---
title: "Vibe Check #3"
author: Thomas Wilson
date: 2022-05-06T21:08:00Z
slug: 2022-05-06-vibe-check-3
draft: false
---

Three of the past four weeks have been a four-day work week.  It's been wonderful.  And yet still I'm posting this a week later than I'd like.  The weather has been overcast, but everything in balance, even good weather.  Still, _some_ rain would be nice.

To burden the spring metaphor further, April has often felt like it's in service to future things.  Professionally, there's a lot of flow, with little turbulence (but high variation).  Personally, I'm doing things which bring me joy.  I don't feel a craving to have done something, but rather to be doing.

I've re-started one-one French tuition with a woman on the internet living in the South of France, who doesn't speak much (any) English.  But we converse happily enough for an hour a week while I stumble my way through understanding 15% of what's said to me.  It's tough, but I think it's getting easier.

I've read (mostly via audiobooks), and continued writing everyday.  I've purchased more inks for my pens (after purging my collection 5+ years ago).  Writing feels joyful.

My task management system is being tested by a lot of things that need doing.  It's the corporially-struggling canary in the mines of my productivity.  I'm still undecided if the pressure of knowing the things I'm _not_ doing outweighs the benefits of knowing the things I'm not doing.  It's also okay to delete, defer, and re-schedule things.  Past me was optimistic about what present me could do.

While we're moaning, I've also cut down on snacking as much as I could.  Nothing sweet before lunch, and no unintentional snacking between meals only.  No boredom biscuits.  I hate to say it, but I feel so much lighter during the day, and now I find myself less hungry less often. It took a few days to move past severe snack withdrawl.  Your body isn't always your friend, it's just a ~~serviceable~~ good house.

Highlights of the month include: 

- Sewing some spring-themed cushions, to replace the Christmas themed cushions (it is May)
- Taking an adventure-themed staycation: climbing, canoeing, and cycling (plus a lunch after each) in a three day window.  Day four was recovery.
- Being given Easter eggs and chocolate.  I _love_ chocolate (see snacking note above)
- Seeing a school friend for their thirtieth birthday, and regressing ~50% of my life away with people I've not seen in about as long
- Drinking red wine with a best friend while overlooking the botanical garden in Oxford

Books I've read this month:

- [Shadow of the Gods](https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/John-Gwynne/The-Shadow-of-the-Gods/25534879), by John Gwynn.  Strong recommend for this book for anyone with even a passing interest in fantasy.  Really fun, great concept, clearly written, there's a Rat God and a Dragon God.  Yes yes.
- [Leviathan Wakes](https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/James-S-A-Corey/Leviathan-Wakes--Book-1-of-the-Expanse-now-a-Prime-Original-series/6888165), by James S A Carey.  Another strong recommend.  It's a book with space ships, and I'm far more versed in dead gods and trees that fight (see above), but this sci-fi romp has great characters draped over an epic plot.  I look forward to reading the entire series.
- [This Party's Dead](https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Erica-Buist/This-Partys-Dead--Grief-Joy-and-Spilled-Rum-at-the-Worlds-Death-Festivals/26655491), by Erica Buist.  Picked this one up on a whim because I'm a sucker for a book about death.  I wasn't expecting it to be so memoir-y, but I've not put it down yet so she's doing something right.
- [Islam Explained](https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Islam-Explained-by-Ahmad-Rashid-Salim-author/9781646113231),, by Ahmad Rashid Salim.  After realising that I knew precious little about the core beliefs of one of the world's major religions, I thought I'd do the bear minimum and read an "introduction to" book.  This book does exactly that, but sometimes with too much verbal padding.
- [Amongst our Weapons](https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Ben-Aaronovitch/Amongst-Our-Weapons--The-Brand-New-Rivers-Of-London-Novel/26655429), by Ben Aaronovitch.  The latest in Aaronovitch's *Rivers of London* urban fantasy series, which is secretly a love letter to London but with river gods.  This is the first one I'm reading while not living in London and it's exactly the same feeling, I love it.
