July 2025
The Vibe
In fact it’s the wettest July in 27 years, so more than the whole time we’ve lived here. The weather has probably reflected my mood if I’m honest, but there has been a few events that were highlights.
It probably comes with the seasons, but I am feeling a real lack of momentum in life. I feel a bit stuck, part of that is the ongoing merger - and not really having any sense of control when it comes to my job, and maybe my career too. The other part is the lack of resources to do much to change those circumstances. As so many people around the world are experiencing, the cost of living has essentially eaten away at the comfortable buffer we had with our incomes. We have enough to cover expenses, but at the end of the fortnight, there's nothing to spare. Unlike others, we haven't had to go without, but with all that's going on in work and life, it means there’s an increasing gap between what we want to do (or be able to do) and what we can afford to do. I remember this as a kid growing up, so it's not new – but I had become accustomed to a 'good' income and being able to care less about money. Now that care is very apparent.
And it's this vibe I've been sitting in for the past couple of months. Not trapped but hemmed in. Those earning less than I would be feeling this far more, I, and I acknowledge that, and having grown up in that environment, I know how that feels. This is the trap of money, something that the rich never seem to understand - that the ability to change is not hampered by desire, but the available resources. This is why the approach of “education” to solve social issues is always doomed to fail, as the problem isn’t the willingness or knowledge of change, but the material means available to enact it.
I need to go away and think about this more, work out what the change is that I need and start working on some more concrete and achievable plans to get some momentum to swing my way.
Events
I had a great night out drinking dark beers with my friend and colleague Andrew. We kicked off the night at SludgeFest, a celebration of one of the strongest (and tastiest) beers out there. Pick of the tasting we had was the 2025 Imperial Mocha Stout that weighed in at 12%! We then headed over to the main event, the Festival of Darkness. This was a 'tasting event' where about a dozen breweries provided tastings of primarily their dark beers, but a bit of everything was available. Stand out for me was the amazingly named Noodledoof and their Iced Coffee Stout.
We then had my niece visit during the school holidays, which was really nice. The girls got along well, but they are so different, which made it interesting to be around them. The weather wasn't on our side, but we did go out and about. We finally saw Morialta Falls with some water flowing and three koalas, as well as some of the city's sites. Mum came for a visit, so we had a nice time eating and drinking before my birthday. And then I turned 45! The years are flying by a bit too fast for my liking.
We completed the ThincSeed pre-accelerator program, applied for the accelerator but didn't make it. It's not all doom and gloom — but it does mean we need to replan our process for our somewhat secret venture.
The final 'event' I wanted to mention was collaboratively authoring an Ascilite paper. This was challenging but deeply rewarding and really helped me gain a deeper understanding of the work that I've done and contributed to with my team. Fingers are crossed that it gets accepted, but regardless, I am super proud of the work and the paper.
Photos
A few photos from the month.
Watched
I was (un)lucky enough to be sick during the month so absolutely hammered my outstanding watch list - alongside a countless number of rugby matches.
Top of my list would be Reservation Dogs which I finished up. Seriously one of the most quirky, fun and touching things I've watched in a long time.
I also loved watching Adam Curtis again in his series Shifty. I really want to chat about the series with someone, but I enjoy Curtis' unique style and storytelling.
Sinners was also a standout - everything in and about the film is just well done - beautifully shot, great cast, great soundtrack, engaging story... what is not to like.
I also got through a few documentaries - Mistaken for Strangers, Lessons of Darkness, Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World, My Best Fiend & God Forbid and a few movies too - 28 Weeks Later, On Her Majestys Secret Service, September 5 and Gladiator II. All were fine - and yes a bit of a Werner Hertzog binge - but nothing outstanding.