Eyebeemania

In the UK, half of the welfare budget goes to in-work benefits — a direct subsidy to employers who pay wages too low to live on. #politics

They’re appearing in between podcasts/music in the UK too. I have been told this by several Spotify users who are angry about it, as it’s further dividing an already divided nation. It’s also totally irrelevant here in the UK, and shouldn’t be appearing if you have a premium subscription. I don’t have Spotify myself, as I switched to Tidal/Apple Music for better quality audio several years ago.

I know that Spotify is considered to have the best algorithm for suggesting new music. However, the sound quality isn’t there. Therefore, I use Tidal for lossless hi-res playback (of at least some of the library). Today, I’ve found that Tidal does a pretty good job suggesting other tracks I would like to listen to after playing an album. Some time back, it was just suggesting rap, and other stuff I didn’t care to listen to. #music

It’s so civilised. Sunday morning, make coffee around 7-8 am. Take it back to bed. Use my iPad to do the grocery shopping at Morrisons. Get up and have breakfast. After breakfast, usually 2-3 hours after placing the order, the groceries arrive. Plenty of time to make dinner, with some of what I’ve ordered. No need to sit in traffic, hauling bags on and off buses, and standing in lines at supermarkets. #shopping

It’s a good thing I’ve got a long weekend off. The jabs have left me with a high temperature, a headache, and feeling lethargic. I’ve just got out of bed at 2.15 pm. I am never one for lying in bed all day or sleeping in. I’ve made a mug of #coffee, and we’ll see how that works out. #medical.

2am and I wake up sweating with a temperature of 102.2° and two sore arms. The fever shouldn’t ..last more that a few hours.

Still it’s worth it if I don’t get flu or Covid this winter.

#medical

Anyone here read Jacobin? I’m reading the latest issue, although as I had to wait for it to wing its way across the pond, there will soon be another one out. I’m sure. #reading

Some Techno from Soundcloud. Nocturnal Party Animals. on.soundcloud.com/okECVD6UM…

Procrastination is the thief of time, right? Well, rather than sitting around thinking about what I need to get done, I find it easier to get up and tackle it!

So, I got ready and went to the GP to get my flu jab. Then, I went to the pharmacy and got my. COVID jab. After that, I walked to the Polish shop and bought a few grocery items. I purchased some bread, ham, grated cheese, dark chocolate, kefir, and a nice, well-filled ham and cheese salad roll for my lunch. The whole lot was only £14. A short walk to another corner store for some potatoes. They sell a 6kg bag of good-sized spuds (mostly big enough for jacket potatoes if we desire them) for £6.

Why go to supermarkets when the local stores offer good value?

Once I got home, I made another mug of coffee, went into the garden, raked the lawn free of the two-day-old cuttings, and swept the garden path.

Back into the kitchen, and after looking in the refrigerator and finding a pack of fresh chicken thighs, I decided to make a curry for dinner. I got everything prepared and simmered it slowly in the pot, allowing all the flavours to mingle well. I’ll cook some rice later.

Now, that aforementioned roll to eat, along with another mug of coffee, and a little R&R. #food

IT’s very unlike me to sleep in, but I did this morning. I didn’t wake up until almost 8 am. I’m having a #coffee, and then it’s off to the doc for a flu (and possibly COVID) jab. I’ll do a little shopping, and I’ll also take my camera with me, of course, and see what I find in the locality.

Today marks the 73rd anniversary of the Harrow & Wealdstone Triple train crash, in which 112 poor souls lost their lives in the morning rush hour.

Spent an enjoyable hour with the latest edition of Fabian Review. It certainly gave me a few things to think about.

I have a couple of new publications that have arrived on my doormat. Yes, I still read physical books and magazines. On that note, I am going to step away from the computer for a while, take my coffee, sit on the sofa, and read!

I had a terrible night’s sleep. I went to sleep around 10.45 according to my Apple Watch, but I was awake around 3 am, and couldn’t sleep for over two hours. I did eventually go back to sleep and then woke up around 7.50.

Anyway, I’m going through social media now, and replying to a few postings, and commenting on a few more. I’ll then tackle emails, and then I’m getting on with some indoor photography projects.

Wide awake since soon after 3 am, I was lying in the dark, poking around online. I found entries to an old blog I used to write on my BlackBerry back in 2009.

No earth shattering memories of any kind, but a few notes that will be handy to copy into my personal journal at Day One.

#journal #blog

Yes. It’s just after 4 am. I’m wide awake. I went to sleep around 10.30 pm. It is so annoying to wake up in the middle of the night for no real reason. No urgent need for bathroom. No nightmares. No snore monster. Last caffeine was around 3 pm yesterday afternoon. No alcohol for at least a week.

Go figure!

#insommnia

Miles Davis: Kind Of Blue

music.youtube.com/playlist

From a young age, I was told that these were the two subjects that you shouldn’t discuss because you’d end up falling out with everybody. We all have our own political views, and even those within the same political spectrum argue amongst themselves. Religion is similar. Even those of the same faith, split into different denominations and argue about the meaning of scriptures, other books, and teachings. Both politics and religion cause wars.

At the end of the day, we usually don’t end up changing a person’s views. We can argue with them, discuss with them, and present a strong case for our own opinions, but at the end of the day, it’s usually the case that the other person will still hold their own views fundamentally unchanged.

So I sit back and I think, is it worth the time? Is it worth the effort? Unless you’re actively involved at some political level within your community or your country, then, surely, your time is better spent doing things that you find enjoyable.

You can’t change what you can’t control. You can protest by writing to your local and national representatives and elected officials. It’s undoubtedly important to make your views known to the people who can do something about the world, the country, your town, and your street. However, is it really in anyone’s genuine interest, and especially in these days of social media platforms, to spend hours sitting at a keyboard, ranting and getting angry and stressed when your words aren’t reaching those who really can make a change?

tidal.com/album/552…

#music

I have some AKG 701s and also Hifiman Anando Nanos. I’m more than happy with the Nanos for home listening, but I am looking for some good closed-back headphones for mobile use. I have AirPods, but I prefer over-the-ear headphones. And in any case, I want a wired solution so I can listen to lossless Hi-Res audio on my Astell & Kern SR35 player, preferably with a balanced feed option. #headphones #audio