WYRD
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I had a pretty good week, all in all.

Puzzles & Wordplay

  • On Cryptic Sunday we did one by Gennaro and one by Ouroboros.

  • I only did one on my own - Cyclops 796 (Private Eye).

  • With Rachel we solved:

  • I came across a few new words in the puzzles, which I'll add to my Anki so hopefully I'll remember them next time:

  • New words:

    • NEDDY = ass (donkey)
    • REREDOS = screen ("a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church")
    • LIANA = a type of vine (long-stemmed & woody)
    • BRIDGE ROLL = a long soft white bread roll
    • ROAN = a colour pattern on a hors or other animal ("an even mixture of white and pigmented hairs that do not grey out or fade as the animal ages")
    • ESPIAL = the act or fact of being seen
  • George's site 'Manipulexity' has been updated with a very nice anagram finder. Also I found this video about anagraphs, which was a new one on me.

  • I'm looking forward to attending the 'Word ↔ Puzzles' conference next month in Oxford


Media

  • I finished reading Meditations for Mortals. It's designed to be read a little each day (chapters only four or five pages) - I might have another go round soon as it was a nice way to start the day.
  • I saw the trailer for the new Fantastic Four film and I'm really looking forward to that.
  • Severance was good again this week (S02E04).
  • I've been reading How to ADHD on audiobook.
  • I've been spending some time on the https://social.lol Discord, as well as the new Signal group we set up. There are some good people there.

Bits and bobs

  • I bought some of these Loop Engage 2 Plus earplugs. They seem pretty good - I need to try them out in a coffee shop or something to see how well they work in the field.
  • tree.fm is a nice site for ambient forest sounds
  • keybr.com is where I'm practising my touch typing
  • I have spent a silly amount of time playing this comball game (h/t to Westley for linking on his blog .
  • thistothat.com is a good page for finding out how to stick one thing to another thing

Reflections and plans

  • I've ended up (yet again) with a huge pile of unread articles, and videos/podcasts starred in various apps waiting to be consumed. In the end I just declared bankruptcy and ditched pretty much all of them off.

    • Intention: Actually read my list in Instapaper. Delete and unstar things liberally. Get to next week with a non-ridiculous list on Instapaper/Pocketcasts/Play.
  • I just realised my Defaults page (linked by robb) isn't in the new site - I think I have a backup somewhere...

    • Intention: Get something back on /defaults
  • I hurt my back last weekend and haven't been to the gym since. Also my diet has been pretty (OK, very) bad.

    • Intention: Go to gym three times this week, get back onto my food plan.
  • I'll review my Intentions next week.

    • Intention: Review my Intentions next week (intentionception!)
  • I'm meeting up for a coffee with a guy I've known socially for a long time - we see each other at local events, sometimes me and Rachel meet up with him and his partner as couples - but I've never actually spent any one-to-one time with him. I think we get on pretty well - I really enjoy talking with him and he seems very nice to me. I ran into him in the street a while ago and asked if he'd like to go for a coffee. It was weirdly scary, like asking someone on a date! I was worried he might say no (or worse, say yes to be polite but look like he wasn't happy). Anyway all good and we're on for Monday after work. I need to get out of my comfort zone to make some more friends, I think. I have a few very close and lovely friends but not much of a social life since quitting drinking five years - and a pandemic - ago.


If you are reading this and have anything you'd like to say, please get in touch! My email is on the Contact page 😁