book

I loved Annie Jacobsen’s Nuclear War, so when my friend Matti told me she had a new book out that follows the same general principle, just with a different civilization-ending weapon, I ordered it on the spot. It was another great read. Biological War is slightly less good than Nuclear War, but that didn’t stop me from finishing it in less than two days.

For some reason, though, someone decided to put AI-generated images in the book. I’m not an anti-AI hardliner by any means, but why would you ever choose to include completely optional AI-generated images in a heavily researched book? It made the whole thing feel a little cheaper and, weirdly, less trustworthy.

Bad choice.

A cute little day. We spent quite a while in the perfume section of a large shopping center, trying dozens of fragrances. It was fun, and it sent Anna spiraling down a deep rabbit hole of fragrance research. I love those moments when you suddenly unlock a new interest and get to learn an entirely new set of things. I also learned that I’m apparently a big fan of pine in my fragrances. Who would have guessed I’d enjoy smelling like a tree!

Let’s just say Anna’s and my preferences when it comes to mattress hardness are slowly converging on a point in the future where the only sensible solution will be two different mattresses in her bed.

I’m reading Stephen Fry’s Heroes at the moment, and just like Mythos, it’s a great way of finally getting all the details of the Greek myths without having to slog through the badly written originals. Sorry, not sorry. I especially love how he keeps connecting the myths to modern-day life, whether it’s words we still use or names that have survived for thousands of years. Who would have known that the Perseids are named after Perseus!

Anna was sick that week, and I was so happy to find this stupid collector's plate to take over to her apartment after visiting the flea market with a couple of friends. She very much enjoyed receiving it. Then she looked up how much it was worth and discovered that some people were offering it on eBay for €250! I paid €6! Haggled down from €7. I know what I'm doing.

Deciding to stop reading a book is an art form in itself. I think many people never get into reading because they haven't found the right book for them and aren't willing to give up quickly enough when one doesn't click. Even I find it difficult, and I've stopped reading dozens of books. There are simply too many good books out there to spend time on ones you don't enjoy. The book in question was A Philosophy of Walking, by the way. It was just... so uninteresting.

A big part of building a life you enjoy is challenging yourself from time to time. Most things worth doing aren’t easy. They might be for other people, but everyone has their own hang-ups. Mine is going out in public and doing stuff on my own. I’ve gotten a lot better at that in recent years, but I’m still not where I want to be.

And you know what? I embrace it as a project I get the opportunity to work on. Isn’t it great to have a life full of projects you’re allowed to keep working on? Yes. Yes, it is.

Especially because I’m kind of double-dipping in the upside sauce: once because I get to feel great right after challenging myself, like I did after that afternoon in a café, and then again when I’ve challenged myself for long enough to suddenly become someone for whom it feels easy to spend time alone in a café.

What a privilege!

Speaking of life being great: This is how my Saturdays look like. What’s not to love?!

It was such a relaxing day, and I was happy about it. The previous day had been taxing, so just hanging around, reading, painting, and snacking was exactly what I needed. Even though I underestimated the size of that sundae, I certainly didn’t complain, it was delicious.

The cats yearn for non-fiction

Now I need to pack up 93 books and send them to the company buying them.

I’ll actually save money by switching to fiber. I just wasn’t interested in doing all the work (ordering it and making sure there’s access to the area where the thingy can be installed) to get it. Now’s the time.

I lied to Anna for her own good, because I’d prepared a little gift for her, and her investigative skills were dangerously close to ruining the surprise. Thankfully, I’m apparently a pathological liar, because she didn’t suspect a thing and was very happy to receive this little robin.

My reading can sometimes be a little too intense for Anna.

Meetings before 10 AM should be forbidden.

I love talking about books with my friends.

I didn't get engaged that day.

I expected to like Edinburgh more than I did. The people were great, but the city just didn’t have the right vibe for me.

I later discovered that Waterstones is just the starting point. There are so many incredible bookshops in the UK. What a paradise!

I played Diablo IV until I had to go to bed, and let’s just say I didn’t have a great night’s sleep because of that.

Anna’s moving day is close. We’re still working our way through Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I love how the story picks up in this book. It suddenly gets much more serious and dark.

We appropriated Sant Jordi, please don't cancel us.

Sant Jordi preparation.

I slept like a baby after this day.

8-hour train ride to Prague

Bless you!

I for one am very happy for her.

It’s 1,800 pages long, and I’m not sure I like it. Maybe I’m just not a fan fiction kind of guy.

Ended up with some weird Harry Potter fan fiction. Not great.

Not even the very expensive tickets could lessen my amazement about Sagrada Família.

I kind of messed up the background. Please don't unfollow me because I'm not good enough at art.