Class update: Katakana are happening and they’re happening fast. I’m staying (mostly) on top of vocab, at least.

Learning katakana is making grocery shopping significantly easier, mind. I finally found oatmeal, and in case the picture wasn’t enough, I know enough letters to now know that it says “OATMEAL”. So that’s neat. Lessons are already paying for themselves.

This week in data:

• 🍣 Sushi consumed: 21 pieces
• 🥣 Oatmeal consumed: 270g

As part of my periodic LinkedIn doomscrolling (to reach their daily puzzle games I must open the feed) I read an incredibly bad take that using emdashes is a tell-tale sign of the use of artificial intelligence in writing, because obviously nobody uses emdashes. I remember being taught to use them in school, but, unfortunately, I do not remember how. Nonetheless I continue to use them. I hope the inaccuracies are proof enough that, at least for now, my posts are still hand-cranked.

Part of joining a new job is learning how the goal-setting and evaluation systems work, and I’ve just about crossed that threshold this week by setting my half-yearly objectives. I’m quite happy with the approach, and the output.

Midweek I went for dinner with NH who was passing through town, and who I’ve known for far, far too long via the internet. From a time before I knew who I was, but was sure that I did. We waited in-line and caught-up for what felt like an absolute an age (because I skipped lunch and was hungry) at Sushiro until a booth opened up. We eat probably one of everything on the menu — until a screen began guilt-tripping us into leaving by showing us exactly how long we’d been there. Good times.

The toilet stalls in the building I work in do something similar: A screen displays ads and a live readout of how busy all the other stalls are. After some minutes, or, whenever the dashboard says the stalls are “crowded”, it begins displaying exactly how long you’ve been hogging the porcelain throne.

Sorry about that segue, reader.

There is a point where, a technical framework becomes too magical. It conceals complexity, often by mandating that you adhere to some opinions expressed in its design. That complexity comes back to bite you the second you have an advanced use-case, or try to go even a degree off-piste. I find that this point happens very quickly in the world of JavaScript (as I’ve complained about numerous times on this blog). And yet the community — on the whole — has not done anything about simplifying the frameworks.

Had a scan which wasn’t particularly exciting. But it breaks up two long paragraphs, so here we are.

My weekend disappeared to hyper-focus. I spent a lot of it, sitting at a desk with the heating on, trying to solve a complicated and somewhat interesting problem, involving packing/storing data in a novel way. I have tried so many approaches that are at (and a little beyond) the limits of my mathematical and computer-science understanding. Enjoying this energy, but in years of not doing this, I’ve lost all discipline for standing up, going for a little walk outside, changing locations, stretching, etc. I wish I'd inherited this trait paternally. Need to get better at it.

Not to get too political about it, but the key word in “trade war” seems to be “war”.

Went to a party in a [SECRET LOCATION] because the line-up looked sick and because for some reason they guest-listed me. It took me to the main streets of Shibuya. You read that right: not the mean streets, but the main streets, the super-busy, lots-of-people-pointing-video-cameras-around main streets. I loved the energy the organisers were going for, but I brought the wrong shoes so left early.

I might become a voice note person. Toying with it. It seems like a vibe. What do you think?