Alasdair Craig

The week of Aug 12, 2019 – Aug 18, 2019

Feeling positive…

Monday: Gym session. Reading. Easy evening. Feeling positive.

Tuesday: Reading – trying to finish my current book, it’s taking me a long time.

Wednesday: Gym session with Johnny. Pizza and wine at Oblivion with Susan. Fun evening.

Thursday: Unsuccessful clothes shopping at Canal Walk. Infuriating that the summer range is brought in during August. Finished reading In Putin’s Footsteps.

In Putin’s Footsteps: Searching for the Soul of an Empire Across Russia’s Eleven Time Zones by Nina Khrushcheva
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Interesting insights into modern day Russia.

Friday: A visit to the library and to the Book Lounge were both successfull. I’ve got some good books to read. Grocery shopping at the Waterfront.

Saturday: Haircut with Lynn, lunch with mom at Bossa in Burgundy Estate – nice place but a bit far for going to again. Reading.

Sunday: Very nice morning with Susan, a walk on Noordhoek beach and coffee at Foodbarn Deli. Lunch with mom at Black Angus. Finished reading Dirt Music by Tim Winton. Chores.

Dirt Music by Tim Winton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wonderfully descriptive and easy to read. Parts of the story I didn’t quite get, but a pretty good story all the same. My first Winton read, and I’ll definitely try another.

My work week was divided into: New development 80%; Other 20%.

Podcasts listened to this week: TED Radio Hour; NPR What It Takes; NY Times Book Review;

The week of Aug 5, 2019 – Aug 11, 2019

Buying furniture…

Monday: Decent gym workout. Admin, chores, TV watching.

Tuesday: Browsing for a new dining table and chairs, first at Tafelberg Furnishers, then at Coricraft.

Wednesday: Gym session with Johnny. Body corporate trustees meeting.

Thursday: Drinks with Greig, Simon, Paul, Lourens and Bernie at False Bay Rugby Club. Good seeing them all again. A lot of talk around emigrating with Lourens and Greig on the cusp of that.

Friday: Public holiday. Tinkered around in garage. Sold some roof racks that have been lying around for years at Cash Converters. Gym. Beer at Fat Harry’s. I should know better but I started watching more TV, another season of Homeland.

Saturday: A morning of ordering new furniture. Two sofas from Panga Panga. A dining table from Lanark. And dining chairs from Coricraft. Lunch with mom at Mugg ‘n Bean, Canal Walk. Finished binge watching the Homeland season I started yesterday.

Sunday: Lunch with mom at Panama Jack’s. A drive up Signal Hill. Chores. Picked up Paul and took him to the airport. The obligatory waffle at the Spur.

My work week was divided into: New development 50%; Holiday 20%; Refactoring 17%; Documentation 7%; Building install 7%.

Podcasts listened to this week: CppCast; Beyond the Grid.

The week of Jul 29, 2019 – Aug 4, 2019

Photos…

Monday: Gym. Finished watching season 2 of Homeland. Very good.

Tuesday: Wasted the evening watching TV.

Wednesday: Gym session with Johnny. Grocery shopping. Cooked a nice mince and pasta dish. A quick beer at Banana Jam.

Thursday: Busy day at work. Poker with the boys. I did terribly as usual.

Friday: After-work drinks with Greig at Toad in the Village. Good seeing him again. Goodfellas home.

Saturday: Watched The Great Hack. Thought-provoking, scary and interesting. Lunch with mom at Primi Piatti, Canal Walk. Susan came round to drop off the images of our photoshoot. Very happy with them. We spent the afternoon chatting and drinking wine, great fun. Updated all my online profile pics with the photos.

Sunday: Gym, grocery shopping. End of month is the wrong time to try find a restaurant without booking, especially at the casino. Ended up having takeaways. Watched the Hungarian F1 grand Prix. Chores, TV watching.

My work week was divided into: New development 30%; Building install 30%; Bug fixing 20%; Documentation 10%; Meetings/meeting preparation 10%.

Podcasts listened to this week: BBC Books & Authors; NY Times Book Review.

The week of Jul 22, 2019 – Jul 28, 2019

Quiet week…

Monday: Back to work after one week holiday. Slow day. Short gym session with Johnny. Watched Homeland episodes. Each time I come back from my sister’s I’ve got a series to binge watch.

Tuesday: A very cold and rainy day. Punjab takeaway. All I did was watch Homeland episodes.

Wednesday: Gym. LCW quiz night at Col’cachios. I won a protea flower in a vase.

Thursday: Flat tyre on the way to work sure to a pothole. Changed it by the side of a Wynberg road when cold and dark. The whole tyre needs to be replaced together with rim repairs. An expensive commute.

Friday: Work function 30yr anniversary. Good evening at Incognito Bar, Alphen Hotel. Barbs accompanied me. Home by Uber.

Saturday: Massage. Lunch with mom at Biharis. Afternoon snooze. Binge watched Homeland.

Sunday: Victoria Wharf is not a good place to try find a breakfast spot. Brunch instead with mom at Bootleggers, Greenpoint. Watched the German formula 1 Grand Prix.

My work week was divided into: New development 50%; Meetings/meeting preparation 40%; Documentation 10%.

Podcasts listened to this week: BBC Books & Authors; TED Radio Hour; Inside Line F1; Beyond the Grid.

The week of Jul 15, 2019 – Jul 21, 2019

Andova tented safari holiday …

Monday: Another early start. Ubered to the OR Tambo airport shuttle terminus. Set off in a packed and cramped minibus. Dullstroom looks nice, so does Hoedspruit. Met guide James at Hoedspruit’s Eastgate airport. His 4×4 broke down shortly after arriving at Andova. I was the only guest. I wasn’t told there are no opportunities for buying snacks, cooldrinks or alcohol. Organisation seems a bit haphazard. The outsourced evening game drive at Manjaleti private reserve was pleasant, highlight being a watering hole with hippos, crocodiles and elephants. Dinner: Wors, overcooked steaklet, pap and tomato relish.

Tuesday: Slept fairly well. Andova is very basic but functional. Manager Abel is nice. Morning game drive was incredible in what we got to see: lions, white rhino, cheetahs amongst others. Got a headache, not feeling too well. Breakfast: scrambled egg one piece bacon, dry toast, and onion mix. Morning snooze. Lazy day, disappointing news, my stay at the first camp is prolonged for the week. Got driven to a bottle store which made me happy. Dinner: chicken cababs and rice with tomato gravy.

Wednesday: Arrived almost too late for morning game drive because the guide overslept. Quieter than yesterday but still good, and saw a buffalo. Feeling much better than yesterday. Afternoon reading. Back to Manjaleti for the evening drive where we saw a leopard meaning I got to see the Big 5, amazingly lucky.

Thursday: James and Abel took me to Blyde River canyon and Swadini resort. Awesome views at the lookout point, an impressive dam wall, and boat trips possible on the downstream River. Big trees on the walk to the picturesque waterfall. Reminds me of the Silvermine river walk. I like to go back here again. Then off to Hoedspruit to collect the car part which meant a bizarre wait. It’s clear James is taken for granted by the owner. Back to Andova. Spoke with the owner and sorted out the return shuttle which he had not got right. James had some success with the car. Dinner, early to bed.

Friday: Didn’t sleep well. Morning packing, breakfast, goodbyes. A wait for the return shuttle at Eastgate airport. Thankfully it arrived, then a day spent traveling. Uber to Steph, dinner and showed off my photos. Shaved off the 10 day beard.

Saturday: Slept well. Finished reading Forty Days Without Shadow by Olivier Truc. Steph, Jay and I went to the WODAC expo which was fun. TV watching.

Forty Days Without Shadow: An Arctic Thriller by Olivier Truc
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A fast-paced murder mystery that also highlights an interesting culture that I previously knew nothing of.

Sunday: 3 degrees in Joburg. Flight back to Cape town. Grocery shopping, chores. Reviewed the trip.

In short: games drives were great, everything else a little disappointing, mostly because I didn’t get what I paid for.

Podcasts listened to this week: BBC Books & Authors; TED Radio Hour.

The week of Jul 8, 2019 – Jul 14, 2019

Start of holiday…

Monday: Gym: tough legs session with Johnny. Traffic jam on the way home, had a beer at Jake’s instead to wait it out. Grocery shopping.

Tuesday: Half day at work. Fun afternoon with Susan having photographs taken at home, inside Haas, on Bo-Kaap streets and on Signal Hill Rd.

Wednesday: Another tough gym session with Johnny. Grocery shopping, admin, reading.

Thursday: Trustee meeting. Finished reading Wolves Eat Dogs by Martin Cruz Smith.

Wolves Eat Dogs by Martin Cruz Smith
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I struggled with distinguishing between the many male characters. Maybe I wasn’t paying sufficient attention but I continually found myself wondering who’s who.

Friday: Last day at work before holiday. After work drinks, straight home, TV watching.

Saturday: Park run, library visit, body corporate work. Lunch with mom at Cafe Magnifico. Disappointed with the clothes range of Cape Union Mart, it’s become more designer less outdoors. Packing for my Kruger Park trip.

Sunday: Early morning start. Plane trip to Joburg. Bedford shopping centre. Cricket watching on TV. Afternoon snooze. Nice day spent with Steph and Jay.

My work week was divided into: New development 60%; Refactoring 20%; Bug fixing 10%; Leave 10%.

Podcasts listened to this week: NY Times Book Review; Inside Line F1; NPR How I Built This; Beyond the Grid;

The week of Jul 1, 2019 – Jul 7, 2019

Feeling stressed…

Monday: Gym session. Quick catch-up with Helga while lending her my hand trolley to help her with her renovation. Canal Walk visit for a few items. Finished reading The Second Machine Age, by Erik Brynjolfsson.

The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies by Erik Brynjolfsson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

On the whole it’s very interesting and does well to remain positive when automation of jobs and future employment prospects are seemingly at odds with each other.

Tuesday: Sars e-filing gripes: the new website is nice for data entry but broken at submission stage. Mom’s tax also requires a dispute. Claremont library visit. Reading, chores.

Thursday: Poker with the boys. I did badly, second one out.

I’m feeling stressed because of taking on a lot more admin type issues for mom than ever before, car and tax.

Friday: After work drinks with colleagues. Body corporate work. Watched Johnny English Reborn movie on Netflix. Reading.

Saturday: First Park Run at Rondebosch Common in ages. A smaller crowd than in summer and therefore better a decent time, despite me walking parts of it. Second coat of varnish on the panel. Body corporate work. A very rainy evening. Watched Netflix movie Murder Mystery, good fun.

Sunday: Grocery shopping, haircut, brunch with mom at Maestro’s – they do a pretty decent breakfast buffet. A drive along Blouberg seafront. Helped Helga with some temporary house moving. Chores. Reading.

My work week was divided into: New development 60%; Building install 20%; Testing 10%; Meetings/meeting preparation 10%.

Podcasts listened to this week: BBC Books & Authors; Beyond the Grid; 

The week of Jun 24, 2019 – Jun 30, 2019

Busy week…

Monday: Gym: super circuit. Very nice chicken korma takeaway from the new Harfield Village Punjab. Wasted the evening.

Tuesday: Cashed in a tiny amount of bitcoin I bought in mid 2017. Doubled my money. It’ll pay for some photography I’m thinking of doing.

Wednesday: Gym session with Johnny. Body corporate trustees meeting.

Thursday: Quiz night at Palmyra Junction Knead with Paul, Barry and Lilly. We were out of our depth in the music round with questions only from the post 2000s era!

Friday: Early morning gym session. Quick midday catch-up with Julia. Grocery shopping, TV watching.

Saturday: A little work at Maker Station. Car start problems for mom. Helped her with groceries, and a quick lunch at Parks Edge in Kenilworth. Worked on the panel, staining. Wasted the evening.

Sunday: First coat if varnish on the panel. Helped mom with chores then lunch with mom at Van Hunks. Watched the Austrian F1 grand Prix. Chores, TV watching, reading.

My work week was divided into: Testing 40%; New development 20%; Code review 20%; Bug fixing 10%; Sideline project 10%.

Podcasts listened to this week: Making It; Inside Line F1; BBC Books & Authors

The week of Jun 17, 2019 – Jun 23, 2019

A successful week, but still little to show for it…

Monday: Public holiday: Youth Day. Gym, grocery shopping. Haircut, body corporate work. Roasted a chicken, made stock and soup. Chores. A little Coursera work.

Tuesday: Car in for electronics repairs. An unsuccessful library visit. Wasted the evening on the net.

Wednesday: Gym session with Johnny. Bought (more) wood for planned Saturday tinkering. Grocery shopping. Made more sugar free oatmeal snacks.

Thursday: Quiz night at Palmyra Junction Knead with Gareth, Paul and Julia. Their Mexican creamy chicken and corn soup is really good.

Friday: Early morning gym. Busy day at work. Grocery shopping. Side project coding.

Saturday: Some body corporate running around. A little woodwork at Maker Station. Loving being in a workshop again, making something. Lunch at home with mom, store bought oxtail. Reading.

Sunday: More of the wooden inspection panel project I’m busy with. A little side project coding. Lunch with mom at Barrique at Vredenheim wine farm. Watched the F1 grand Prix. Chores.

My work week was divided into: New development 50%; holiday 20%; Bug fixing 10%; Refactoring 10%; Video recording, marketing material 10%.

Podcasts listened to this week: TED Radio Hour, BBC Open Book, BBC Books & Authors

The week of Jun 10, 2019 – Jun 16, 2019

A little woodworking again…

Monday: Gym, body corporate work, Coursera work, reading.

Tuesday: Good day at work. A successful implementation of an algorithm that I’m confident is the correct one. A little Coursera work, and reading.

Wednesday: Gym session with Johnny. Grocery shopping. Coursera work, browsing, reading.

Thursday: Quiz night at Palmyra Junction with Paul, Barbs, Barry, Sonya and Lilly.

Friday: Eye exam appointment. Reading. Finished reading Bad Blood by John Carreyrou.

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I began thinking this is a book of merely a failed venture, dubious business decisions and a toxic work environment. Instead it quickly became an eye opening exposé into a shockingly successful sham.

Saturday: A bit of early running around, then some time at Maker Station. Nice to be back in a workshop. Then some hamburgers cooked at home with mom. A walk twice round Rondebosch common.

Sunday: Glued up the panel. Lunch with mom at Simon’s Restaurant. Great venue, good food and service. Atlantic seaboard drive. Wasted the afternoon and evening though, couldn’t get motivated for the Coursera work.

My work week was divided into: New development 60%; Bug fixing 30%; Testing 10%.

Podcasts listened to this week: CppCast; Making It; Beyond the Grid; Dave Gilmour.