--- title: Week Notes 001 date: 2024-07-21 tags: - week-notes draft: false --- I [tried out doing monthly media logs](https://cassie.ink/tags/media-log/) and found it difficult to stick to; it became daunting to log everything, and I put the unnecessary onus on myself to also write down detailed thoughts on everything. I'm going to try out shorter weekly notes instead. I want to have a record of and reflect on things that are important to me, so the effort matters, but perhaps this will be easier to maintain.[^1] I'm hoping to use this space to share out blog posts and other web content that I've enjoyed, too. # Doing * I **redesigned my bearblog** from scratch. It's not much different than what I had before, but it's a dramatically simpler stylesheet. I'm also loading the css from a server and embedding that within bearblog, which means I can use my preferred app (VSCodium) to write the code and bypass the bearblog editor.[^2] * I'm trying to **get back into running** after I [completed The Trevor Project's 53 mile challenge in June](/breaking-silences). I haven't run since then until this week. I also picked up the **Shokz OpenRun Mini** on Prime Day which have been cool to try out on my runs. # Reading * **[I dream of a better Xbox Game Pass](https://www.gordonhamburger.com/i-dream-of-game-pass/) by Phil Bothun**, a great post on Game Pass's enshittification and how it could be more consumer-oriented * **[Emerging](https://emmasdilemmas.bearblog.dev/emerging/) on Emma's Dilemmas**. It's always lovely to see a new face on the bearblog discover page, and Emma's prose is fantastic. I can't wait to read more from them. * **_Cultural Competence Now_ by Vernita Mayfield.** I've joined my school district's team DEI and we're using this book to frame our work. * **_The Odyssey_ (Emily Wilson translation)**. I taught the Gareth Hinds graphic novel version of *The Odyssey* to my students at the end of this past school year. They and I enjoyed it way more than anticipated, and it motivated me to take on reading the actual text for the first time. The introduction and translator's note in this version comprise a daunting 95 pages in my edition, so I've read that, Book 1, and into Book 2. I love Wilson's ethos in approaching the translation and am enjoying it thus far. # Watching * **_Gilmore Girls_, season three** (one of the best, I think, if not the) **and four** (also one of my favorites). *Gilmore Girls* was a staple in my house growing up: we binged it as a family when I was in middle school and then endlessly rewatched the DVD collection. A friend of mine and her daughter have been watching it together, and they recently invited me over for a *Gilmore* night, which triggered the rewatch. I'm happy to say that I still love the show dearly (despite its many faults). Joe has also (voluntarily!) joined in on my rewatch. * **_Another Cinderella Story_**. Watched with a friend for nostalgia reasons (on her part). I'm more of a Jennifer Coolidge fan, and the real life age gap between the romantic leads is disturbing — especially when Selena was a minor. # Playing * **_Stardew Valley_**'s 1.6 update * **_Picross e_ series** on my Switch, mostly when watching *Gilmore Girls* # Listening * **_BRAT_, Charli XCX**. *BRAT* might be my album of the year; I love Charli and I think *BRAT* is her magnum opus. "I think about it all the time" has hit particularly hard, as I'm having these same conversations with my partner right now.[^3] * **_Minecraft Volume Beta_ and _Volume Alpha_, C418**. I'm not a big *Minecraft* player, but I love the soundtracks as background noise. * **_Weather_, Tycho**. I picked this up on vinyl this week. Great music to have in the background while working or relaxing. * **_xx,_ The xx.** Another record store pickup. A moody, atmospheric album. I first got into The xx in 2012, after I heard "Heart Skipped a Beat" in, I believe, an H&M.[^4] It was nice to return to the album and reminisce. I'd forgotten how much I love "Night Time." * **Gilmore Guys**. Joe loves podcasts and this one has motivated him to join me in the *Gilmore Girls* rewatch. I listened through to the show years ago, so it has been a little weird to revisit. We're in their early days (season two), which is rough: many of their guests hate *Gilmore Girls*, which does not make for fun listening. Things get better (and, in my opinion, the podcast gets funnier) as they go on. I do find all of the singing cringy now, which I don't recall from my first listen. *Gilmore Guys* was one of the first podcasts I really listened to, so perhaps now I'm just much more exposed to different shows and styles. [^1]: I will allow myself the clemency to miss weeks, too. [^2]: The bearblog editor isn't bad by any means; it is, by design, simple. But I like to have syntax highlighting and auto-complete. [^3]: Sans-international travel and pop star career, of course. [^4]: It's shocking how much music I've discovered from retail stores. I also got into PC Music and SOPHIE after I heard "Hey QT" in an H&M too.