Notes for December 29th 2023

Song of the week:

Short one this week due to Christmas, not really thinking too much.

• I've been sneaking time wherever I can to read snippets and chapters of Prophet Song, the Booker-prize winning book by Irish author Paul Lynch. It's a fascinating tale of dystopian nature set in a near-future Dublin. It uses prose and language beautifully, but also structurally bends the rules of books. Wonderful book, and I highly recommend it.
  • The unfortunate truth of the story is, though, that we are likely looking at this as a potential future as Ireland matures, grows our population and falls prey to the typical Americanisms in fringe internet outlets.
• Christmas week is always busy. Mercifully $job makes it a week off work, which reduces any stress from email lag etc. in the first week of Jan. However, we've way overloaded ourselves with visits, family trips, people visiting/staying with us, cooking, entertaining, etc. I've effectively reduced myself to child minding car driving mule for the week. Work next week will be a relief.
  • I say this not because time with family isn't fun, but we've loaded 14 people around Christmas, a visitor after Christmas an our annual trip to Cork afterwards all into 6 days. Absolutely no downtime. And I'm introverted and on "that" end of the spectrum enough to slowly just descend into madness. It's a cliché but I need time off from the time off.