Something about photographing this brick has stretched my stupid phone past it limits - this is not how I wanted the photo to turn out. Need to get the Nikon out there.
Status:
Paced pottering continues. I wanted to tidy up the middle room today and managed to get it to an adequate state by doing a little bit at a time. Even got the vacuum out, though I felt it afterwards so might not do that again. A double victory as I’m very aware the bulk of the housework falls on Fiona these days so if I can do a bit more than before it’s a massive help.
Overnight listening:
- Empire: The Bronze Age Apocalypse ep 1 - I seem to have developed a soft spot for pre-Iron Age history, probably thanks to that massive Dave Graeber book, so this was fun. Everything you think is unique to “western civilisation” was already done 3000+ years ago. (Also, cool note about the Near East (western Med) being supplied by Cornish tin).
Reading:
- Links I Would Gchat You If We Were Friends: Who’s that baby? - It’s long been said that the internet is a mirror. It follows these “AI” nonsenses are also a mirror, maybe a hall of them.
- Anora’s American Dream - I like the bit where the audience was happily laughing along and then suddenly fall silent. I found Anora to be a very discomforting watch, totally worth five stars.
- “Flying” electric boats could remake urban transport 🪜 - Hydrofoils are back, baby!
- Out of the red, but at what cost? Birmingham council asset sales have left city reeling, say residents - No longer financially bankrupt (if it ever really was) but still morally bankrupt. The mismanagement of my city over the last couple of decades has been a neoliberal disaster.
Watching:
Telly:
- The Curling
- A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
- The Residence - Excellent and highly recommended. I love how they started with a non-fiction book about how the White House works behind the scenes and built a proper whodunnit on top. Uzo Aduba is a revelation and my new favourite kooky detective. Naturally, Netflix have cancelled it.