Recursive Words

When I wrote blog posts, I tend to write them as markdown formatted text posts – telling myself that if I remove all distractions I’m far more likely to get on with writing something rather than open this app, or start that music, or scroll that website, or whatever else it might be.

For the past little while I’ve been using iAWriter – where you can just start writing, and it names the file after the first line. On Thursday night I started this blog post, and titled it appropriately for the date, just like the rest of the six thousand blog posts over the last twenty-something years (because I’m a bit OCD like that). I didn’t actually get around to writing anything – so ended up re-opening the writing app yesterday, re-titling the post, pondering what I might write about, and didn’t actually write anything again.

Third time lucky today – and here I am, writing about writing – which I know nobody wants to read. It’s almost like I’m testing you – giving you exactly what you don’t want – just to see if you’ll stick around.

You’re still reading though, right?

It’s Saturday afternoon. Almost evening. Is 5pm late afternoon or early evening? Have I just started a huge argument?

My biggest achievement today was almost certainly adding the local market to Google Calendar. This might not sound like much, but after several years of the kids asking which weekend which market was on (they alternate), it only just occurred to me to do this. Only I didn’t do it – because the way of the world these days is to get AI to do anything and everything for you. While the rest of the family talked about this and that while walking towards the market, I busied myself talking with Google Gemini – asking if it knew about our local markets (it did), and if it could add them to our family Google Calendar (it could).

I was quietly pleased with myself, but didn’t tell anybody – because sharing my small victory would almost certainly have been met with derision and laughter.

It’s the little things sometimes.

So. We made it to the market in town. An open air market filled with artisan food stalls. We somehow bought enough bread, olives, vine leaves, and spanakopita to feed the entire family for the next week.

Along the way we met a charming Greek gentleman hovering near the stall where the spanakopita took pride of place – obviously missing home, and quizzing shoppers on pronunciation of the various goods on display. My other half passed with flying colours – she’s good like that.

While walking back through town we passed the local wine seller – and knowing that we have nothing in the house (not uncommon), I enquired if we should perhaps see if they had any offers on. Quite apart from being obviously aware that a “50% discount” means a “200% markup”, I came home with not only wine, but also sake. My eldest daughter visited Japan a few months ago – and I’m a soft touch with my daughters.

We tried out a sip or three earlier. I might have another sip later.

Do you ever shy away from drink, because you don’t want to waste the time that will be eaten up by its effects? I’m getting worse and worse for it. I will often avoid alcohol altogether and just stick to coffee. While out with work colleagues this week I did discover that “Guinness Zero” is remarkably good. We all tried it – knowing we had to work the next day – and were all amazed.

Anyway.

Here we are.

I’m more than aware that I’ve let the blog slide again this week. I’m also aware that I don’t have a lot to share.

I’m away on Monday night with a work function – holed up in a hotel for the night. Apparently I’ve been roped into a Mario Kart tournament during the evening with co-workers. I need to borrow the cartridge from my middle daughter – my Mario skills date from the NES and SNES era. I have a Nintendo Switch – sitting on the self – but rarely switch it on. All I remember from playing Mario Kart with friends years ago is you don’t want to be in the lead until the last corner of the last lap.

It will be good to spend a couple of days kicking back. It’s been relentless this year so far. Last year too.

Right. Where’s that bottle of sake?