Three wins

1. Finished the first stage of our bathroom remodel. While Anja, did the vast majority of the work, we managed to collaborate well on putting together the medicine cabinet. I quickly lost the ability to understand anyone who does not have storage space behind their mirrors.
2. I walked from the office to a favorite coffee spot with coworker C., mostly without crutches! It was a win, endurance-wise, but a failure in self control. I spent the rest of the week feeling the ramifications of this adventure.
3. Anja and I took an amazing pottery workshop at Pansa. She has been a member there for years, but hadn’t been since her head injury in April. I was hoping this beginner’s workshop would give her back her confidence, and I seem to have succeeded. Of course, I, too, will be signing up for their full workshop.

Stuff I did

Work was amazing: very few feature design balls to juggle, and ample time to work on discovery and research projects. I got great feedback from a coworker about a research project I recently wrapped up, and was invited to share about it more broadly. It aligns well with one of my professional goals of 2025: to standardize research efforts across our entire product development department. I’m excited about it!

One of my coworkers who’s in amateur theater asked me to design the poster for the their next play. I got to doodling right away, and a week later, we’ve got a beautiful draft that I’ll be fleshing into something more substantial in Procreate. It’s fun to work on my iPad to create something like this. I’ll be able to share it once it’s done. (2025-02-21 update: it’s done!)

Consumed

I’ve begun watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine, which I’m not sure I love, but which does amuse me with its untypical protagonist. Much like the week before I went back to the hospital a second time, I am still watching that horribly brilliant Dutch show about K-list levenslied singers. At this point it has been two months, and I’m not even embarrassed anymore. I feel like a discoverer on a mission in my psyche, looking to uncovere why in the godforsaken world anyone would binge watch a three-season reality show on single repeat.

Purchased

Two coworkers and I had our first of what I hope to many editions of the Finer Things Club. Our inaugural dinner was at Hoi Tin, one of my favorite Chinese restaurants in town. I tipped royally and paid €150. Pretty cheap for a mountain of dim sum, soup, and sizzling deliciousness! I bought the most appropriate Valentine’s Day card I could’ve ever found: €4,40. Now that I’m getting around more, my public transport spending is on the rise. An acceptable €30,24 this week, but I wonder when enough will be enough.

Discovered

NTS Radio continues to be a great way to discover new music. Tennishu' Savers was a nice addition to this month’s mixtape. I know I’ve seen him during my first watch of Parks & Rec, but I had completely forgotten about hysterical Craig Middlebrooks! I spent a few moments here and there watching scene complications. ALSO, HUSKIES?! How come no one ever told me how stupidly hilarious those dogs are?! I can’t stop laughing.

Appreciated

The first three weeks of February are always busy: our anniversary, Valentine’s Day, and Anja’s birthday are ample reasons to celebrate, but I usually struggle to find the right balance without overloading Anja with gifts that are cute in the moment, but that don’t really leave a lasting impression. What has been leaving a lasting impression is how well we communicate, and how we work together to make our home a sanctuary. This week, she worked tirelessly on the bathroom, and it is so beautiful I now want to take ten showers a day.

Wondered

How can I make bathroom grout white-white afgain? How many days are there between February 15 and March 18? How was Staples founded? What’s the 30-Day Cycle in the Episcopal tradition? What’s a good recipe for creamy mushroom dal? How about for jollof? How’s Justin Hall doing? How much is a ceramics wheel? What does a lotus look like? What’s the name of that show about the boy who has a friend whose parents are poor migrant workers and live in a semi-basement?

Something to improve

This week, with all its beautiful encounters, fun work projects, and gorgeous bathroom developments, was a bit of a chaotic one. I didn’t take enough time to do my physical therapy exercises at home, or take enough rest in general. I’m looking forward to doing better in that regard next week.