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Alban Day 2024
Me and my girlfriend accidentally stumbled upon “Alban Day"1 in St. Albans2 today after our lunch at Wagamama.
We’d gone last year and enjoyed ourselves. So I was happy to coincidentally go again.
Though last year there was medieval battle reattachments which they didn’t have this time. That was a shame.
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Perplexity summary of Alban Day: Alban Day, celebrated on Saturday, June 22, 2024, is a major event in St Albans, England that combines the Alban Pilgrimage and the Alban Street Festival for the first time. The day features a spectacular parade of giant puppets through the city center, reenacting the story of Alban, Britain’s first Christian martyr. The event includes Roman centurions, chariots, and lions, creating an atmosphere of ancient times. Following the procession, there will be family-friendly activities, live music, craft stalls, and historical reenactors throughout the city. The celebration also coincides with Windrush Day, adding Caribbean music and food to the festivities. This combined event aims to commemorate St Alban’s significance in British history and culture while providing entertainment for residents and visitors alike. ↩︎
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Perplexity summary of St. Albans: St Albans is a historic cathedral city in Hertfordshire, England, located about 20 miles northwest of London. Originally a Celtic settlement known as Verlamion, it was later conquered by the Romans and renamed Verulamium. The city is named after St Alban, Britain’s first Christian martyr, who was executed there in the 3rd or 4th century. St Albans played a significant role in English history, including being the site of two battles during the Wars of the Roses and the drafting of the Magna Carta. Today, it boasts numerous historical sites such as the St Albans Cathedral, Roman ruins, and the medieval Clock Tower, making it a popular destination for visitors interested in its rich heritage and vibrant culture. ↩︎
June 21st, 2024
Good morning all. It’s currently 19°C where I am 🌤️
📖 Morning links:
- “37 (Or So) Lessons From A 37 Year Old” - Ryan Holiday. I love these simple ‘rules for life’ lists. Though this isn’t the best example, I must say.
- “Rejecting GMOs hinders human progress and keeps the poor hungry” - Tom Morley. It’s good to see a strongly worded opinion piece.
- “A beautiful garden” - Rebecca Toh. A nice little article on mental health.
- 🎵 Song of the day: Late for the Sky - Jackson Browne. This song builds so beautifully.
🧍♂️Me update:
- 4hr 8m of sleep 🛌
- I broke my no caffeine commitment this morning with around 8mg of coffee beans. Not ideal.
- My energy and motivation has been in the gutter all week due to poor sleep and diet. Today’s aim: at least one fruit and vegetable and no refined sugar.
Have a good day everyone 🤓
The moon is so bright tonight it looks like the sun 📷
Watching Noah Kalina’s “Hotline Show” series on YouTube. I can’t tell if it’s good or not. But it’s cosy, relaxing and weirdly captivating. So let’s say good.
He also described getting sleepy as “sun setting”, which I rather like.
June 20th, 2024
Good morning all. It’s currently 15°C where I am ☀️
📖 Morning reads:
- “Vaccines have saved 150 million children over the last 50 years” - Our World in Data. “Every ten seconds, one child is saved by a vaccine against a fatal disease.”
- “How This Real Image Won an AI Photo Competition” - Scientific American
- “TinyLetter: looking back on the humblest newsletter platform” - The Verge
- “Your brain does not process information and it is not a computer” - Aeon Essays
🧍♂️Me update:
- 9hr 22m of sleep 🛌
- I didn’t have dinner last night due to my stomach pains yesterday. That didn’t stop me from having a greasy burger though.
- I lived up to my promise and didn’t have any caffeine yesterday. I shall do the same today.
- My girlfriend has pain at the top of her spine today so will be WFH today with me.
Didn’t realise there was a Five Guys with a glorious view of Tower Bridge. Great place to see outside with a burger.
There’s also Gaucho Tower Bridge next door, which is a bit more upmarket. No idea what their food is like. But the outdoor seats would give you fantastic views on a romantic dinner date.
June 19th, 2024
Good morning all. It’s currently 14°C in London 🌤️
🚆 Trains reads:
- “Another Productivity Hack? Cal Newport thinks working slower could cure your burnout."
- “15 rules for blogging, and my current streak”
🧍♂️Me update:
- 4hr 9m of sleep 🛌
- I could really do with my next pay cheque to arrive, I must say.
- I’ve really cut down my caffeine intake these days. But I might try none for a while to see if it helps with my occasional insomnia.
- Had a sore stomach last night that has continued into the morning.
- I have sadly pulled off the mythical upset-your-girlfriend-before-9am 😬
Finally getting around to watching the Apple WWDC keynote. Favourite new thing thus far? You can now finally see everything but screenshots in Photos. I’ve wanted this for so bloody long.
Portugal - 2024
A few weeks ago I did an Iberian trip, visiting Spain and then Portugal. Here’s some photos from the Portugal leg.
