Traffic

Met up with a friend for lunch today.  And the freeway traffic getting there was absolutely horrendous.  If there are any positives to working from home, then not having to deal with traffic is definitely up there.  I think it has gotten considerably worse over the last year or so.  It's not helped by the vast amount of roadworks going on around the Seattle area.  It seems like every weekend there are several major closures.  Indeed, when I look it up then there are 7 major traffic disruptions planned this weekend.  Yikes. 

In-N-Out

The good news - In-N-Out have opened a second location in Washington state.  The bad news - it is located in the far south of the state, just like it's first location.  So unless I fancy making a 300+ mile detour, or making a pit stop on the way to Oregon, I won't be going there anytime soon.  Which is a shame, because if you've ever been to In-N-Out before then you know how good its burgers are.  There is a reason it is consistently rated as one of the best fast food restaurants in the country.

NASL

Especially with the World Cup in the US coming up, I'm surprised that there hasn't been a reputable sports documentary - I'm specifically thinking of 30 for 30 - about the rise and fall of the North American Soccer League.  I think it would be fascinating - from stuff like trying to popularize and Americanize "soccer", to bringing in all these big names (Pele, Beckenbauer, etc.), to its eventual financial collapse.  It feels like the perfect story for a sports documentary.  And I think it gives a great insight to the American sports fan's psyche - like how they don't do draws, and how fickle they are.  Americans suffer from delusions of grandeur (which is not just confined to sports), to the extent that they think they're actually going to win the World Cup this year.  Which they 100% won't, and which I will 100% enjoy when they don't. 

Celebrity Traitors

Even though I'm not going to be back in the UK when Celebrity Traitors Season 2 airs, thanks to AI and my internet history I'm sure that I'm going to be unable to avoid news about it.  I know that it is going to be available to stream over here, but I don't know how soon those episodes will be available after they've aired in the UK.  I'm sure there's going to be a lag, just like there was for Season 1, so I'll know who has won before I'm able to watch here - which kind of defeats the point of watching.  Perhaps I need to use a VPN and watch it on BBC iPlayer.  I have seen the Celebrity Traitors lineup - and just like Season 1 it is stacked with lots of big names.  Of the 21 contestants, there are about 6 who I don't know.  Which is about on par with Season 1, and a pretty good ratio (especially compared to the US version, which is full of some real z-list "celebrities" - think obscure influencers and reality stars - none of whom I recognize).  In the season 2 lineup there does seem to be an awful lot of comedians, along with a lack of sports people.  Although that is not necessarily a bad thing - perhaps they are trying to replicate the chemistry in Last One Laughing - the problem is that all these comedians appear on the same shows and so they must know each other quite well, so I suspect they'll know when one or more of them is a traitor.   

Insects

I always seem to get more than my fair share of insect bites - likely due to the high sugar-content of my blood.  But this year seems to be one of the worst I've ever experienced.  I don't know if this is specific to me and/or where I live, some consequence of the weather we've had this year so far, or something else.  Either way, I have a rapidly increasing number of insect bites - to the extent that I've bought a load of insect repellent spray and I'm using it every night.  Because I've got so many bites on my legs, I've got it in my head that I've got bed bugs or fleas or something equally worrying.  But I think I'm just paranoid.  Every single sensation on my skin feels like it is probably an insect, and it's driving me crazy.  What I think I've got to do is stop scratching the insect bites and making them ten times worse.  So I've also bought a load of anti-itch lotion.  None of this is fun to deal with.

Chase the Sun

No, not an entry about the current hot spell we are experiencing.  So hot in fact that shorts were worn today for the first time this year.  No, this is an entry about the song Chase the Sun.  What song is that I hear you asking?  Well every darts fan will recognize it instantly.  And I'm currently watching the Colorado Avalanche playing in the hockey playoffs, and their goal song is the same darts song - which is very weird.  And as I write this they have already scored 5 goals through 2 periods, so I've been hearing this song a lot!  It's interesting how different the actual song sounds with a singer - when I'm used to just darts fans singing "Oi oi oi" after the hook.

Washing Machine Fail

Oops, I forgot to post a blog yesterday.  I was distracted yesterday evening because I was having problems with my washing machine.  It's not draining the water out properly.  So when I finish a wash, water comes out when I open the door (it's a front loader) and I can see it pooled up inside the liner outside the drum.  It is probably a simple case of clearing a filter or drain, but I'll let my landlord fix it when he comes round later today.  The advantage of renting and having a landlord who lives next door and just came back from his vacation yesterday.  At least I hope it's a simple fix....