- I went to my first conference for work in maybe 3 years, sometime before the pandemic anyway. It was so good to see co-workers, peers and to try to make friends with the crew at the BBC R&D booth across from ours. Lovely mornings in town, too.
- Speaking of work. My work—in line with (I have a lot more feelings on this) the other tech companies— announced layoffs, it was a stressful week.
- I decided to let myself off my post-covid rest plan a few days early for the benefit that being on a train and going somewhere new brings my head and my heart. I went to Whitstable on the Kent coast. It was lovely.
- Traveling solo is fine. Sometimes it's what I need but most of the time it's just fine. I've done it a lot; it's fine.
- I went to Cookham (again, prioritizing mental health over post-covid physical health at the moment) for a country pub roast with a friend. Met their friend and 3 dogs (Bertie, Rufus, Casper). Thank god for pubs.
- I'm reading a great book, the third I've read by Natalia Ginzburg. I love her writing:
"Then Anna asked where justice could be found, if the kingdom of heaven, where it could have been found, did not exist. Giuma said it certainly was a pity not to be able to find it anywhere."
- It's month 5 of what should have been a straightforward two-way chain-free purchase of a flat for me. It's really annoying. So is still paying loads of money to a crappy landlord for a rented flat that drives me nuts in a dozen small ways each day.
- I am so tired of all the Life Admin that's dragging on. This is a bleak post!