Weeknotes 317

Hello February.

Another week of work leaving no energy for much else. I hope for a future in which my job ceases to be an exhausting zero-sum battle and settles into a calm, methodical drumbeat of productivity. It’s unclear how and when that transition will occur, and yet… I hope.

It is, however, clearly getting lighter outside, and my brain’s responding in kind.

Three gym visits, one of which I snuck in before breakfast this morning purely to avoid the perceived shame of saying “two gym visits”.

I treated myself to an early night on Monday but woke at 2am with my mind racing and couldn’t get back to sleep, so that’s just when my Tuesday started. In hindsight I should’ve pulled a sickie; four hours’ sleep is not enough to do great work, and it would’ve been more honest to write it off entirely and try again the next day. But that sort of utopian rationality isn’t how society works is it?

I played a few more hours of Baby Steps. That was long enough to remove the sheen of ironic detachment and confirm my suspicion it’s a dull and unambitious game whose singular goal is to waste my time. It can only do that as long as I cooperate so I’ve decided to stop cooperating, which I think means I’ve beaten it.

I watched Jurassic World Rebirth as a mindless diversion and it turned out to be pretty fun, certainly much better than whatever other Jurassic World Chris Pratt dreck I’ve seen. I think Gareth Edwards is good.

I also saw One Battle After Another, which I was more nervous about because it looked like it might be overlong award-bait, but I was wrong cos it’s an entertaining romp with fantastic performances, cinematography and music.

Most impressively it didn’t feel long at all, probably because it had been stripped of all exposition, just careening from one… battle… to the next and letting the minimum necessary context soak in from what you’re already seeing and hearing. Loved it.

I finished season two of The Rehearsal and yes, you were right, it’s excellent. After a few episodes of merely thinking the words “this is funny” I finally laughed out loud at Nathan Fielder’s explanation for a 23-second silence in a cockpit audio recording, which then paved the way for many more lols in the incredible finale.

Aside from the obvious impressiveness of Fielder’s commitment to the bit, I’m so impressed by the writing on this show — it’s a satisfyingly rich and well-constructed piece of comedy.

NICHE NITPICK CORNER: I don’t like The Guardian’s new stars.