Category: Life

Random thoughts on life

  • The VIPs in the High Castle

    The VIPs in the High Castle

    Because one team meetup a year in never enough, the VIP team have met once more. This time it was just the support team and was to be in Scotland.

    A castle, to be more precise.

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  • Why don’t we value the work of artists?

    Why don’t we value the work of artists?

    https://twitter.com/Adammorley7/status/884387103563542529

    It seems an innocent enough Tweet, doesn’t it, but my reply to it caused an immediate, negative reaction from the author.

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  • Bacon to the Future – A review of meat substitute foodstuffs

    Bacon to the Future – A review of meat substitute foodstuffs

    In advance I’d like to apologise for making that title sound very clinical but I wasn’t sure how to word it otherwise. Most of the stuff I’m going to mention is Quorn but, as other brands are involved, I thought I needed to be a pretty generic.

    Anyway, due to a required change in diet (reduction in red meat, in particular) I’ve turned to meat substitute to add to meals. You see, I like my meat, so something that will replace it in my diet without me even realising is important. Sorry, but a nut cutlet isn’t going to work with me.

    So what’s good and wasn’t it?

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  • The weirdest thing about getting older…

    The weirdest thing about getting older…

    Now in my late 40’s, I’ve been lucky in that my age hasn’t really had a great effect on me. My eyesight has changed and my hair has got greyer, but these are all the norms. Ok, hangovers are pretty much more intense now but, yeah, my bladder remains normal and my bones are no less creaky than they ever were, so I consider myself lucky.

    But there is one change, I’d say that’s occurred over the last 10 years, that’s particularly odd – my sensitivity to weather. A change in barometric (air) pressure can cause headaches by creating a pressure difference between the surrounding atmosphere and the sinuses, which are filled with air. Some people are more sensitive than others but, in my case, it’s become a lot more sensitive in recent years.

    The effects are headaches and congestion when air pressure drops (I had an earache last night, as a black cloud loomed and there were reports of storms nearby, which later moves to the front of my head). My gran always said she could tell of impending bad weather due to her arthritis which, as bizarre as it may sound, is also a genuine effect of it too. But, for me, the headaches can be quite intense, sharp shots of pain from different areas of my head as well as quite sudden and bad nasal congestion.

    But, as I say, considering the ailments that can afflict those getting older, I consider myself lucky that this probably the worst. Odd, none-the-less.

  • A Day in the Life of a VIP Support Engineer

    A Day in the Life of a VIP Support Engineer

    Ever wondered what it’s like to work at Automattic? Well, I’m part of a team that provides support to WordPress VIP clients. My role is as a Support Engineer, although this has been known as a “VIP Wrangler” and “Enterprise Happiness Engineer” in the past.

    Here’s what a typical day looks like for me.

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