Week commencing Monday, 13 April 2026
Quantified Self
- This week: Stand 7/7; Exercise 6/7 and Move 6/7. (90%). Morning walks: 0/4. Office days: 1/5. Total steps: 63,071. 14.8 hours in meetings.
Life
- Thanks to Stonewall campaigning, the law is changing to equalise the treatment of hate crimes for LGBTQ+ people, making them aggravated offences.
- Related, although anti-LGBTQ+ hate crimes are recognised in law, hate crimes based on race and/or religion can carry higher maximum penalties because they are classified as aggravated offences. When a crime is considered an ‘aggravated offence’, the victim has longer to access justice, and the perpetrator will receive a stronger sentence.
- Of all the things to happen in the modern world (1), I never really expected it would be my toothbrush that wouldn’t work until it had some software updated.
- The Church in Wales’ governing body has approved a bill making blessings of same-sex marriages permanent.
- Of all the things to happen in the modern world (2), it was inevitable that somebody would make a convincing AI radio presenter. I think a Top 40 countdown was an obvious place to start; the ‘chat’ is already formulaic. “Nexus James” is your AI host. I wonder how many options were presented before a human picked that one?
- Related, within the first three songs I heard, I could already hear repeated production elements on Olivia Dean’s two songs in the top five. They need to work on that. Regardless, it has more depth than any Top 40 playlist on a music service.
- Since our regular after-work place closed, we have a new go-to pub that we visited on Thursday. It’s a proper pub, it feels better, and it is less expensive. It has a range of areas where people can book a table. The covered bit at the back is only marginally open to the elements, but it seems to be the first part of the pub that closes at 11 p.m. Which is great news, because previously we have been in the pub when they have not called last orders until midnight or even 1 a.m., and both of those mean we all miss our transport home.
- A beautiful day on Saturday saw a trip to Freshwater Bay, Isle of Wight, and then a walk to Yarmouth.
- Sunday, lunch by the sea in Shanklin and ice creams by Ryde Marina. Maybe summer is here?
Media
- This week, The Newsreader episodes I watched used Halley’s Comet and Lindy Chamberlain as their real-world grounding.