Weekly Report

Weekly Report: May 13th - May 19th 2024

Good Morning Magpie

19 May 2024 — 3 min read

The Week in Summary:

Another "week" of work and another illness. I started feeling off on Tuesday with a migraine. On Wednesday evening, after noticing a sore throat, we checked the back of my throat and noticed my tonsils were enlarged and giving all the indicators of strep throat. Sure enough, I went into Shopper's Drug Mart for a strep test (cost $30) and tested positive. Over the next few days, I took my antibiotics, had popsicles, drank lots of water, and took it fairly easy (finished Season 6 of the Circle for example). I am grateful than I intervened fairly early and caught it before it got worse, because it did help ease symptoms. For myself, I think I need to get back into a good hygienic routine at work. Adding to that, I am planning on trying to improve my diet with some more fruit and get back into some form of exercise (which has been fairly sedentary lately).
On Saturday, Taylor and I went to their parents' to have a belated Mother's Day (last week they had COVID-19 in their household). We played Dominion and Advanced Civilization, then had dinner and chatted. Just a great evening!
Sunday morning, we went to the Porch for brunch. We got some sangria and classic breakfast meals (Banana Bread French Toast for Taylor and Shakshuka for myself). Afterwards, I picked up a jazz record from Blackbyrd Myoozik (Joe McPhee's 1971 Nation Time) and a bottle of Annapolis Cider Earl Blue, then came home to relax for the rest of the day.
Over the week, I have been playing Stellaris a lot. They released a new expansion "The Machine Age", and I've been enjoying it quite a bit. Taylor and I started our own multiplayer game and it has been going well so far.
The City Council voted to approve the blanket rezoning changes (with a few amendments) and I am very excited to see that council showed wisdom here.

Recommendations:

Alice Waters: How to Start a Food Revolution by Los Angeles Times Food (Video): An interesting mini-documentary dedicated to the legacy of Alice Waters (and Chez Panisse), specifically the farm-to-table movement.
The Activision-ing of Xbox by Skill Up (Video): An overview of the recent chaos unfolding within Microsoft & Xbox as they shutter three development studios, including Tango Gameworks (who published a smash exclusive hit on Xbox Game Pass). This company is run by brutish and incompetent dipshits that will do anything to make an extra dollar at the expense of talented and passionate developers. Human creativity is more important than corporate profits. Fuck them.