It’s the end of my week, and I’m exhausted, but it’s more of an emotional exhaustion than anything particularly physical.
For the most part it’s concern for the people I manage at work and the unsettled period we’re in. Everyone is feeling under pressure, unsurprisingly, and I am trying to set boundaries so that I don’t burn myself out.
Don’t get me wrong, I am hugely enjoying the work and the challenges. I’m still trying to let go of the old one, and the urge to sort everything myself rather than letting my staff handle it.
Boundaries. They’re important. Damn hard work though.
A busy week, and moments of needing to go and have a walk away from the screen, but generally feeling positive today. That probably means I’m missing something obvious.
On the other hand, I seem to have started a new D&D game with some people on one of the Discord servers I’m on. There’s something about introducing new people to the game that really appeals, and so last night’s intro session gave me a wonderful boost. Hearing people have those light bulb moments as they got to grips with the potential of the game is always wonderful.
That’s probably why the work side of life today wasn’t as onerous as it might have been, spirits well and truly lifted
A while back I took part in an impromptu competition in one of the cosplay groups I frequent. The challenge was to draw or represent the various admins of that group; so I put together a composite drawing of various cosplay elements they were known by. And then I was deemed to have won.
Well, despite the best efforts of various couriers to fail to deliver it, my prize arrived yesterday at one of my libraries. Admittedly they abandoned it outside the back door, but technology is a wonderful thing, and I was able to get a message to staff at that library to check for it and bring it inside.
We buried my uncle today. We logged in to the Wenhaston and watched what I and my brothers all called the most Welsh funeral imaginable, and then we gathered on zoom to drink and share stories.
Tonight’s game was a blast, I don’t often have an excuse or a chance to bring dragons into play. Given they’re in the name of the game they’re relatively rare, and in Eberron they have a more narrative important role too, but this week was fun.
The DDC characters aren’t quite at a level of power and expertise where they can comfortably tackle an adult dragon, so talking and negotiations were the name of the game this evening. Kerne as a dragonborn sorcerer was thrown into the spotlight as effectively the only person Fellestri the Green would deign to talk to, and Lady M rose to the challenge.
It also gave me an opportunity to bring out what myr s calls “the Dom voice” and really impress on the DDC who was in charge.
Lady M and I met up with the ex-Lady M, the Charleesi, and J today to visit the Richmond Gin and Food Festival – a last minute decision taken yesterday after the Charleesi spotted an advert.
Being a total extravert, I was champing at the bit to see some life, while Lady M was concerned about being out among people. Despite the nerves though we got to Richmond by bus and had our first real gathering of the clan in the open air setting of the Old Deer Park.
For me, the biggest excitement was that for the first time in over a decade I was able to afford to do more than just window shop. The reason for this is that my first wage from the new job came through this week. Between working full time and a significant uplift in pay grade it is a lot more than I’m used to seeing in my account.
So, rather than batting my eyelashes at Lady M, there was a lot more parity and confidence in being able to indulge in trying and buying the various wares on display. Money has been a major cause of worry over the years, so the knowledge that I had a budget that would give me room to breath was… unusual. As a result there was a lack of underlying tension to the day, at least as far as my brain and gut feelings were concerned.
And oh my, the food and drink were amazing. We have bought a number of new gins for the shelves, and I discovered that I love a good moonshine, or at least the wheat-based ones on sale today as opposed to the usual corn base. All in all, a really good haul, some nice memories, and I was well fed into the bargain.
So, rather unexpectedly after a chance refresh of a webpage, we have in quick succession got our hands on an XBox Series X and it’s predecessor the XBox One X. With how much like hen’s teeth the stock of either are it is rather bemusement to suddenly have an embarrassment of tech in the house as we usually run it into the ground before replacing anything.
It probably says rather more about us than is comfortable that we were geekily happy to just watch install and upgrade progress bars march across the screens while we sweltered in the heat. I suppose we’ll have to start thinking about a new TV at some point…
I got home today after an over-enthusiastic 40 minute walk back from work in the blazing sun to find a full mailbox and a stack of deliveries outside our door, all addressed to Lady M.
I may have quietly made some uncharitable noises while carting them all indoors before stripping off for a shower, even though they weren’t particularly heavy.
When Lady M got home, and we’d compared stories of wilting in the heat, and showered, she started opening them to find that they were rewards from an online conference that she had attended a while back – so there were some nice little things like new pillows, a favourite fragrance, some sunglasses, things like that.
All on all, a nice surprise at the end of a day of feeling grimy. Oh, and our XBox had finally given up the ghost in playing physical discs – not bad for a Day One XBox – so we managed to find a second hand replacement in an XBox One X. Favoured games are now being reinstalled…
Was a bit of a mixed day, first with taking Lady M to the hospital (nothing serious, a consultation and steps forward) and then back to supporting my staff as in theory the UK lifted more restrictions.
We’re keeping most of the safety procedures in place for staff and public safety, even as people are pinged to go into isolation. For the most part that’s simple enough, and everyone is rising to the challenged with aplomb and even the occasional bit of enthusiasm. Even the heat isn’t getting too much in the way. People are being sensible, by and large, or at least the ones dropping by are.
I’ve been working with partner organisations on a number of things today, so it has felt like a number of little breakthroughs and milestones have been achieved despite the heat – if nothing else each positive result made taking a cool drink afterwards feel like a reward.
We are three hours from the return of the DDC – and I’ve just spent an afternoon crafting fun things for them to encounter if all goes well, or things go sideways. I’ve also just sent them a voice recording of Tanglefinger wondering where they are on our group chat. What’s the worst that could happen?
Meanwhile I’ve also been making some new design to go on tshirts – while they rework how they handle accepting new items and advertise them in different markets Amazon have throttled the number of new designs I can submit – but the link at the top of the page should show you the ever expanding collection of designs and items – go have a look, maybe you’ll see something you like the look of.
Oh, the message Tanglefinger sent? “They’re still not home, they’re still not home, where are they? They were only going down the pub! Hmm, well they’d better bring me some beer back is all I have to say.”
Come join us this evening on www.twitch.tv/jedileah at about 7.30pm to find out what happens next – at about the same time that I do.
TimMaidment.Com 