Weeknotes: November 17th - November 23rd 2025

Disclaimer: It should be mentioned that Weeknotes are always a snapshot of the week itself and lack the fullness of life - as is the case with any personal blogging.

✨ Happenings

• We had a bit more snowfall earlier in the week with ice finally forming on the bike lanes and colder temperatures keeping my morning commutes refreshing for a couple days. So far, the studded tires are delivering! Thanks Jan and James for safety on the trail!
• For the first time in my adult life, I went to a dental appointment and I was informed that I was all good – with no cavities and no need to extract my upper wisdom teeth. This is a victory for dental hygiene, but also, a victory for consistency in my morning and bedtime routines.
• By mid-week, the United Conservative government continued their thuggery with a full-scale assault of queer rights by invoking the notwithstanding clause to prevent their anti-trans legislation from getting struck down by the courts. We joined our queer community and dutiful allies in Trans Day of Remembrance on Thursday, but it effectively acted as a political rally with all the rage and love one would expect.
• For Saturday, Erin and I went to Kensington for coffee at Higher Ground and to buy books at Pages. Given it was my birthday weekend (as proclaimed by myself), I treated myself to three hardcover newly-released beauties and a fresh bag of ground espresso!
• On Sunday, I celebrated my 31st birthday with my dear family and friends. For Lunch, Taylor and I joined Jan, James, Judy, and Dan at Mazza Afghan Cuisine. I had lamb chalow with qabuli, along with green tea and sheer yakh. For dinner, we went to Termeh Cafe Resturant with Alexis, Alida, Ang, Katelyn, and Krystal. We shared a family platter of kabob, torshi, parvardeh, and rice (with Village Ice Cream for dessert after).
• In general, I have often had a lot of challenges with birthdays in the past and immaturely lamented the prospect of aging. This year, however, I went into it with so much gratitude for my loved ones and the joy of living on this planet with the wonders we have. Even with dreadful breaking news headlines and achy pains, I am blessed to age with you all. Thank you!

📗 Reading

• The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker - Finished Reading

I am a bit conflicted about this book. There were moments throughout the book I found myself learning key essentials to hosting that I agreed with (example: don't begin or end gatherings with logistics), but I could not shake a feeling that I was an interloper of sorts. The experiences I was regaled with and the pieces of advice bestowed upon me felt disconnected from common people like myself. Maybe the book was for a Blair Waldorf or a non-profit event planner.

🎮 Playing

• Arc Raiders

Holy shit. I usually play a couple different games throughout the week, but I have been fairly single-minded in playing the shit out of Arc Raiders.

• Balatro

I did play a few games of Balatro on Sunday though. It's short enough for a short session and I like that I can listen to my music whilst playing.

🎵 Listening

• Let It Be by The Replacements (Album)

I seen this album on r/indieheads and gave it a listen. For some reason, this album has really clicked with me and I have been playing it quite often. Full album linked here.

• The Stone Roses by The Stone Roses (Album)

I remember listening to a bunch of Stone Roses and other Madchester bands when I first moved to Calgary a decade ago. With Gary “Mani” Mounfield's recent passing, I listened to this record a couple times over the weekend. Though I haven't smoked cannabis since January, I have spent many joyful toking sessions appreciating gems like "She Bangs the Drums ", "Waterfall". and "I Wanna Be Adored".

🔗 Links

• Tech should help us be creative. AI rips our creativity away (Article)

A classic Guardian tirade against generative AI! I personally like this quote, which cuts into the heart of the corporate embrace of generative AI and the current enshittification of the web: "At the core of all this artificially generated misery is the big, scary S-word: scale. Corporations, especially ones in media and entertainment, prize size over curation. More widgets – songs, TV shows, movies, books – means more monetization opportunities. More clicks, more watch time, more engagement. "

📷 Photos