Alasdair Craig

The week of Jun 11, 2018 – Jun 17, 2018

Getting a cold (again)…

Monday: I reached the 6000 score mark on Stack Overflow. Enrolled again on Coursera to continue where I left off in January with the Data Structures specialisation.

Tuesday: Made a start on Coursera work.

Wednesday: Gym: super circuit. Beers with Greig at Toad in Lakeside, nice to catch up with him again.

Thursday: Not feeling well again. Cold gone to my chest. Frustrating. After hours help with the office generator. Made an effort with the Coursera work.

Friday: Evening watching TV. Watched movie Devil.

Saturday: Haircut, unsuccessful visit to Block and Chisel for table shopping with mom. Lunch at The Brasserie, Tokai, good food. Not feeling 100%. Slow evening. Watched movie Shooter.

Sunday: Woke up full of cold. Day spent resting. Watched movie Annihilation.

My work week was divided as follows: 40% new work, 20% testing, 40% bug fixing.

Podcasts listened to this week: Wood Talk; Tim Ferriss; NY Times Book Review; Software Engineering Radio; .NET Rocks.

The week of Jun 4, 2018 – Jun 10, 2018

In a slump…

Monday: I’m in an absolute slump and not getting out of it. For weeks I’ve just wasted time on the net and watched TV.

Tuesday: Quiz night at Cafe Roux with Paul, Barbs, Julia and Heidi. Late night.

Wednesday: Gym session with Johnny. Finally feeling well enough to do it justice. Grocery shopping and tidying up.

Thursday: Poker with the boys. I did terribly as usual.

Friday: Bought my ticket to the GnR concert later in the year. Grocery shopping, quiet evening.

Saturday: Donated blood #90. Lunch at my place with mom while setting up her new tablet. Watched a few Dexter episodes.

Sunday: Slow morning. Lunch with mom at her flat. Watched a few Dexter episodes and the Canadian grand Prix.

My work week was divided into: 40% testing, 40% other, 10% bug fixing, 10% documentation.

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

The week of May 28, 2018 – Jun 3, 2018

A week of reading…

Monday: Still not feeling well. Reading, enjoying another Job Irving book.

Barry’s work trip has changed to a job offer. He’s transferring to New York. Wow!

Tuesday: Reading.

Wednesday: Made an effort to get to gym for a light workout. Grocery shopping. Reading.

Thursday: Reading, finished A Prayer for Owen Meany.
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A moving and tender story, very well told. I like how the reader gets a feel for how the plot will develop though little is actually revealed only until much later on.

Thursday: Pick n Pay tell me the day before my smart shopper points expire. Dumb.

Friday: Reading, cold.

Saturday: A rainy morning. Lunch with mom at Fireman’s Arms. Finished reading The Dry by Jane Harper.
The Dry by Jane Harper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s a clever whodunnit, easy to read and gripping. I like that there’s an equal mix of both male and female believable characters which I find to be rare in thrillers. I’m looking forward to read the next one in the series.

Sunday: A drive to Hout Bay with mom to recharge her car battery. Light lunch at Mugg n Bean, Canal Walk. Grocery shopping, chores and YouTube watching. Alma Cafe with Helga, Renee and Wayne to see Blacksmith and Jenny and the James’s.

My work week was divided as follows: 60% new work, 20% bug fixing, 20% testing.

Podcasts listened to this week: NPR TED Radio Hour

The week of May 21, 2018 – May 27, 2018

A dull week …

Monday: Not feeling well, getting a cold, self medicating. Reading and early to bed.

Tuesday: Work repetitive and boring. Still not feeling well, but had a trustee meeting that I had to still attend unfortunately. Easier to attend than to try reschedule.

Wednesday: Skipped gym, not feeling well. Reading, early night.

Thursday: Feeling slightly better. Reading and another early night.

Friday: Third attempt at signing documents at the lawyers was successful. Drinks at Forries with Greig, Simon and Lourens, was good to catch-up. Uber’ed there and back.

Saturday: Collected my car where I’d left it at work. Collected a couple of books on order from Book Lounge. Lunch with mom at Bahari. Afternoon snooze.

Sunday: Cooked lunch of roast pork and veg. Enjoying the Sampson Boat Co. YouTube series. Watched Formula 1 and Indy 500. Chores, reading.

My work week was divided into: 10% bug fixing, 10% new work, 80% refactoring.

Podcasts listened to this week: NPR TED Radio Hour; BBC Books & Authors; New York Book Review

The week of May 14, 2018 – May 20, 2018

Dull week at work…

Monday: Squash with Dawid. Clothes shopping at Canal Walk – frustrating, I really have no sense of what looks good. Doughnut and beer at Dros restaurant to settle the nerves.

Tuesday: Appointment at attorneys office to sign documents. A mistake was found causing the meeting to be rescheduled. Grocery shopping.

Wednesday: Gym session with Johnny. Took mom to visit Tom in hospital.

Thursday: Another appointment at the attorneys to sign documents, and another mistake found, needing yet another rescheduled appointment. Wembley Square looks like a nice place to work.

Friday: After work drinks with colleagues. Watched movie Sherlock Holmes.

Saturday: Day spent with Helga at the Franschoek Literary Festival. Dinner at the new Lunch Cafe, Pinelands. Very tasty mushroom risotto. A good day.

Sunday: Gym, grocery shopping. Lunch with mom at Barristers. Good beef espetada. I’m unfairly getting irritated with mom, I see her as needing me to solve her problems, yet she’s the one having the bigger life changing upheaval. Chatted to Steph about it.

Trying out PocketCasts as my podcast app. It’ll have to be good to beat Podkicker which I’ve been using for at least five years.

My work week was divided into: 100% refactoring

Podcasts listened to this week: Hanselminutes, CppChat, Tim Ferriss

The week of May 7, 2018 – May 13, 2018

A good week for reading….

Monday: Woke up feeling stiff and sore. Left work at midday not feeling well and went home to bed.

Tuesday: A day spent in bed feeling sore. Finished reading Bluebeard’s Egg by Margaret Atwood.
Bluebeard’s Egg and Other Stories by Margaret Atwood
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoy Atwood’s writing, I find it very easy to read.

Wednesday: A doctor’s appointment. Verdict = flu. Spent the day in bed reading. Finished reading The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Montserrat.

The Cruel Sea by Nicholas Monsarrat
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow, a powerful portrayal of life during World War 2’s Battle for the Atlantic.

Thursday: Back to work. A side projection has become actual work. Early to bed.

Friday: Clothes shopping at Canal Walk, reasonably successful.

Saturday: DIY on my front door to make it close better: sanded down the frame and put a primer coat on. Caught up with Rob by phone, good to speak with him. Takeaway from Hudson’s and watched movie The Remains of the Day. The book was better.

Sunday: Two top coats of enamel on the door frame, watched Formula 1. Finished reading Red Notice by Bill Browder. A much needed relaxing day, none of the stresses of the year so far.
Red Notice: How I Became Putin’s No. 1 Enemy by Bill Browder
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

An eye-opening account of modern day Russia.

My work week was divided as follows: 100% new work.

Podcasts listened to this week: TED Radio Hour; CppCast; Red Chip Poker; NPR What It Takes; 

The week of Apr 30, 2018 – May 6, 2018

Busy, but little to show for it…

Monday: The day between a weekend and a Tuesday public holiday. At work, but not getting much done.

Uninstalled Twitter from my phone, should be a good move.

Tuesday: Public holiday. Installed pictures for mom in her new flat. Lunch at Thai World. Went to see Loving Vincent at the Labia. Impressive.

Wednesday: Work takes precedence and I had to cancel my lunchtime gym session with Johnny. Went after work instead.

Thursday: The sale of the house has gone through, but still frustrating issues need to be sorted out. Poker with the boys, I was third out.

Friday: Couldn’t sleep. Was up at 3. At gym by 5. Work by 6.30. Could hardly stay awake the whole day. Watched TV and YouTube then bed.

Saturday: 9 hour uninterrupted sleep fantastic. Running around with admin type things. Lunch with mom at Pinelands Cattle Baron.

Sunday: Gym, grocery shopping. Furniture shopping, unsuccessful for me, but successful for mom. She got a sideboard in the flat pack DIY style which I put together. Quite fun.

My work week was divided into: 50% side project, 25% new work, 25% bug fixing.

Podcasts listened to this week: NPR TED Radio Hour; Code Newbies; Making It; CppCast; Inside Line F1;

The week of Apr 23, 2018 – Apr 29, 2018

So glad the big move is coming to completion…

Monday: On leave. A frantically busy day. Collected TV from Unitronics. Auction collection. Relieved that they took almost everything. Tidying, vacuuming and cleaning the house. Rush hour traffic home took over an hour. Tired, but relieved. Telephone chat with Steph, mostly venting frustration. It’s almost over.

Tuesday: Meeting at my rental flat, seeing it for the first time in years. Another years reprieve before having to spend money on a major refurbishment.

Wednesday: Gym session with Johnny.

Thursday: Cleared my Nexus phone archived messages list which meant selecting each and every one of them manually. Dumb. Watched Lord of the Rings 1.

Friday: Public holiday. Met the buyer who was wanting access as he was anxious to put up curtains. Dinner with David and some colleagues of his at Mamma Roma, Dean Street Arcade.

Saturday: Put up new pictures in my flat. Handed over the keys to the house and got the major disappointment that the pool cover has been stolen some time in the past two days. Police station to report it, hopefully insurance will pay. Watched Lord of the Rings 2.

Sunday: Finished reading Total Competition by Ross Brawn and Adam Parr. Cooked a chicken lunch for mom and I. Watched Lord of the Rings 3.

Total Competition: Lessons in Strategy from Formula One by Ross Brawn
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Unique perspectives and interesting insights into Formula 1.

My work week was divided into: 100% bug fixing.

Podcasts listened to this week: CppCast; NPR What It Takes; BBC Books & Authors; Hanselminutes; Inside Line F1; Wood Talk; 

The week of Apr 16, 2018 – Apr 22, 2018

Week of the big move…

Monday: Gym session with Johnny. Visit to the house for a couple of last minute things before the pack.

Tuesday: The moving company wants to do a partial move which would’ve been overly stressful for mom. I got it changed to original plan. Dentist appointment, a filling had come out. Takeout from Biharis.

Wednesday: Wednesday. Mom’s moving day. On leave to help with the move. Mario’s Movers were late, but otherwise did a great job, friendly, fast and efficient. Spent the afternoon unpacking. My siblings are appreciative.

Thursday: Another day of leave to help with unpacking. Most of the day spent with that. A brief trip back to the house, some grocery shopping. Mom is over-tired. Thai World takeout. Early to bed.

Friday: Early morning gym session. Still tired.

Saturday: A busy day clearing the house. Lunch at Casa Bella at the Casino.

Sunday: Another busy day clearing the house. Lunch at Mugg n Bean, Canal Walk.

My work week was divided into: 66% side project, 33% bug fixing.

Podcasts listened to this week: Dot Net Rocks; NPR How I Built That; BBC Books & Authors; Making It.

The week of Apr 9, 2018 – Apr 15, 2018

Tired…

Monday: Dentist appointment – part 2 of the root canal. Collected mom from airport. Tidied my medicine cabinet, threw away a lot of expired items.

Tuesday: Made an application for a further bond on my home loan. Second coat of varnish on the small table for mom. Tidied my desk.

Started drinking much more water during the day and at night and I’m sleeping so much better. Coincidence?

Wednesday: Gym session with Johnny. Final coat of varnish on the small table. Dropped off my vacuum machine at mom’s for the final stretch. Sushi takeaway from home. Admin.

Thursday: Broke a tooth, another dentist appointment is on the horizon. Stayed late at week finalising the further bond spring documents application. Quiz night at Lakeside with Barbs and others.

Friday: Slow evening, tired end of week. Watched a documentary on YouTube about Syd Barrett and the early days of pink Floyd. Watched Netflix movie 12 Monkeys.

Saturday: Frustrating time spent trying to locate where my TV sent in for repairs actually is. House clearing. Watched walking dead episode. A bit of relaxation went to labia and saw good movie, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri.

Sunday: F1 watching. House clearing. Poco store in Parklands an interesting place, similar to Tafelberg Furnishers. Lunch at Black Angus. More house clearing. Grocery shopping, chores, watched Taking of Pelham 123.

My work week was divided into 100% sideline project (might become real feature).

Podcasts listened to this week: Making It, CppCast, Wood Talk, NPR What It Takes, F1 Inside Line.