Weeknotes #75

in weeknotes

  • Eri and Rowan came home. We weren’t sure if the doctors were going to want Rowan to stay a little longer but in the end, they were both discharged on Thursday. So far, Rowan’s been very good with sleeping and feeding. We were lucky with Emma and John in that respect as well so fingers crossed that our luck continues.

  • John turned 4. I’m the kind of person who think it’s a shame that my children’s birthdays aren’t better spread out around the calendar but I guess that’s just my cross to bear.

  • I forgot to mention last week that after Eri was admitted to the hospital, I had to deliver her bags to her (the admission was earlier than planned). I looked it up and it’s the first time I’ve driven a car since March of 2020 and that was just a quick drive to the closest electronics shop to buy a microwave after our old on carked it. It’s perhaps not a surprise then that I got a ticket. Not for speeding, but for turning immediately after a railway crossing (which, as it turns out, you’re not supposed to do). It was a frustrating ticket to get, not least because I was travelling home by following the route suggested by the car’s in-built satellite navigation system! You’d think this is the kind of thing that a system like that would avoid suggesting!

  • Having to pay a fine is not something I cherish doing but the thing I’m most annoyed about is that this now means that I won’t qualify for a gold licence when I renew. That in turn means I can’t just fill out a form but instead need to watch a 30-minute (60-minute?) safety video. I suppose if I’d paid better attention the last time I had to watch the video I wouldn’t be in this situation.

  • In more positive news, my local government announced that they’ll soon be sending out vaccination vouchers to ordinary residents between the ages of 16 and 65. It still looks like it’ll be faster to get the vaccine through work but getting the vaccine to more people is still very welcome.

  • The Japanese Government decided to lift the state of emergency that had been in effect in Tokyo (NHK). While the number of detected cases has (mostly) decreased over the past week or so, it’s difficult not to view this cynically. The Olympics are due to start 25 July.

  • As might be expected, I haven’t had time to watch much TV since Rowan was born. What little I have watched has mostly been the NBA playoffs. I haven’t watched all the games but I was lucky enough to watch Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals between the Brooklyn Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks (Washington Post). The Bucks ended up winning and while part of me feels like I should have been rooting for the small market team, I’m disappointed not to have an opportunity to see more Kevin Durant this season. Someone said this was what it was like to watch Michael Jordan and while I can’t say whether that’s true or not it certainly felt accurate.

  • Speaking of watching the NBA, the NBA produces a series of top 10 plays/dunks/etc video each week. I particularly enjoy the commentator who narrates these videos in rhyme. I looked up who it was and discovered this interview with the man himself, Beau Estes.

  • Almost ten years ago, the G.I. Joe: Retaliation trailer (I know) featured a remix of the White Stripes ‘Seven Nation Army’ by the Glitch Mob. For the longest time, it hasn’t been available on streaming services but for reasons that I don’t really understand that apparently changed back in April. So if you’ve been waiting like I have, good news (Apple Music).

Michael Camilleri inqk.net