Dave The Tanuki

Tidal is down, the washing machine went off during the night, so all my planned work clothes are wet, it's my first day back at work after a lovely 2-week break, and the advice centre is closed for works so I have to work in the main office, no room to myself. It's a fucking horror show this morning

This explains why my Tidal isn't working

Surely it's this fella.

My two weeks off work are now officially at an end. Please don't make me go back. Life is so much better without work.

What's interesting is it doesn't seem clear if the officer(s) acted on his request. Because of course they should have immediately rejected this request

Why do people find it so hard to use a microphone? It's been driving me to distraction all weekend.

Went to interesting talk on judicial and jury bias, but was slightly undermined right at the end when the psychologist in question referred to jury service as being voluntary. Which of course it isn't. Or at least, it's only optional if you don't want to vote. If you want to vote it ain't optional.

Really feel for this young woman sat next to me. She is desperate to talk to an astrophysicist about gravitational waves but her mum keeps trying to video or photograph her while doing it and she had to really tell her off to get her to stop. Setting boundaries is hard, but good for her.

Off to New Scientist Live soon like the nerd I am. Five minute walk there, five minute walk back. Back home by 5, so Kat still gets a full evening with me. Perfect Saturday.

I clicked on this by accident, but it's a really interesting piece and well worth five to ten minutes of your time.

Such an honourable man. Putting his duty to his family and country first. Truly, the last of the great and noble knights of the age of chivalry.

About to watch One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest in the cinema (never seen it before), and there is a guy in here reading a book during the trailers. I don't know if I'm impressed or appalled.

I don't know about others but I definitely have days when I "feel more autistic" than others. When I feel more detached, almost robotic. Even my fidgets are more deliberate. I don't know why that is. Weirdly, it tends to also be a period where my mind is quiet, almost like someone shut off my ADHD

Is... is he saying that his wife left him over a car. And he chose to keep the car? I honestly think these cars may come with a free hypnosis session with every purchase. Because every interview with someone who owns one makes them look utterly deranged.

A present from Kat. An autistic fella and his ginger cat. Cannot think why she thought I would appreciate this.

ACAB graffiti at the First Cemetery of Athens.

I'm more than halfway through my two-week break (my first since Christmas) and I heartily believe that working is overrated and it's okay to not want to do it. It's not shameful to think work sucks and your life would be better spent doing something else instead.

Remember that if you're against the concept of no kings, that makes you a monarchist. The same way being an opponent of antifascism makes you a fascist.

Plus, it's okay to hate your country if your country spends all its time making your life a living hell and you want to change that.

I'm running a Candela Obscura one shot at MCM ComicCon in ten days' time. So I should probably sit down and write it, right? At some point? That would probably be a good idea. #ttrpgs

Do you like Seal Team and Band of Brothers? Then you might also like... Dad's Army?

This (likely deliberate) misunderstanding of what people want is so grating. I'm willing to hear things that upset me. I spend my work day handling others' trauma. But what I don't want is to let racists speak racist shit on a platform I pay for, because I don't want to fund or legitimate racists

The redhead one is genuinely terrifying

Giving Critical Role another go and man, I cannot stand Scanlan. I may have to skip to Campaign Two just to avoid him.

They were from Oakland and very chatty. She befriended me and has my details should she come to London next month as planned. She grew up in Atlanta, so the friendliness is doubly to be expected.

Random question: can you actually buy choc ices any more? I remember when I worked on pantos that I described Magnums as a choc ice on a stick and I used that description talking to Kat recently but she'd no idea what a choc ice was, and I haven't seen one since then.

There is one American on this bus. And you know they're American because they're the only person that said good morning to the people sat around them. California is my guess.

Sadly, my contract with Blizzard ended in September. That means I'm looking for fulltime or contract work as a senior writer or narrative designer. If you need someone who can write sharp characters, poetic prose, and emotional stories, I'm available! www.hazelmonforton.com

I actually swore at them in Greek but in a positive friendly tone. One of the waiters found this absolutely hilarious and then later on, came and told me that I'd pronounced it slightly wrong and taught me how to say it properly. For which I was grateful.

I can see an incredibly annoying couple from the cruise yesterday who thought they could get off at an island and mark their seat by leaving a cardigans. A Brummie in an Olympiakos shirt wasn't having it. They also chastised me for saying good morning in Greek because everyone speaks English.