Sadness for an old space. Sunday Surprise (23rd May)
It's that time again for the weekly dose of random...
Howdy y’all!
Welcome back for another edition of this humble newsletter. Hope you’re having an amazing weekend. Lot’s of things happening over here in Surprise HQ but more on that a bit later.
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Thoughts from this week
Spaces maketh the faces
It’s only recent that I’ve moved into a new apartment with 2 new workspaces (3 if you count the dining table!) to work on these projects and I hadn’t really noticed a huge difference until this weekend.
As of Monday, the old apartment is no longer mine but before I handed over the keys to the new owners, I went to have one final look at the place that’s been home for 7 years…
While I loved living there, one of the things I could see is just how tiny the study/office space was! On the one hand, it was secluded away in the corner and away from anything distracting. But on the other, I wouldn’t just wander in and sit down to do work- I had to plan for it.
This made me realise just how much little things in our environment influence our behaviour and even moods. I’m sure it’s not a particularly revolutionary realisation, but now having 2 spaces set up with monitors actually does mean I sit here more frequently and do burst of 15 mins here and there. In the old place, I’d only “go to the office” if I had a solid block of time.
The new space has a lovely view and plenty of light throughout the day and though most of the day job isn’t spent here, the work that I end up doing here does feel lighter/more enjoyable and puts a smile on my face.
The new office being so central to the apartment also brings with it lots of distractions. Fortunately, that’s been manageable thus far so overall it’s a net win. I just am a bit nostalgic about the old place and the memories from there…
Is there a dedicated space that you work from at home? Are there any tweaks you can do to make it that little bit more cosy? Let me know!
Weekly update
If you’ve read the piece above, this week has been about getting the old apartment ready for settlement and handing over my keys. After 7 years of being there, I was a bit nostalgic seeing it go. After all, it was the place I moved to when I just finished my speciality training, lived through the pandemic, started many projects (including this newsletter) and even…
Gadget/tech
Raindrop
Running a newsletter or just maintain a distraction free life requires you to have a good bookmarking system so that you can put away all the shiny objects and focus on the work at hand, knowing that you’ll be able to pick up where you left off. In the past, I have Pocket as my go to tool of choice, but recently I’ve discovered Raindrop.
Overall, it’s very similar but has MUCH more powerful organisation tools. I can finally put the links I’ve used in the newsletter in another folder instead of having to maintain a list of seperately!
If you’re looking for a bookmarking solution, give raindrop a go. The free edition will be more than enough for most people.
Creative update
Nothing specific this week since I spent all of it on final settlement things and also working some ridiculous hours this week just gone. Here’s some stuff you might’ve missed:
Youtube - What’s in my travel creator’s bag?
Podcast - Bunbury Break in!
Instagram - Greenland Reels
Read
Spider-like robotic AI arms can be attached to and controlled by humans
People clearly are not fans of Spiderman and seem to have essentially invented the spider arms used by the villian, Dr Octopus but made for real life. Unlike the comics, they’re trying for more everyday use cases and improving the quality of life for people with disabilities.
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I’m a HUGE fan of audiobooks and my go to has been Audible for the sheer range of audiobooks and the ease to which to get them. When I use PT or even if I’m doing housework, I tend to pop in the headphones and give one of the books a listen. New signs ups essentially get 1 free audiobook so give it a try!
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Weekly Quote
“I'd trade all my tomorrows for one single yesterday.”
– Kris Kristofferson
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