TGIF

Friday has proved to be the best commute day of week, once again.  Was this always the case?  Historically, I always thought that Friday was supposed to be the worst day of the week for traffic.  Maybe things are different nowadays (working from home, flexible hours, etc.), and I’m just feeling nostalgic in my old age?  My experience over the last year has been that Wednesday morning and Thursday evening are the worst commutes here.  Maybe because I get in and leave later than norm then  I avoid the worst of the Friday traffic as people get early starts on their weekend plans.  Who knows.  There definitely tend to be less people in the office on Friday, which means less meetings so much easier to get more work done.  I have a bad feeling that next week could be nightmarishly busy – lots of stuff going on, all with overlapping deadlines.  That’s typical, hardly anything to do for weeks on end then absolutely tons to do in an incredibly short period of time.  

Big Sam

So Big Sam manages England for one game, gets caught in an undercover sting, and leaves after 67 days by mutual consent with a 7 figure payoff.  What a disgrace.  What a farce.  Kind of epitomizes our national team.  Are we really surprised that he was involved in some shady shenanigans?   I know I wasn't - he was always a kind of manager in the same vein as Harry Redknapp.  It doesn't seem to have been an issue for previous England managers - god knows what kind of pies El Tel had his fingers in - so it does seem a bit harsh.  But who next for the England manager?  Or more to the point, who cares?  I know I don't.

Health Screening

Oh boy, I did a health screening today at work.  Not something I enjoy – I don’t need anyone else to tell me I’m unhealthy when I know for myself, but I understand the importance.  And, of course, has nothing to do with the fact that I need to do the screening in order to earn my wellness credit for next year (which is $10 per pay-period – so a whopping $240 over the year).  The results were as bad as I was expecting.  I’m obese, which I know, but I haven’t weighed myself for quite some time and it appears I’ve put on about ½ stone over the last year which is disappointing, if not surprising.  What is new from last year is that my blood pressure is high.  That is a little bit concerning.  My cholesterol levels were kind of as expected – low on good cholesterol, high on bad.  All in all, it doesn’t paint a particularly good picture of my health.  Is this the wake-up call I need to do something about it through diet and exercise?  Maybe.  I still feel I live a too sedentary lifestyle, so I can do something about that e.g. by going out more often and more regularly at weekends.  Diet is the tough one.  I think to begin with I at least need to eat more sensibly – cut down on the junk food and snacking, something I’m very guilty of indulging in.  But a lot of the foods I should cut out – bread, pasta, rice, cheese – are my favorites, so that is where I struggle.  I can maybe cut these down gradually, but I’m not prepared to eliminate them totally – I’m not prepared to compromise totally on my enjoyment of food and eating out, one of the joys of life.  But as long as I can do this in moderation and eat sensibly more often than not then I hope my health can improve over time. 

Home Sweet Home

I’ve made a decision – I decided to renew my lease for another 6 months.  The rent increase was just about tolerable, and it was the easiest option.  A choice I’m sure I will come to regret (the omens are already there – one of the rings on my electric stove has stopped working, and 2 accidents made for a hellish commute this morning).  I think I’m probably just delaying the inevitable – that I have to go through the hassle of moving again – but I didn’t find anywhere I really wanted to move to (though I confess to probably not looking as hard as maybe I could have done), and the things that most bothers me in my current home (outdoor noise and smells) shouldn’t be so much of an issue during the colder and wetter months.  I’m sure I will find other things to complain about – for example, the heating in my home is hardly anything to write home about.  But the timing of a 6 month renewal also works in terms of my long term plans – it takes me to April next year, when hopefully I can find a 12 month lease for somewhere nicer and bigger, which will take me to April 2018 when I would ideally like to find a new job and move on (this would be over 2 years since starting this job – so no paying back relocation costs – and leaving after I get my not insubstantial annual bonus).  Of course the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.  But I can dream.  So long as I don’t spend another summer in my current place, that’s the main thing.    

Presidential Debate #1

I didn’t make it in home in time to watch the start of the 1st presidential debate – it started at 6pm local time, and I don’t tend to leave work until 7pm (and checking the commute time on Google Maps did not persuade me to try to leave early).  With an estimated 100 million plus watching, this was a big deal – and I don’t need to tell you about the importance.  So, my opinions are entirely formed by internet updates plus a little live streaming at work (against company policy – too much live sport streaming has apparently caused network problems!), catching the end of it at home and a few highlights afterwards.  It’s difficult for me to be impartial – it’s no secret that I absolutely detest Donald Trump – but I found the debate really unwatchable.  On the one hand you had Hillary talking too much and monotonously reciting prepared responses to questions that weren’t posed, and Donald Trump spouting his usual xenophobic rhetoric.  But he did seem a little bit more subdued than I was expecting, at least to begin with, though he still managed to spout all kinds of fictitious fact and numbers.  And I found it hilarious and preposterous that he tried to take the higher ground at the end.  Ultimately, my impression is that the debate is not going to change opinion.  You either love Donald or hate Donald, and that is how you are going to vote.  I honestly think that most people’s opinion of Hillary is in many ways irrelevant.  Politics is just so depressing.  And, just for the record, I think Hillary’s red pantsuit is utterly repulsive and I hope is never seen again.   

Sunday "Funday"

I had good intentions to go to Mount Rainier today.  The only catch was that I had to leave early, because that is the only time I'm prepared to go there on a weekend to avoid the worst of the crowds and any parking issues.  Sadly, I had a terrible night's sleep and by the time my alarm went off early I had a stinking headache and was in no condition to go.  So I didn't.  I don't know if I'll have another opportunity before the roads up there close for the season, at least with a good weather forecast.  Oh well.  I did go for a hike this afternoon - about 5 miles hiking around Redmond Watershed Preserve, a perfectly pleasant and autumnal walk through some woods about 30 minutes drive from home, but it was no Mount Rainier.

Fall TV Season

In many ways this is one of my favorite times of the year - the start of the fall TV season.  It's not quite the event it used to be, thanks to streaming, watch-on-demand and several years of mediocre new programming.  So what new shows are on my radar?  Not a great deal to be honest.  Several half hour comedies - all watchable, but nothing truly outstanding so far.  I think the most memorable might be Designated Survivor - starring Kiefer Sutherland.  It's very 24ish - for better or worse - which means that even though he plays a seemingly meek politician, at any moment you expect him to go all Jack Bauer on someone's ass!   Otherwise, I think most of the programs on my DVR are ones that have been around for a few years.  But I am looking forward to Westworld on HBO - big budget, big actors, big hopes.  It had better be more Game of Thrones than Boardwalk Empire...