworks in Wimbledon Park, and I am very glad that I did. The queues for food were very slow.
  • Thursday, I stayed a bit too long at work drinks before getting to Eurovision on Tour. Then we had to leave early for dinner reservations. In between, the music was fun, but I didn’t know many of the songs. The meal was lovely at the Old Compton Brasserie, mainly because the service was fab. It was my second ‘smash burger’ in a week. I didn’t know what they were this time last week.
  • The 007 at Burlington Arcade, celebrating 60 Years of Goldfinger, has removed the golden cars shown on the site (replaced by festiveness). Inside was less of an exhibition than expected. The cocktails, while expensive, were lovely. If you worked there, you’d have to like the Bond themes.
  • New Writers showcase previewed a lot of great new musical songs. I hope they get picked up.

Media

  • I saw my first Christmas ad. It was for Waitrose and is a pudding mystery. Will there be a second part? Nice idea.
  • I really enjoyed watching the first four episodes of Ludwig this week. David Mitchell’s accidental detective was exactly what I expected. PY noticed the similarities, especially in music, to Disney’s Only Murders.