Tag: weeknotes

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.

Weeknotes #93: Halloween, Beetlejuice and Christmas

A lively week of outings, media, and festive anticipation

Week commencing Monday, 28 October 2024

Close up on the cut out eyes of a Halloween pumpkin
Spooky

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 7/7 and Move 7/7. (100%). Morning walks: 0/4. Office days 1/5. Total steps: 55,438

Life

  • Monday, it’s very noticeable in the supermarket that Christmas is coming. There was a tiny section focused on Halloween, but entire sections of the store are already providing festive inspiration.
  • There does not appear to be a consistent way to describe the size of replacement fridges. Oh for standardisation.
  • Impromptu drinks and some baba ghanoush in Mora Meza on Tuesday. Yay.
  • Wednesday. The budget. On big plans, HS2 to London is good and might impact me directly, assuming I am still around when it’s finished.
  • My office day was followed by our regular last-Thursday drinks. Outside the pub, I actually watched somebody use a distraction technique to try to steal a phone. Very clever, but we saw and he ran off; the phone was still with the owner.
  • When a trip to a supermarket is my Friday night entertainment, maybe I need a reset.
  • Due to poor service in the restaurant, our family lunch moved across to the Street Burger, where the service was exceptional (and the food good too).

Media

  • Saturday night was my annual viewing of The Nightmare Before Christmas: although closer to Halloween than Christmas this year. It set us up for …
  • … a really nice way to spend a Sunday morning: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice captured the humour and eccentricity of the original film, while making the film feel more modern. This is not a recycled nostalgia trip. Recommended.
  • When The Evening Standard went weekly, I found a collection of new London writing, and it’s all excellent: The London Minute, London Centric, and The Londoner.

Weeknotes #92: Love Me For A Reason and Spooky Nights

Fridge saga, pub quiz, and enjoyable media discoveries shared.

Week commencing Monday, 21 October 2024

A nighttime photo of Shaknlin Chine, across to the cafe building. The coloured light illuminated the plantlife.
Shanklin Chine Illuminated
A pumpkin face lights up to scare visitors to Shanklin Chine Spooktacular
Spooktacular
Two animatronic witches talk at Shanklin Chine Spooktacular
Witches Brew
Jamies, Alex and Danny perform at Osmonds Night at The Cozy Cows
Osmonds Night

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: 66,573

Life

  • Back in the UK and noticeable that nights are darker earlier. The mention of my fridge a couple of weeks ago jinxed it. Another technician, another two minutes, and now it needs replacing. I don’t understand how this is efficient for the Hotpoint group of companies. Two visits, two engineers, and two different conclusions. Less than five minutes looking at the device. Previously, I said The ice pattern was the clue and it appears it was just a clue to something completely different than the first engineer said. So a whole new fridge saga commences.
  • Monday was pub quiz. Our worst performance by some margin, but it remains all good fun.
  • On Wednesday I asked for support from a smart home tech company. Super surprised that their response arrived in less than 24 hours. Seventy-two hours later, I’ve done nothing with their response.
  • Train south on Friday night all worked and allowed us to see Shanklin Chine’s ‘Spooktacular’. Just a whole lot of fun.
  • Railway works meant a coach back to London. Nice and relaxing. I wish I’d known it stopped in Wandsworth so we could have planned to get off there.
  • The Crazy Coqs Osmonds night featured four people who’d all been in the musical. Another lovely way to end an evening.

Media

  • Finally, we caught up on the last episode of Lost Boys and Fairies. No shame in the tears.
  • Also got around to finishing Bosch (S3). It’s so long since I watched an episode that I’d forgotten the plot lines.
  • Heartstopper S3 appears to be as wonderful as the last two. I wish I’d had this series growing up. Or as Jonathan Bailey said, “It’s for every person who is a member of a family who has a member of the LGBT+ community. It helps all of us”.

Weeknotes #91: holiday and a previously unvisited country

Enjoyable experiences in Paleokastritsa and crime dramas explored.

Week commencing Monday, 14 October 2024

Greek and Romain ruins at Butrint National Park, Albania
Butrint National Park
Inside the Old Fortress, Corfu
Old Fortress, Corfu
Sunshine over one of the bays at Paleokastritsa, Corfu, with shimmering blue sea and mountains on either side.
Paleokastritsa, Corfu
Sunset over the Paleokastritsa bay, Corfu
Paleokastritsa Sunset

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 7/7 and Move 7/7. (100%). No office days as I am on vacation. Total steps: 92,938

Life

  • A week in Paleokastritsa. The hotel might be dated, but the weather was hotter than expected; the food was great and the view wonderful.
  • Corfu Town was a comfortable bus ride away. The Old Town has been a World Heritage Site by UNESCO since 2007. We were served a kumquat liqueur at the end of the meal: a strong-flavoured, sweet orange-coloured drink which we both thought was delicious.
  • The donkey trail was very hard going, but the view from the top was worth the pain. Down was a lot easier than I imagined.
  • A day trip to Albania ticked off another country. The National Park of Butrint was amazing. Another UNESCO World Heritage site.
  • On Friday, the waters were too choppy for a boat but lovely views. Around 4pm we set off for the climb to Paleokastritsa Monastery. It’s on a cliff at the end of the bay. We saw a cross in the distance on the edge of the cliff. We decided to take a look and made our way along the path. I feel modern health and safety rules would have the path improved and add railings. The view was lovely but debatable if it was worth the effort.
  • The bar on Saturday afternoon was a hundred steps down to a rocky outcrop. The beer was nice, but I couldn’t shake the feeling I’d drop something over the edge.
  • The Sunday morning minibus had pickups in some lovely areas down winding roads. They felt a bit cut off to me.
  • The return flight was late, but home before 5pm meant we had an evening. We kept the holiday vibe with a kebab.

Media

Weeknotes #90: The ice pattern was the clue

Life updates, gym visit, travel, and media reflections shared.

Week commencing Monday, 7 October 2024

A back and white photograph of a cocktail on a table.
Cocktails

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: 69,521

Life

  • Warning. This is not a drill. There were mince pies in the shop. I didn’t buy them.
  • I went to the gym. On a Monday morning. That hasn’t happened for a long time. Don’t come back expecting that to happen again any time soon.
  • My fridge has turned into a freezer. The person sent to investigate opened the door and said, “It’s the thermostat” and closed the door. The pattern of ice was the giveaway. I am annoyed that somebody was sent to do that when I could have described the problem and, instead of waiting for a repair, they could have brought the parts and fixed it.
  • Related, apparently it’s a good refrigerator brand that keeps spares for older machines around for years. As I was told, ‘you’ll have no chance if that oven breaks in two years’.
  • Caught up with a colleague I haven’t worked with for more than 20 years. He’s doing interesting stuff for one of big tech that he can’t talk about. So, we talked about the systems we used to work on. It was way more fun.
  • Related, Cahoots makes a very spicy Bloody Mary.
  • I have an occasional visit for something that is simultaneously medically good for me and indulgent pampering. The professional and I have the same shoulder issue. On Friday, I discovered hers is healing faster than mine and I was too embarrassed to ask for the name of her physio.
  • Saturday, twilight bag drop at Gatwick Airport is a wonderful thing. Sunday, at a ridiculously early hour, I walked into an airport with a small bag and boarded a plane hoping my bags had been safely stored for the night. Spoiler, they had been.
  • I think Southern Vectis’ bus service on The Isle of Wight is fantastic given the island’s population is around 150,000. 22 new electric buses are on the way and that’s a good thing.

Media

Weeknotes #89: A lot of out and about

Weeknotes covering events, thoughts, and social activities.

Week commencing Monday, 30 September 2024

A view of the concrete blocks of the National Theatre, with the statue of Laurence Olivier in the foreground
Coriolanus at The National, darling.

Quantified Self

  • This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 7/7 and Move 7/7. (100%). Morning walks: 2/4 (days in the office don’t count). Office days 1/5. Total steps: 70,420

Life

Media

Weeknotes #88: social and sea views

A productive week filled with events, reflections, and engaging media.

Week commencing Monday, 23 September 2024

Motor boats on land in the foreground, the sea and blue skies beyond.
Pub with a sea view

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: 66,251

Life

  • I could write about train delays and missed connections, but I won’t. Except to say it happened Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Although I also made the last train home on two of those days.
  • In the office for two days this week. Tuesday was a divisional ‘All Hands’, and there were sponsored drinks afterwards, which was nice. The later drinks started to border on discussions about agile development practices. I’ll admit I was part of it and shouldn’t have been (see below).
  • Thursday, there was a small team ‘All Hands’ followed by a leaving do. It was emotional at times.
  • Friday, a carpet was fitted. I saw it when I arrived in the evening. It’s very nice underfoot. We had more fish and chips.
  • Saturday involved a rail replacement service where we were the only ones on board, a nice walk, and lunch in a pub with a sea view.
  • Sunday was almost identical, but the pub and sea views were different, and the bus was the regular service bus (winter timetable starts today).

Media