Concerts

It's been ages since I've been to see some live music.  This thought crossed my mind as I was watching some live concert footage of Muse today.  One of the few bands that I have seen live before (though a long time ago) and probably the best band I've ever seen live.  This is very much a universal opinion, not one just shared by me.  For the hell of it I checked to see if they had any live dates coming up, and was pleasantly surprised to see that they are actually performing locally later this year.  Well, I think I have to go.  But then I check the dates.  August.  Well dang it, I'm back in the UK when they are here.  That sucks.  What especially sucks is that the alternative radio station that I listen to - and which very occasionally plays Muse - has made absolutely no mention of this upcoming concert.  It makes me wonder just how many other possible concerts of interest I might have missed out on.  Elbow are another band who I missed seeing live locally last year because I didn't know they were going to be here - not that I could have gone because I was back in the UK when they were here.  My timing of home visits is apparently spectacularly bad.       

Geography

A clear sign I've been in the US too long - my geography knowledge has regressed.  A lot.  Give me a globe, and I couldn't tell you where Cape Verde or Curacao are (both countries are in the World Cup).  Indeed, I wasn't even sure which region Curacao qualified for the World Cup from (in fact, it's the same as the US - if the US weren't one of the hosts).  I'm also not sure I care for some of the "renaming" of countries during the World Cup - I'm used to Czech Republic instead of Czechia, and especially Turkey instead of Turkiye.  Hilariously, the Turkish government doesn't want to be associated with the bird - hence requesting the name change.  That seems rather shallow.    

Trail Cam Update

I'm sorry to say, no more bear sightings over the last few weeks.  But there is definitely a coyote in the neighborhood.

USA 2-0 Australia

Congrats to the US for making the knockout stages.  But as I've been telling friends and colleagues, I still don't think you're anywhere near good enough to win the World Cup.  But try telling that to the fickle, fair weather American fan.  Especially after another win.  Another win against a very mediocre opponent.  But I'm glad Seattle did good.  The crowd was hot, the city was rocking, the weather cooperated, and all the scenic shots made Seattle look amazing.  This was probably the biggest sporting event to ever take place in the city.  That might be eclipsed later in the tournament, when we have 2 knockout games being held here.  Those are the ones I really tried to get tickets for, but I just couldn't justify it at the price they were offering.  I doubt that price will come down much at all nearer the games.  Tickets for today's game were going for at least $2000.  And that's for the cheapest seats.  Nope.  But I'm glad I didn't have to go anywhere today - apparently driving anywhere near the city was horrendous (and I've already had to deal with driving loads over the last couple of days just to attend a couple of team lunches).  I think they close a lot of downtown to traffic during the World Cup matches.  It looked absolutely packed.  And it looked like a great atmosphere, but I can't deal with those kinds of crowds.  I'm happy to watch the game at home in "RealTime4K" on TV. 

Awkward

From this:

To this:

Billy no-mates.

England 4-2 Croatia

Well, I don't think I'm going to make any more World Cup predictions.  This game did not go how I expected it to go.  At all.  I missed watching it live as I was at a Chinese restaurant for a team lunch (among the culinary delights that I did not partake in - sea snails and jellyfish).  But it was impossible to avoid the score - we had a banquet room upstairs, but there was a big screen downstairs showing the game.  A good result for sure, showing some encouraging resilience and some surprising attacking flair (predictably, we are always going to be a threat at set pieces) - but there is an awful long way to go in the tournament, so I am not going to read too much into the performance.  In past World Cups, you didn't mind if you started the tournament slowly as you really wanted to peak in the later rounds.  But with this stretched out tournament, including an extra knockout round, I don't know if you can really build up that momentum in the same way.  But a win is a win, and it does somewhat take the pressure off for the next couple of games - which cannot be a bad thing.

Goal Music

There may be many things I dislike about this World Cup, but one of the things I do approve of is the playing of some music in the stadium when a team scores.  It seems like each country has their own choice - so for example when Mexico scored, we got some mariachi music.  I believe the US plays the guitar solo from Lynyrd Skynyrd's Free Bird.  I'm wondering what will be England's goal music?  I pray to God it isn't Three Lions.  I hope we get to find out tomorrow.  Just for reference, this was apparently our choice in the last World Cup (though I don't remember them playing it after every goal):

Roasting

We are currently enduring a mini heatwave.  This is the third consecutive day where we are under a heat advisory.  I've had to drag my portable AC units out of hibernation for their first use of the year.  But they are not helping me sleep well.  But I think that is as much to do with my mattress as it is with the hot temperatures.  I've just ordered a mattress topper to see if that helps - otherwise I fear I will need a new mattress.  The heatwave was also unfortunate timing for the first World Cup match being held in Seattle (Belgium vs Egypt) today.  Perhaps one of the few games where the hydration breaks were actually necessary.  Apparently the match was well attended but there were still some empty seats.  And the ticket prices were still outrageous.  They are going to be even worse for the next game in Seattle, featuring the US.   

Irrational

I'm still getting my head around how I feel about this World Cup.  It's not hatred I think, more just distaste.  The actual games haven't been too bad so far.  However, it feels more like a "soccer" world cup than a "football" world cup.  If that makes sense.  Perhaps it's all the little tweaks and rule changes being implemented in this tournament (the worst of which is the hydration/advert break dividing the game into quarters).  Ian Wright said that the US has no idea about the spirit of the game.  I am in total agreement.  I would go further.  FIFA also has no idea about the spirit of the game - they are driven solely by corporate greed and corruption.  Yet I still end up watching way too many games.  And the more I watch the more I find to get on my nerves.  From the really annoying shadow of a drone flying about above a game, to the clearly artificially enhanced crowd noises on the broadcasts, to the absolutely unwatchable studio segments, to the fake attendance figures (I bet if I show up at Seattle stadium tomorrow for the Belgium vs Egypt game, I could probably get a free ticket just so that there is one less empty seat), to the ridiculousness that Scottish fans had to stay up past 4 am to see their team win (with so many games, how they couldn't find a more accommodating time slot is outrageous).  Did you know that Fox are doing a daily post-game talk show with James Corden.  James Corden!  I thought he was canceled - everybody found out that he was a total prick, and so nobody likes him.  I can't imagine this show gets any viewers whatsoever.  But the broadcaster is Fox, so this shouldn't really come as a surprise (hence why also one of the game analysts is MAGA-loving Alexi Lalas - an excruciatingly horrible presence in the studio even without the politics).  As I write this, we still haven't had a 0-0 game.  I am utterly convinced that England's first game will be the first 0-0 of the tournament and the most dour game of the tournament so far.      

Con Job

My cable and internet bill keeps on going up every month, and I'm sick and tired of it.  And it's time to do something about it.  Rather than go through some AI customer service on the internet or on the phone, I made an appointment at the local store yesterday so that I could speak to someone face-to-face.  Mainly what I wanted was some estimates for how much I was going to pay if I reduced my internet speed and/or if I reduced my channel selection, or even if I cut the cord totally.  For the time being, I have reduced my monthly bill - but at the cost of eliminating a couple of my premium channels.  I feel a bit like I got fleeced - and whatever option I go with, it still feels like a rip off.  What is more aggravating is that I found out that all my surrounding neighbors, including my landlord, have access to fiber internet - but I do not.  I would switch to that in a heartbeat, but instead I'm stuck with getting my internet through my cable company.         

USA 4-1 Paraguay

I suspect there are going to be a lot of posts about the World Cup over the next 3 months, or however long this darn tournament is going to take place.  Apologies for those of you who don't really care for football.  Of course, the US winning their first game in convincing fashion was probably the worst possible result.  It's going to make Americans even more insufferable than they already are.  I do not care for the American fair weather "soccer" fan to start with, and now there are going to be even more of them thinking they are good enough to win the World Cup.  Nope.  Let's see how they actually do against a half-decent side. 

I had to snap a photo of this when it popped up on the screen during the US game:

WTF is "match momentum"?  Jeez.  It looks like another attempt to Americanize our sport.

Commercialization

I now know why the World Cup games are having forced hydration breaks.  It's absolutely nothing to do with making sure players are hydrated enough.  It is all so that Fox can have an extra few advert breaks during the game.  And I'm sure the length of the hydration breaks is being dictated by the sponsors.  Absolutely disgusting.  I think it's the first advert break I've ever seen whilst a game is still being played.  Not even a picture-in-picture advert break - nope, we fully cut away from the game.  It feels very American to try to turn the game into 4 quarters rather than 2 halves - and this is the first step in that direction.

World Cup Preview

We're finally at the eve of the World Cup starting.  Some thoughts on the tournament:

- I hope the US has a really bad World Cup.  Like not even getting out of the group stage.  It's not the team's fault, but thanks to their president they are the pantomime villains and everyone hates them and wants them to lose.

- I don't think England are going to have a good World Cup.  They won't get past the quarter finals.  And their games are going to be painfully frustrating to watch.

- In fact, I think generally the quality of football is going to be very low during this World Cup.  This is courtesy of searing temperatures and a bloated tournament full of too many countries who shouldn't really have qualified.

- Trump has and will ruin this World Cup in much the same way that he is ruining America's 250th birthday.

- This World Cup will be looked on as a disaster, and the US as a terrible host.  The football will be overshadowed by all the off-the-field issues.

- Attendance will be poor at many of the early games, and I fear a Superbowl-like artificiality to the atmosphere of most of the later games.

- I don't have any predictions on who the actual winner will be.  One of the usual suspects.

- It's going to be interesting to see whether the pitches hold up.  Most of the stadiums normally have artificial turf, so they've had to replace this with specially engineered grass - which has the potential to be awful.

- Some of the new rules being implemented for this World Cup will be ridiculous, and I expect at least one major VAR controversy.

- The US "soccer" coverage is going to be interesting.  I've already seen that the first US game will have a 3 hour pre-game show.  Good grief.  But at least the studio host is Rebecca Lowe, who has been the Premier League host here for ages and does a great job at that.  And I notice that Zlatan is going to be one of the pundits - which should be entertaining at least, even if he doesn't exactly provide any interesting insights.  I don't hold high hopes for the quality of commentating - but thankfully they are mostly British.  

   

Team Meeting

I've got a dilemma.  There is a team meet up taking place next Wednesday in Seattle (well, strictly speaking, in Bellevue - but that's the same distance away from me as Seattle is).  I don't really want to go.  It's at some Chinese restaurant where I don't think I'm going to like the food.  But some key people in my department are going to be there - including my manager's manager's manager's manager, my manager's manager's manager and my manager - so I feel some obligation to attend.  I don't really know why some of these people are flying up from California to be here.  This feels like nothing more than a brown nosing event, rather than them actually having some news (good or bad) to impart.  But there is an extra factor to consider.  England are playing their first World Cup game on the same day.  And I would miss it if I was to go to this meeting.  So I honestly don't know what to do.  I can almost guarantee that someone will spoil the score if I record the game and go.  But do I really care that much about watching the game live?  And how important is it for me to go to this meeting?  At no time has anyone said attendance is mandatory, but I feel like it is.  Or at the very least, my absence would be noted.  But do I really care?  As stated previously, I wouldn't mind getting laid off.  I've got until tomorrow to decide whether to go or not.  Let me sleep on it.   

Home Entertainment

I've taken my first steps to substantially upgrading my home entertainment system.  I've just ordered a new soundbar.  I found it new for less than half the retail price, which was too good a deal to pass up on.  And this is, by all accounts (or at least according to many of the online reviews) one of the best systems out there.  Even at the reduced price, it wasn't cheap.  But it features a 11.1.4 channel setup, which should result in some incredible sound.  Calling it a soundbar doesn't do it justice - it's more like a home theater system, with a wireless subwoofer and wireless rear speakers to go with the actual soundbar.  Now I need to pair it up with a high quality telly - I've got my eyes on a particular model, but it ain't cheap...

Vertigo

I can talk about this now, because I'm more or less over it.  But for about a week, I have been suffering from dizzy spells.  Not the more serious low blood pressure, fainting type of dizziness.  No, this was more like occasionally experiencing a spinning sensation.  In certain situations where I moved my head suddenly - especially when I moved position in bed, something I do a lot of - then I was getting really dizzy.  There is something deeply, fundamentally disturbing about experiencing a really spinning room while you're stationary and gripping hard onto whatever you can before things settle back to normal.  Fortunately these spells only lasted for a few seconds, but still very unsettling.  I think I was suffering from something called BPPV (Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo) - where, apparently, tiny calcium crystals get dislodged and go into the wrong part of your ear canal.  Isn't the human body a crazy thing.  But apparently this is quite common, especially for people over 50 (which I nearly am).  And fortunately I didn't have to live with this condition for too long.  But an unwelcome reminder that I'm going to experience more stuff like this as I get older.  

An Unexpected Visitor

I moved my trail camera in the hope of seeing new wildlife.  Well, my decision has paid off.  And in quite spectacular fashion:

Yes, that is a black bear going up my driveway towards my house.  And quite a large one at that.  I had absolutely no idea it was even possible for there to be any bears in my neighborhood.  It's not like my neighborhood is overly developed, but neither are there any big wilderness areas nearby.  I certainly haven't seen any bears here before, and I haven't heard about any here before either.  And judging from my landlord's reaction when I sent him one of the above photos - "Holy sh*t!!!" was the text I got back - I suspect he hasn't either.   

Watch Repair

It took me 3 days to notice that my watch had stopped running.  And I'd been wearing it for most of those 3 days.  Is it weird that I don't look at my watch that much?  Either way, I need to get a new battery fitted.  I took it in to a jewelers today, and the price they quoted just for a battery replacement was outrageous - almost the cost of the watch itself.  So I declined, and instead went home and ordered a very basic watch replacement kit from Amazon instead.  I'll do it myself - I think (hope) it isn't too complicated.  I think I just need to use the right tools to unscrew the back of the watch, and simply replace the battery (which I also need to order from Amazon).  It'll probably end up being a lot less easy than that, especially with my very limited expertise when it comes to doing fiddly things, but we shall see.  

Cleaning

Note to self - don't use any cleaning products that contain bleach.  Whenever I use them, I have an uncanny ability to stain things that I don't want stained - in the worst case, ruining some item of clothing that I'm wearing.  Just in the last week, I have contrived to get bleach stains on two of my washcloths.  Nope, I am done with using bathroom spray containing bleach.  I'd rather use an inferior cleaning product.   

Gambling

It seems to me that the US has a serious gambling problem.  Both the Stanley Cup final and NBA finals are going on right now, and the preponderance of sports gambling websites and apps being advertised during these games is shocking.  And the number of things you can bet on just over the duration of a single game is unbelievable.  I've noticed that even the news ticker on sports channels has started showing betting odds, and an increasingly larger amount of pre-game coverage is explicitly dedicated to gambling.  It doesn't seem like there is much regulation of this industry here, which I guess shouldn't surprise me given the current administration.  And it's not just sports, but even platforms that allow you to bet on almost anything (such as political, military or social events) seem to have massively increased their presence.  And profits.  Because ultimately, the house always wins.       

A New Angle

I've made the big decision to move my trail camera.  It is now on the edge of my driveway, pointing down towards my driveway entrance, but hopefully far back enough that it doesn't capture traffic on the road.  Why did I move it?  Mainly to see if it captures any different animal activity.  But also because one morning last week, I found some neighbors' discarded mail at the bottom of my driveway.  Some of the mail was opened, so I suspect a mail thief was opening it down there.  I hope not, but I don't have any other rational explanation.  It makes me thankful that early on when I moved here I asked my landlord to get me a locked mailbox.  Anyway, the trail camera in its new position will hopefully capture any unwelcome activity like this in the future.  It does have the unfortunate consequence of capturing all my toing and froing, in addition to that of my landlord and his family who also occasionally use the driveway.  My landlord has already knocked down the camera once when he was out in his mower cutting the grass.  So I wouldn't be surprised if it gets run over one day.  But the early indications are that I will get some good new images.

Busy

If today is any indicator, it looks like it's going to be a hellishly busy week at work.  Again.  Sigh.       

World War II with Tom Hanks

Because I'm nearly 50 and an old man now, I'm obligated to watch more of the History Channel.  And with that in mind, I just started watching the documentary series World War II with Tom Hanks.  It consists of something like 20 episodes, so I think it desperately wants to be the US equivalent of The World at War.  But it isn't.  I'm only a few episodes in, and it feels more like a history text book put onto screen.  Yes, some of the footage is terrific - but the narrative is very basic and, honestly, kind of boring.  And, so far at least, it contains nothing I really didn't already know.  And I have quickly grown tired of the various talking heads throughout the documentary - including a very somber and weird looking Tom Hanks - who don't seem to impart anything particularly interesting or new.  I expect it to get very US-centric in the second half of the series once the US officially enters the fray.  Especially because in these first couple of episodes, we are rushing through all the European action.  I'll keep on watching, but so far all this series is making me want to do is revisit The World at War again.     

Funny Little Plans

Note to self - if you're thinking about driving out to East/Central Washington, and you want to leave really early to (a) avoid the hottest temperatures and (b) avoid some serious backups due to freeway closures then don't fall asleep on the sofa and end up going to bed about 3 am the night before.  Nope it wasn't to be today.  I think maybe if I want to go out that way, I should stay the night there - otherwise it involves an awful lot of driving.    

Lies

"President Trump remains in excellent health ... He is fully fit to carry out all duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State".

Come on now.  Everyone should know by now that you cannot trust anything that comes out of the White House nowadays, but this takes the biscuit.

First Light

Look what I got today:

Yes, the new official James Bond video game.  And the reviews have been pretty good, so I'm looking forward to playing it.  But I don't know when that will be.  I fear this type of game will quickly consume my time and challenge my poor video game skills.  So I will need to show some self-control, some self-moderation, and some patience - none of which I'm traditionally good at (case in point, how quickly I consume all the snacks I bring back with me from the UK!).

Palace 1-0 Rayo

European champions!  Holy sh*t!  Three major trophies in one year, after 119 years without one.  Amazing.  Well, I guess technically European "Conference League" champions - whatever.  I blew off some meetings to watch this game - and it was totally worth it.  Not exactly a great game, but we were definitely the better team.  When we turned it up a couple of notches at the start of the second half, that showed how good we could be.  We only got one goal, but should have got more.  And then we were able to comfortably see out the rest of the game and raise the trophy.  A fitting way to end the reign of what has arguably been our best manager - certainly our most successful.  I don't know what that means for the future - I fear once again not capitalizing on our success and instead struggling to hold onto our best players.  But at least we're in the Europa League next year - which we were unfairly disqualified from this year.  I think this result more than makes up for our embarrassing FA Cup defense.

Sinners

I finished watching Sinners this evening.  A film that had 16 Oscar nominations (it won 4) and a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 97% - so I had high expectations.  And I came away... underwhelmed.  A good, watchable film - but nowhere near the masterpiece that the critical acclaim would suggest.  Did I miss something?  It's essentially a horror film, though mixing a variety of themes, with a fairly simplistic plot.  I hate to use this word, but is this a woke film?  Yes, it is predominantly a black cast with a story told from a black perspective.  Nothing wrong with that.  But it feels like that has been celebrated over the merits or not of the actual film.  I don't know, maybe I'm just not the right demographic for this film.  3 stars.   

Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day!  As I was channel surfing this evening, I could have watched Flags of Our Fathers (followed by Letters from Iwo Jima) or Saving Private Ryan.  But nope, there was only one correct choice - Band of Brothers.  I had forgotten how good it is.  That really deserves a proper rewatch.  Another one to add to the list.  When I watch an intense show like Band of Brothers, I really feel thankful and blessed that I have never had to fight a war in my lifetime.  And I can't help but wonder what kind of soldier I might have been.  Not a good one I suspect.  I would have been more of the pencil pusher type a long way away from the action. 

End of Season

Well, a 15th place finish is extremely disappointing for Palace.  But considering the mid-season turmoil, I guess we should just be happy that we were never part of the relegation battle (even if we finished just above it).  But our season will be entirely dictated by how we do in the Conference League final on Wednesday.  A win, another trophy and qualification for Europe next season would be massive.  And perhaps we can attract a better manager.  A loss, and this season will have been a big disappointment - a failure to capitalize on last season's progress, and the loss of our manager and our best players.  And we will be serious relegation candidates next season.

Otherwise, I've found the Premier League to be a bit disappointing this season.  Disappointed that Arsenal won, and disappointed that Spurs didn't go down.  And generally I've been a lot less invested in the ups and downs of the league.  I haven't watched many games live, preferring to stick to highlights.   And this is despite going to Selhurst Park for the first time ever and catching a game in person for the first time in absolutely ages.  Perhaps I've just grown a bit tired of the sport in general.  I'm not at all excited by the upcoming World Cup, which I feel is going to drag on with slow and boring games.  I don't have any opinions on the England squad selection, because I don't really care.  And England will probably have a spectacularly underwhelming showing, which is my early World Cup prediction.  

Developments

News on the job front.  Maybe good news?  It appears that I'm not going to be laid off any time soon.  Later this year, I am going to transition to a new role - essentially working on a task force that assists on different projects as and when required.  This is what I wanted, so I should be happy.  Especially as this should give me a degree of job security I didn't have before.  But for some reason I am very apprehensive.  In light of how I am not coping particularly well when my current workload is intense, I am worried that this new role might be even more demanding and stressful.  I'm going to have a new manager (actually my current manager's manager) who I don't know well, and who doesn't know me well.  And, if I'm going to be honest, I think I wanted to be laid off (and take what should be some decent severance pay).  I'm about to turn 50 - I want to take a sabbatical, I want to enjoy my life for a bit on my own terms, and I especially could do with an extended length of time without the weight of work on my shoulders.  I have a couple of friends on both sides of the Atlantic who are between jobs, and I'm extremely jealous.  But so be it.  I'll give the new role a shot, and see how it goes.  If I don't enjoy it, then perhaps I'll just leave on my own terms rather than get laid off.  Or at least ask for a leave of absence.  But change is good, and I needed something like this to keep me going because I am not happy with my current work situation.    

British Food Section

Just in case you're interested, I took a quick photo of the British food section at the supermarket I regularly frequent.  Sorry it's not a very good photo - I took it in a rush, because I was very self-conscious of how stupid I looked taking this photo.  And as you can tell, I guess it's more of a European food section than a British food section - there is a load of stuff there that I don't recognize.

But if you look closely, you'll see digestives, wine gums, custard powder, aero chocolate bars, mustard, salad cream, hp sauce, baked beans and ribena among the offerings.  A disappointingly paltry selection - most of which I won't bother with.  And if you look even closer, you'll be shocked by how expensive all these things are. 

Disgrace

It was bad enough that Trump granted clemency to all the rioters who stormed the Capitol.  Now he's created a slush fund - funded by tax-payer money - that could hand payouts to these criminals.  It's absolutely disgusting, and an utter disgrace.  I guess I'm no longer surprised by the level of corruption and abuse of power of this administration, but the sheer scale of it is still shocking.  And it's exposed just how messed up the American political system is, when it has apparently been so easily undermined by the actions of this administration.  No wonder global perception of the US is currently at record lows.  And no wonder that I'm also questioning whether I want to continue living here.        

Frequency

It's, apparently, getting tougher and tougher for me to maintain daily entries in this blog.  I forgot to post anything yesterday.  This seems to be occurring more regularly.  Perhaps this says something about my life right now - interpret that however you want.  Perhaps this says something about my motivation to do this blog.  It is making me question whether I want to maintain a daily blog.  It might be easier if it's every other day, or weekly, or even if I just bring this blog to an end.  But, for the time being, I shall endeavor to keep doing it daily.  But be warned that the quality of my entries might not be very good.  Like this one.  

Gratitude

In the space of a few days, I've been awarded 3 of what our company calls gratitude awards from different people.  Finally some recognition, no matter how minor, of the amount of hard work I've been doing recently.  Clearly someone has said something, and surprisingly I don't think it was me, although I was definitely feeling underappreciated.  The total monetary value of these awards only comes to about $400.  So not exactly the big bonus I really deserve.  The way this thing works now is that you get awarded points, and then you go to this online store where you can spend these points.  Since the selection of gifts in this store is so poor, I just spend it on gift vouchers for myself.  In this case, I got $400 of Lego gift cards because I know I'm about to make a big purchase (the next Lord of the Rings set).           

Gas Pump

I was at the gas station today, and noticed this sticker on the gas pump pointing towards the display and the exorbitant amount of money it costs to fill up your car nowadays.

I approve.  Simple but effective.  Since Trump wants to get his image on as much as he can, we should see this sticker on every single gas pump in the country. 

Nearly Forgot

Just going to bed, and nearly forgot I hadn't done a blog entry today.  I got distracted this evening by something I've been doing way too much recently, and something I really need to cut out.  And that is mindless scrolling through YouTube shorts.  A classic symptom of digital addiction, with the inevitable result of brain rot.  Nope, not good.  If it goes a step further and I start properly doomscrolling all the time - then I will really start to worry.

Backyard Highlights

Here are some highlights from my trail cam over the last few months.  A good selection of the usual suspects, plus I might have finally uncovered photographic evidence of aliens (I'll let you guess which photo that is - if you squint it looks like a face).

USPS

I generally haven't had any problems with the United States Postal Service.  Despite the fact that they have seemingly, and without any kind of notice, stopped delivering mail to me on Wednesdays.  But a particular item that I had ordered has apparently proved problematic.  It was supposed to be delivered a week ago.  Here is some of the USPS tracking on this item:

May 8, 6:10 am: arrived at Seattle WA Distribution Center

May 12: in transit to next facility

May 13, 4.28 am: arrived at Everett WA Post Office

May 14, 6.10 am: out for delivery

May 14, 11.37 pm: arrived at Seattle WA Distribution Center

May 15, 1.11 am: departed Seattle WA Distribution Center

May 15, 1.40 am: arrived at Seattle WA Distribution Center

What the heck is going on?  It's apparently in the same facility this morning as it was a week ago.  For a third time.  And yesterday it was out for delivery, but I never got it.  What are the chances I will never see this item?  I fear quite high.   

Chips

I think one of the food items I miss the most from the UK, maybe even THE food item I miss the most from the UK, is crisps.  It's really surprising that America doesn't do good chips (crisps).  They lack variety and flavor (flavour).  And as with every other American food, they are full of preservatives, chemicals and other inferior ingredients.  It's why whenever I return from a trip to the UK, I always bring back loads of crisps with me.  And frankly I wish I could bring back more.  It's a bit of a thankless task, but I have tried to find some "chip" varieties I might like here.  And in that spirit, I came across these today:

You won't be surprised to know, but pineapple (and chili?) flavored crisps do not taste particularly good.  Just weird.  Nope, these do not scratch the itch.   

Digestives

Good news on the biscuit front.  On my last visit to a Walmart, I was very surprised to find they stocked some McVitie's Milk Chocolate Digestives.  It's rare to find any sort of British foods at Walmart.  There are a couple of local supermarkets that have an extremely small British food section (I should take a photo and share it - just in case you're curious what kind of essential British foods they sell), which normally includes some digestives.  But I've never seen them before at Walmart.  I don't think they were particularly cheap - especially compared to UK prices - but then again, nothing is cheap nowadays.        

Delivery Fail

An extremely frustrating day.  A delivery was scheduled today for something that I had to sign for.  The delivery was originally scheduled for the morning.  It didn't show up.  Then it was rescheduled for the afternoon.  It didn't show up.  And then it was rescheduled for the evening.  As of now, it hasn't shown up.  All of this on the hottest day of the year so far.  I should be outside enjoying the weather.  But nope, I decided to stay in so that I could sign for the delivery.  A mistake I won't make again.

Lore

I was having a look at the website of the official James Bond store today, and was a little bit surprised to find quite a lot of items for sale related to the upcoming First Light video game.  Can we really consider a video game part of James Bond lore/canon?  I'm not sure I agree with that.  To me, James Bond lore comes solely from the films.  And even then, not all the films.  Never Say Never Again is not part of the official James Bond lore.  Nor is the Woody Allen-starring Casino Royale.  I consider the books to be a totally separate entity.  To me, the video game lies in a similar grey area to these films.  So yes, when I see that Corgi are releasing a new James Bond model car, I approve.  But when I realize that the car comes from the video game and I have to check whether it is actually real (it is), then I lose interest.    

Indecision

In certain situations, I often suffer from crippling indecisiveness.  I am currently experiencing it when it comes to upgrading my living room.  I want to get a new sofa set, a new TV, a new soundbar.  But in what order?  What size TV?  How much do I want to spend on a soundbar?  What kind of sofa?  When do I get all these things?  I find myself constantly and aimlessly searching the internet - scrolling through reviews, looking up recommendations, and making absolutely no decisions on what I actually want.  I find myself weighing up whether to get the same size TV as I currently have, or the next size up.  Whether to get a new soundbar now, or wait until I've got the new TV.  Whether I should prioritize getting a new sofa set before even thinking about getting a new TV.  And then I get sidetracked by everything else that accompanies these upgrades.  I'll need to book a junk removal company to take away my current sofa set.  What do I do with my current TV, for example can I donate it?  If I get a bigger TV, will I need help setting it up?  I really shouldn't be overthinking this.

Happy Mother's Day

My laptop battery is about to run out, so let me take this opportunity to with my mum a Happy Mother's Day!  At least it will be by the time you read this tomorrow.  And you don't need me to tell you how stupid it is that Mother's Day here is on a different day to the UK.  Apparently UK "Mothering Sunday" is a religious holiday, whereas the American date comes from some woman from the very early 20th century who wanted to honor her mother.  Whatever the origins, Mum - I hope you have a good day and I'll video chat with you later!

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....   

Loyalty

How many times have I flown with BA over the last decade plus?  Countless times.  But clearly not enough so that they want me to keep me as a loyal customer.  I found out today that my British Airways Club membership has dropped to Blue.  Which is the level you get when you first join.  So instead of gaining benefits like lounge access - which I think I've earned - instead I've lost benefits that include free seat selection 7 days before my flight (I can now only select my seat for free when I check in 24 hours before by flight - when I doubt I will have any choice), I can't check in at the business-class desk (which sadly means queuing up with the rest of the muggles), I don't get priority boarding (not really a big deal, so long as there is enough space in the overhead lockers for my hand luggage when I do eventually board), and I don't get priority baggage tagging (which means waiting even longer for my suitcases at the carousel).  But ultimately what this really means is that I'm going to look at other airlines a lot more closely when I book my next flight - so well done BA, you've screwed up by screwing me over and you've potentially lost a regular flyer.   

Disc Golf

I took a lunchtime walk today through a park that also had an 18 hole disc golf course.  If "hole" is the right word for the metal nets that catch the discs.  It was a sunny day, so even on a weekday lunchtime I saw plenty of people out on the course.  I wish this was a thing when I was younger, because this is something I could see myself doing - after all, who doesn't like throwing around a frisbee.  But I think it's a young man's game - all the people I saw carrying backpacks full of discs were under 20.  And how many discs do you need?  Is it a bit like golf where you have different discs for different distances?  I could understand having a few spare discs, because I saw plenty of people chucking their discs deep into undergrowth.

SNL

I've seen a few clips of SNL: UK online, and was kind of curious how it was doing.  After all, SNL is an American institution.  Admittedly it's not one that I really care for - I don't think I've ever seen an episode in its entirety, just some of the better known sketches.  That's always been the problem for me - SNL is very hit or miss.  And I suspect that is probably the same problem with SNL: UK.  Which is why this kind of show is always going to do much better with online views - where you can be selective in what you watch - compared to actual viewership ratings.  What I've seen is funny enough, but not particularly memorable.  I was never quite sure whether this kind of show would work in the UK - so it will be interesting to see whether it lasts beyond its inaugural season.  

Random Song

Why did I suddenly start singing this song this morning?  I was doing absolutely nothing to jog some long lost memory.  I probably haven't heard the song for 30+ years, and I didn't even know it was a Rod Stewart song until I found it on YouTube.  I simply don't understand how my mind works.

Endorsement

I think there is a very simple way that we can get Nigel Farage and Reform UK out of British politics.  And that is to get J D Vance to publicly endorse them.  He might be one of the most reviled politicians ever.  I think even Trump doesn't like him.  To get an idea of just how unpopular Vance is, just look at what happened to Orban in the Hungarian election.  I think he could do the same to Nigel Farage in the next general election.  What a joy that would be.  I don't think even the current Republican party could consider Vance as a presidential candidate in 2028.  But frankly nothing in American politics would surprise me any more.   

Anzac Day

I'm a day late, but Happy Anzac Day!  A day that I wouldn't know existed apart from seeing it honored when I was watching some recordings of Aussie-rules football games over the weekend.   I know that it occurs on the date of the first Gallipoli landings in the First World War.  Yet another tragic campaign in that war that resulted in heavy casualties, despite the heroism and sacrifice of so many.  And obviously not being from Australia or New Zealand and never having been there (though I hope to go one day), I do not commemorate it nor do I really appreciate it as much as I probably should do.  But if Anzac Day is not well known in the UK, then it is practically unknown in the US - especially since the US didn't enter WW1 until well after the Gallipoli campaign.  But apparently a special dawn service was held yesterday at the Museum of History & Industry in Seattle, close to where my office used to be.  I don't know how many years they've been holding such an event, but I've never heard of it in all my time here.  But then again, why would I...     

Conspiracy

It wouldn't surprise me if this most recent shooting incident involving Trump is staged.  It feels like it.  Just like his "assassination" attempts.  The timing just seems too suspicious.  And even if it was "real", I don't believe anything Trump says and I certainly have no sympathy for him.  He only has himself to blame - he is the boy who cried wolf.  

Relentlessness

The only thing more relentless than my workload right now is the media coverage of Trump.  It feels like he hasn't been out of the headlines for a single day in about the last 10 years.  It's unceasing and thoroughly deflating.  Trump Anxiety Disorder is a real thing, and a real problem.  And I imagine I don't suffer from it nearly as much as an awful lot of other people.  There's a certain irony in talking about mental illness caused by Trump, when Trump himself suffers from narcissistic personality disorder, malignant narcissism, delusional disorder and cognitive decline.

Concerts

I was having a look at the Coachella lineup this year, and it shocked me how bad it looked:

I only recognize a handful of the artists who performed, and even less of those that I would actually have been interested in seeing perform - especially of the headliners.  Is this a case of Coachella really declining in quality, or simply a case of me getting old and out of touch with current music?  I honestly don't know, probably a bit of both.  Now I have been to Coachella once before.  It was a long time ago - and indeed I tried to work out when it was based on who was performing.  I think it was in 2008, though apparently it wasn't particularly memorable because I barely remember it at all.  And this was the lineup that year:   

I'm fairly positive I went on Saturday because I would have wanted to see Portishead.  And this would have been when I was living in California, so it would make sense to go then.  But when you compare headliners between then and now, it was so much better 15+ years ago.  And I certainly recognize more of the artists 15+ years ago, but not as many more as I thought I would do.  Perhaps I've never been up with current music trends.

Soundbar

I somewhat spontaneously ordered a new soundbar for my tv over the weekend, and it got delivered today.  And I'm wondering whether I've been too hasty.  It doesn't support DTS audio - and I own quite a lot of physical media that plays DTS.  Admittedly it supports other audio formats that to my untrained ears probably sound just as good, and it plays Dolby Atmos which is better (but not available on most of my physical media), but still wish I'd known this before.  I'm worried.  I'll probably still set it up (or try to set it up) with my home entertainment system this weekend, but I may have made a mistake.  If I can't get it working satisfactorily over the weekend, I will have to consider returning it.  And besides, I think my priority should be buying a new telly rather than a new soundbar - so I'm not quite sure why I even ordered this.  D'oh. 

Ice Hockey

As I was watching some of the Stanley Cup playoffs, I kind of wished I had played some ice hockey when I was younger.  After all, I played field hockey and wasn't a bad player - and I think maybe the inherent aggression in ice hockey may have suited me.  But there was, and is, one major drawback - I cannot skate.  Yet another activity to add to that long list of things that I have never been able to do - roller skating, skateboarding, skiing, etc.  I remember at secondary school there were a couple of times when we played a form of ice hockey indoors (and obviously not on ice) - and I was really good at it.  When I Google it, it says it's called "ball hockey".  I wish that was a bigger sport.   

Bad back

After 2 weeks of having a bad back, I rotated my mattress back round to how it was - and had the first comfortable night's sleep for a while.  I can't stress enough how much better one feels after a decent night of sleep.  It's not just the mattress, we're also at that time of year when we have perfect temperature.  Warm enough during the day to enjoy the outdoors, cool enough at night to help you sleep.  Unfortunately, it's also the time of year when insects reappear.  Perhaps I was a bit too hasty in killing all those spiders I've been seeing inside the house.  My legs have already been ravaged by insect bites.  Thankfully it's not quite shorts weather yet.     

Playoffs

A good weekend for sports.  The (ice) hockey and basketball playoffs started.  Though I cannot say that I approve of playoff games being shown exclusively on streaming networks.  And we had some good action in the Premier League as we come to the business end of the season.  I must admit to immensely enjoying Man City beating Arsenal and making the title race a lot more interesting.  It's not that I care for Man City, I just really hate Arsenal.  Which also makes the plight of Tottenham Hotspur kind of confusing - because my hatred of Arsenal means that by default I quite like Spurs.  But it would be refreshing to see a big club get relegated, so I'm looking forward to seeing how the run-in plays out.  And I'm glad that Palace are going to have a strong say on both the title and relegation battles - we have got games against both Man City and Arsenal, and if West Ham beat us tomorrow then Spurs are in real trouble.  And I think there is every chance that might happen, since our focus should be on Europe and winning the Europa Conference League rather than the Premier League.     

Star Spangled Banner

Could you please stand up and remove your headwear for the playing of the American national anthem (a special cover of the anthem, appropriate for Trump's America).

 

Tornado

There was an unusual weather event on the water just outside Seattle earlier this week:

Yes, that is a tornado.  Well, technically, it is a waterspout.  But tornado sounds better.  I wish I could take credit for the photo, but I cannot.  I wish I lived somewhere with a water view.  But we had some unusually stormy weather that caused this phenomenon.  The weather is nuts - around the same time there was a tornado west of Seattle, if you headed east then I think Snoqualmie Pass was closed due to heavy mountain snow.  Very uncommon for mid-April.        

Kraken

It was the last game of the season for the Seattle Kraken today.  They blew their chances of playoff hockey with a pretty dreadful second half of the season.  They've still only made the playoffs in one season of their existence - which is rather sad.  And perhaps even sadder, I still haven't been to see them live.  That has to change.  I did look into getting tickets earlier this year, but was quite surprised at how expensive tickets were - especially for quite a mediocre team - and didn't really pursue it further.  I suspect I might get better value if I try to get tickets at the last minute.  Next season.

Lapidary

In a clear sign that I am getting older, I was looking at lapidary saws online today.  Yes, I am seriously considering buying one.  I want to be able to smoothly cut through agates, rather than smash them into bits via a hammer.  And then perhaps I can get into polishing rocks.  Is this all rather sad?  I don't know.  But I've always been kind of interested in geology, and this is just a continuation of that.  In much the same way that I regret not studying history beyond GCSE, I think I can probably say the same thing about geography.  The main difference being that I only got a B in GCSE geography, unlike the As I got in history and the sciences, so I never seriously considered it.  But then one of my biggest life regrets is studying subjects that I was good at, rather than ones I enjoyed.  Something I wouldn't recommend.  That feels like the kind of good advice I wish I could pass on to someone. 

God Complex

Should we be more disturbed that this is how Trump sees himself, or that this is how other people see Trump?  Incidentally, this is also another reason why we need to put the kibosh on AI and AI-created imagery. 

 

HBO: current shows

I've been watching quite a lot of HBO recently.  Here are my recommendations of what, and what not, to watch:

Worth watching: DTF St Louis (highly recommended - quite weird, highly watchable, should win acting awards), Rooster (charming, Ted Lasso-like), The Pitt (outstanding), Born to Bowl (a great documentary on professional bowling) 

Not worth watching: The Comeback (critically acclaimed, I tried watching but just couldn't tolerate it), Euphoria (nope, not my thing)

And, somewhat disturbingly, HBO have started airing adverts for their Harry Potter series.  Already.  It doesn't air until Christmas.  This is going to get a LOT of hype.  

  

Boring

I've never been the most interesting of people.  But I think I've become really boring.  Even more boring than ever before.  I don't do anything exciting, I don't go anywhere exciting.  I live a very plain and uneventful life.  And I don't like it.  I'd like to do much more and make much more of my life, but I'm really not motivated enough to do anything about it.  I've become even more introverted.  I've become incredibly reluctant to step outside my comfort zone.  In all aspects of my life.  And that's a real shame.  Is this an age thing?  Partly.  Are there other factors at play?  Partly.  For example, I think working from home has ruined my work life balance.  I think if this was 10 years ago, I would have done more about my current situation - quit my job, relocated, etc.  But things are very different now - the job market for my kind of position is nowhere near as abundant as it used to be, I think I'm a lot more fussy about where I live, and I've just kind of settled for what I have.  Which is not necessarily a good thing.  I know this is not a particularly positive blog entry, but I like to speak the truth.  And I've been feeling quite down recently.  But my depression tends to be quite cyclical in nature, so I hope I can pick myself up sooner rather than later.        

Statue

They recently revealed a new statue outside the ballpark of the Seattle Mariners, to honor one of the best players to ever play for Seattle - Ichiro Suzuki.  See if you can spot anything wrong with the statue: