264 - and back again to a life update 🚶➡️✍️
Hey there, !
Took a longer break than I thought I would, but it has been rejuvenating, restful and 'rithmetic. Is that the saying?
Anyway, here's a little recap :)
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Christmas and New Years was great - here are some pics from a few events I went to over the break! Some around Christmas, some after, all full of happiness and fun. I especially enjoy Gandalf eyeing off the cheeseboards at New Years hehehe. It's mainly pictures of food because that's my love language.
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Spent a lot of time with family which was great - we went to the Blue Lotus Garden (so pretty!) and then the Redwood Forest (also pretty). Had our annual mahjong session and then enjoyed just...hanging out with each other. It's the best. (P.S. did you know there is no natural blue lotus flower? It's actually a waterlily! What's the difference? No idea :D)
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I got a RoboVac which is always fun - new gadgets, y'know? I'll have a review of it sometime down the track as I test and get more acquainted with it. It's already eaten a sock or two but early testing is promising :)
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I spent a lot of time over the break trying to break the back of a long piece I wanted to write on 'strengths are weaknesses' but it always ended up lame or the wrong angle. I've shelved it (which is an additional reason why I didn't come back from break earlier) because I care about writing that one well - so it'll come back in due course I'm sure.
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My celebrancy mock ceremonies count: 0 / 13 completed. This is getting a bit scary 'cos I only have about 3 months to finish my course entirely. Past that, I have to pay to extend out my time, and that shit costs money so I'm trying to push through as quick as I can to get things done...
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...however, the Chinese Zodiac is coming which is kinda taking up time. I'm so damn excited it's my favourite thing to write every year. Keep your eyes peeled for next week! Chinese New Year is the 29th of January this year; don't wash your hair, don't clean your house, wear some new red clothes, don't swear, be kind, be happy, go beg people for money if you're single and make sure to eat well!!!!
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Regarding the new year, I don't really make resolutions or goals - I feel like I'm just going through the same motions and trying to build systems that will work for the long term. It's very much same-y one year from another; the days are long, but the years are short - how quickly the hedonistic treadmill gets you back to the same baseline :D
- I'm struggling with the same things everyone has to different degrees - getting the motivation to go to the gym, or to finish off my celebrancy course, or to host things at home, or to cook, or to do anything really. It's just so easy to...not do things, y'know? A constant effort which I know rationally is worth it but irrationally doesn't weigh as much as I want it to :(
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And lastly...YOU SHALL NOT PASS...without a Gandalf tax:
Chat soon :)
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✔️Real Life Recommendations
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Witness for the Prosecution - 5 stars - the best movie I watched over the break was filmed like 60 years ago. I now wish I had gone to the theatre production in London because WHAT a movie. Review I left on Letterboxd below:
I just loved it. Loved it all.
The comedy, the drama, the characters, the twists, the turns, the WRITINGGGG
A barrister dealing with a weak heart searching for One Last Case, a nurse trying to look after her charge, the pompousness of lawyers, the crochety housekeeper, the defendant, the wife (and her legs!). Characters that absolutely LEAP off the screen, and the seamless blend between courtroom drama and hijinks of everything around it.
Absolutely fantastic movie! Thank you Agatha Christie. Thank you Billy Wilder.
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Man Bo Restaurant - bit outta the way situated in Geelong, but it was a pretty good Chinese place! The ambience was really nice; they had some really nice decorations, and the food was quite nice. The seafood especially was generous and portion sizes were good. Recommended if you're down that way :)
🚌 Adventures on the Information Super-Highway
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Play Tetris in a PDF - genuinely crazy implementation in a PDF file of all things!
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Lawsuit: A chatbot hinted a kid should kill his parents over screen time limits - that's...a bit scary 👀
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Popeye and Tintin enter the public domain in 2025 along with novels from Faulkner and Hemingway - always a good one to keep an eye on; what's entering the public domain in 2025!