Weeknote 03/24
I think I drank more tea than usual. It’s cold. We had a little snow. And mostly I’m feeling like hibernating until spring would be a good idea.
The highlight of this week was a visit from Aggie who stayed with us from Monday to Wednesday. She supervised my work from the comfort of her bed…
At the job job this week I was mostly focused on running client workshops. The first was for a site that’s about to launch giving their editors an introduction to writing for the web. Then I ran a workshop to gather information to allow me to create a site map for a new site being created from the merger of four orgnizations. The workshop itself was good overall; the clients had a lot to say and we went down a few rabbit holes, but I think we all got what we needed. And I have a better idea of what we should be doing in the follow up workshop next week.
On Wednesday I was back at virtual coworking for the first time this year. I enjoy the routine of dialling in for a few hours each week. I always meet someone new and have a good chat during the break. This week during the session I did some vital workshop admin.
Something that’s been on my to do list for months is to decide what I’m doing with my newsletter. It’s been on hiatus since I took a social media break in the summer. This week I’ve finally decided on an approach. It won’t be coming back as a regular thing. Instead I’ll focus on rediscovering the joy of writing and posting to my neglected blog. I’ll maintain my mailing list and send occasional updates about what’s going on in my world.
My movie of the week was The Lost Daughter which I really enjoyed. I’d been avoiding it for no apparent reason and I’m so glad I finally got over myself.
I was due to be travelling to Whitby on Saturday morning to play hockey. They called on Friday night to say there was still snow on the pitch. Unsurprisingly nothing had changed before we were due to set off on Saturday morning so the game was cancelled. I took myself out for a walk instead. There was still some hockey for me that day though as I got to watch GB beat Ireland and qualify for this summer’s Olympics.
I spent the rest of Saturday on the sofa reading a trashy queer romance which is about all my brain had capacity for. And yes, that means I’m no longer reading The Three Musketeers. I was finding it hard to get into so put it on hold for a while.
Izzy and I decided we weren’t really enjoying season 2 of The Tourist (after 3 episodes) so we are now finally watching Mare of Easttown, which is as good as everyone says it is.
Marsden Bay and Cleadon Hills
Another Saturday with no hockey. This time a result of snow still covering the pitch in Whitby rendering it unplayable. As I was up and dressed anyway, I decided to throw my walking boots in the car and head out to a nearer stretch of coastline for a walk and some fresh air. I chose a circular route I’ve done before from Whitburn, over the Cleadon Hills and back along the coast via Marsden Rocks and Souter lighthouse.
It’s on odd beginning through a housing estate, across a farmyard and then out into open fields. I was glad I’d done it before otherwise I would have thought I’d gone wrong somewhere.
The walk across farmland was very sticky and in places slippy - I almost went over a couple of times. The views across the fields were peaceful and I could forget that if I turned a little to the left the urban edges of Sunderland were visible in the distance.
As I came out onto the Cleadon Hills, there was a freezing wind and I was grateful that I’d finally picked up a Buff in the sales this week. Until the approach to Cleadon Windmill I’d barely seen anyone, but then I was reminded it was a Saturday morning, and the open common was filled with dog walkers.
The route was pretty busy from then onwards, across the golf course and back onto the coastal path where I met a large group of parents screaming at their kids (probably an under 10s football team) to keep away from the road. I chose to pause and let them get far enough ahead that I could return to my quiet thoughts.
There are some great stacks and arches that have been eroded from the cliff edge along this stretch of coastline. I paused frequently to watch the waves crash around them. I didn’t spot any smugglers though. The sea was probably a bit too rough.
I want to read more by Stephen King. I really enjoyed The Long Walk and am wondering if the best place to start would be other novels he published under the Richard Bachman pen name. Would welcome other suggestions too please 📚
Paused reading: The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas 📚
I was really struggling to get into this. Rather than push on I’ve decided it’s just not the right time and am pressing pause. Will try again later in the year.
Doing a distance challenge with work has got me out and about so much more this month. Hit 100km yesterday. I need to think about how to keep this motivation up after the challenge ends.
Cosy
The Lost Daughter, 2021 - ★★★★
A mesmerising portrayal of the claustrophobia and loneliness of motherhood. There’s also something intriguing about how memories and the emotions they stir up are depicted.
As the film went on I found myself wondering how different it might feel to watch it as a mother.
Eager to see what Maggie Gyllenhaal does next.
Weeknote 02/24
The highlight of my week was a fleeting visit from my sister who was in town for a conference. It was novel to spend time just the two of us. And I didn’t know how much I needed it.
I ran the last of my freelancer away days on Monday. We met online for three 90-minute workshops to review what happened in 2023, set intentions for 2024 and start planning the projects that will help us reach our goals. A thoroughly rewarding day.
At the job-job I planned a couple of workshop activities to gather ideas for the new site information architecture, agreed an approach for a resource to help clients understand what they need to do to prepare their content for a site launch and delivered a presentation to the project managers on how they can talk to their clients about our content design services.
I added 33km to the distance challenge. This total included a brutal post-workshop run, an enjoyable lunchtime walk with colleagues for coffee and cake, and a solo jaunt taking the Metro a few stops east then walking home.
We were away in Leeds for this week’s hockey match. It was another frustrating day out with a scoreline that should have been closer.
I’ve started reading The Three Musketeers. Was indecisive about what film I wanted to watch and ended up binging the whole of season 2 of The Good Fight instead.
“What you learn in the thick of life is the limits of rationality.”
Krista Tippett in conversation with Nick Cave
Weeknote 01/24
I love it when the month starts on a Monday. It’s even better when it’s also a new year! We met friends for a walk at the coast then spent the rest of the day sorting ourselves out for the week ahead and clinging on to the last hours of the holiday.
I went back to work on Tuesday. It took a while to warm up to it but was I back in the swing of things by lunchtime. This week I’ve been preparing a couple of discovery workshops for a new website merger project and reviewed the content and UI of a multi-stage form for an energy company. For my three days in the office I did one bus, one bike and one running commute.
My first freelance day of the year was cut short with a nasty headache.
I’m taking part in a distance challenge through work and it’s brining out my competitive nature. The goal is to see who can reach the highest combined distance for walking and running over the course of January. There are 14 of us taking part and collectively we’ve covered 384.6km in the first week. My contribution is 30.7km. My activities have included a hike in the North York Moors and a running commute.
Having a friend visiting meant I went for my first trip to my local during dry January. The guys had me covered though with a tasty alcohol free pale ale on tap.
I enjoyed my first book of the year, Emily St John Mandel’s Sea of Tranquility which I read during every quiet minute I could snatch this week.
We finally finished the fourth and final season of Sex Education. I enjoyed the closure of storylines involving the characters we know and love, but felt the new school and scenes in the US were forced. We also got up to date with University Challenge.
I wrote this while multitasking, watching the FA Cup match between Arsenal and Liverpool, and preparing our meal plan for the week ahead.
Captain Cook Round
It’s rare we have a completely free weekend together but due to plans to visit friends falling through, that’s how we found ourselves this weekend. To get us out and about we decided to take ourselves on a long walk a little further afield than we’d usually go. We chose the Captain Cook Round from Pocket Mountains' North York Moors guidebook.
The day was overcast but still, fine while you were on the move but a damp cold set in if you stood still too long.
The walk started with a steep climb from our starting point at Kildale station up a lane to meet the Cleveland Way. Our route then took us across the moor where we saw a lot of grouse in the heather. We diverted off the main path to climb to the summit of Roseberry Topping which needed to be taken slow due to mud on the stone path.
Rejoining the Cleveland Way we dropped down to Gribdale, where we stopped briefly for our picnic. Then it was back on the ascent to Captain Cook’s monument which was shrouded in cloud when we got there.
As we decended through woods and farmland back to the station we caught sight of a barn owl in flight. It initially came alongside us from the farm buildings and into the woodland, then passed up the lane where we’d just come.
Distance: 13.3km Elevation: 518m Time: 2h 57m
Finished reading: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel 📚
Sublime. What a way to start a new year in books. Really want to reread Station Eleven now too.
I’ll watch most sports with the notable exceptions of F1, horse racing and golf. Today may be the first time I’ve actively chosen to watch darts. Have to see if Luke Littler can continue his amazing run and take home the top prize 🎯
This is the first year in I can’t remember how long that I haven’t heaped pressure on myself to finish lots of things (and inevitably fail) before the new year ticks round. It feels refreshing.
The Truman Show, 1998 - ★★★★
Still holds up after more than 25 years. Watching now (and with Izzy for the first time) it seems remarkably prescient.
Finished reading: A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo 📚
Last book of the year. Indulging my love of queer origin stories.
Booked my first overseas holiday for five years today. A short trip over the North Sea to explore the Netherlands and celebrate one of those big 0 birthdays ✈️
