Whoa, where did Q1 go? My plan for the end of last year actually worked out pretty well: I recovered fully, the brain fog lifted, and clarity came back in full force. I’ve been really happy with how things have been going since the start of the year. It’s been busy, which partly explains the lack of updates here, but I also got a reminder that there are limits I can’t just power through. Pacing matters, if only to avoid succeeding myself to death. And to what end? So for Q2, I want to focus more on what actually feels important to me, and what’s valuable enough to deserve my time. We’ll see how that goes 🤞🏻
📚 Reading
“SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome” by Mary Beard
Ever since I listened to “Punic Nightmares” and later on to the “Death Throes of the Republic” series on Hardcore History by Dan Carlin, I got fascinated by the Roman Empire. I knew that I would eventually want to dig deeper into this topic, and after conducting a little research, I landed on “SPQR...” by Mary Beard. It's a lighter read that serves as a good introduction to the subject. I had no idea how little we really know about the very beginnings of the Roman Empire and what made it one of the biggest empires in human history.
🎮 Playing
TRIANGLE STRATEGY
I had to put FF VII Remake on hold, with the latest Dragon Age joining it on the bench, as it’s a little too graphical to play with the kids bouncing around next to the screen. One of our Switch Pro Controllers gave in, so I replaced it and also grabbed two extra Joy-Cons. That finally let us properly dig into Super Mario Party and later Super Mario Party Jamboree. Pure joy 😅 For my own pleasure, I reached for TRIANGLE STRATEGY. I haven’t had much time with it yet, but the opening, I’m about 40 to 50 minutes in, looks very, very promising!
📺 Watching
The Pitt
Well, Stranger Things turned out to be mostly disappointing. I really need to rewatch the first season, because it feels like a completely different show. It’s always a bit sad to watch something good lose its plot and depth as it goes on, I’m looking at you, Lost and GoT. Kate and I switched gears and picked up The Pitt and... holy shit, this is so good! I’ve been sitting on the edge of the couch through every episode. I’m not even sure why exactly, but it feels incredibly immersive. Each episode is so packed I start reconsidering my entire life, it genuinely seems like these characters have more happening in a single hour than I do in a whole week 😂 We flew through season one in no time, and season two is already queued up!
🎧 Listening
ARIRANG
BTS is back, baby 😎 I’ve been listening to their latest album on and off, watched their Netflix live show, and then went with my wife to the cinema to catch the start of their world tour, day two of the Goyang performance. The really cool part is that we’re going to see them live in Madrid at the end of June! It’s a good album, and my favorites so far are Like Animals, Into the Sun, and the vinyl/deluxe special Come Over, which they also played live in Goyang. More...