Friyay
Yesterday I was like "wow this week is going so fast" but today I'm like "when will this week endddd??"
There's only one duckling left now.
Ducklings!
I love to see the ducklings on the pond. Didn't see any last year, which I suppose means that the seagulls got to them very quickly. Horrible birds. Hope they make it this year, but it feels like they never do.
I think one of the things I like least about going to gigs is having phones in your peripheral, constantly filming the thing you're trying to watch. I have nothing against filming the show or taking pictures to have your own memories of it but it's so distracting.
It used to really irritate me when people did this, and I still don't see the point when people get their phones out and film a bit of every song, but it's fun to think about the artistic process and I think that's why it doesn't annoy me so much any more.
I like to imagine someone taking all those little video clips, editing them together, putting the song title into a subtitle, and then revisiting the memory in a few years.
I enjoy watching people battle with their phone's image sensor to get just the right level of zoom before the image quality starts to degrade too much, and what people's tolerances are. It's nice to think that people hitting the shortcomings of their phone's camera might make them look into buying something more capable, but really all that gets you is better quality memories, and a sweaty back from your big new rucksack I suppose.
That must be why I find this all so distracting; thinking about some stranger's new rucksack instead of watching Nine Inch Nails.
Overkill
I've wanted an excuse to use a Pelican case for something for ages. I got a mini one with my ACS headphones years ago and I love how official and purposeful they are.
Friday +1
Fell asleep so early last night, and I haven't even taken many pictures this week. Overall write-off of a week.
Netflix lost Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown, and that was the final push I needed to cancel my subscription. I know at least one other person who cancelled for the same reason. I want to know how many subscribers Bourdain has cost Netflix in the last month.
Trying to make better habits
I'm really good at getting into bad habits, but not so great at getting into good ones. For some reason, the good ones are way more appealing?
How do you type numbers though?
Having spent a week back on a "normal" 65% board, I have concluded that these tiny, weirdo split boards are the best and I'm probably done exploring keyboards for now. Here's now I use them.
Insurance companies - specifically car insurance - are among the most evil companies.
Received an email from mine, renewal has increased by over £100 a year. But don't worry you can check and update your renewal using our website. Unless, of course, you want to cancel. In which case you have to call, and sit in a queue where they profusely, robotically apologise for how busy they are, and they're doing everything they can to answer your call. Everything aside from providing reasonably priced renewal quotes so that you don't have to extort them at cancellation, or allowing you to cancel online without having to speak to a specially-trained retentions department.
It should also be a legal requirement for this hold queues that I can sit in silence and only be spoken to by a robot when they're ready to talk to me.
FATTO!
We used to go to Fatto a Mano so often before covid. Their food is still so good; I'm glad we don't have a pizza oven so Charlotte can't make crusts like this.
Learning the fretboard
I made a thing. I have played guitar on-and-off for over 20 years and I still can't easily identify notes on the fretboard. I had just accepted that it was never going to happen. I've now changed my mind.
This really helped me today
I've had one of those weeks where you feel like no matter what you do, how hard you work, it's not going to be enough. And one person fixed it all.
Next Friday
A little scant on cat pictures this week. We've narrowed digestive issues down to biscuits and ears are slowly improving. Yay cats 😶
"Have a good weekend" is a great way to tell someone that you won't be replying to their emails until Monday at the earliest. It's something I often use, but I'm not strict about it.
I've just been told to have a good weekend by two people in one thread. I can take the hint!
HMKB65, Gazzew LT, GMK Bento
There's been a long wait for this one, but it was so worth it.
Employed to Serve at Green Door Store
Continuing my season of doing things that feel illegal, I went to a gig. Employed to Serve announced a surprise show at Green Door Store and I had to go.