So what’s been happening?

Kind of a lot.

I got headhunted again.

Being headhunted was on my bucketlist for the longest time, and now it’s happened twice in a year. Deciding whether to leave my job was probably the hardest decision of my life. The two were very evenly matched, and where one had a pro or con, the other job had a comparable equivalent.

I’m still working in tech (goes without saying), and still working for a startup (although one without investors), but it’s a lot further away from home.

The area around looks like this:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHhmeqSAUPD/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BIFSLS1gREq/

I have a lot more appreciation for the outside world now, and I’m enjoying exploring the area and seeing all the rabbits and stuff.

Getting up at 5:45am every day is a killer, and I’m really exhausted all the time even after going to bed early. But I feel like I’m back working with my family.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BIHOnOeAC-_/

Brexit.

While my own personal Jexit was happening, the rest of the world was obsessed with Brexit. Like the majority of my peer group, I voted to stay in. There were a hell of a lot of reasons behind that, both personal and bigger picture, and I’ve already been paying out more for board games and stuff like that. A lot of US companies have an EU base purely so they can ship products out to people without them having to pay exortionate customs and handling charges (or in fact any charges), and that particular loophole/incentive is dying quickly for the UK.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGL7D23L6UL/

I went to Kiev and Chernobyl.

It was one of the most fascinating trips I’ve ever been on, and I’ll be doing a proper travel blog post when I finish editing/uploading 349348348249893 photos. We met some great people and saw some once in a lifetime things, and I’m excited to blog all about it.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGcLhf_L6U7/

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGhRVIJL6Y8/

Illness.

We had some horrific news about someone close to us, and it’s been a struggle to deal with that on top of everything else going on. I don’t really want to go into specifics because it’s very personal, but it’s soul destroying.

In minor illness news, Joe broke his toe and Ginge lost a claw, so we’re a few feet short at the moment.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGSg-6tL6d3/

Pokemon Go.

I’m finding it difficult to not be obsessed with this game. I loved Pokemon Go the first time around and there are so many great stories of how it’s helped people get out of their houses and talk to people in their community more.

I love walking around the neighbourhood catching Pokemon and bumping into friends doing the same thing. It’s also a good reason to get away from my desk at lunchtimes.

Baking.

I baked a cake for the second birthday of the gaming group I belong to; it was Smash Bros boxing ring themed and got filmed for some kind of online video thing.

The local hospital was also raising money for the children’s oncology ward, so I made some cupcakes for them to sell:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHeYoXGAaXP/

Buying the whole of Amazon on Amazon Prime Day.

Including a lovely curved Samsung monitor:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BH7Xaq4AVQz/

Social stuff.

Even though there’s been so much going on and I’ve been so tired, I’ve still managed to fit in a fair amount of social stuff (as well as the usual pub/board games/video games combo), including:

Trying out a new all you can eat dessert place:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BH-ch_gAJer/

Going to a new video game lounge:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BGUBlQ1L6Xf/

Eating ice cream at Bluebell’s Dairy, a goal I’ve had for ages:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BIMsR_LAHCM/

Celebrating an old college friend’s birthday at a Greek restaurant in a nearby city:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BIMr4isgEDg/

Visting the luminarium with university friends and their kids:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BIMsJF5AW9J/

Largely, though, I’ve spent a lot of time mentally trying to adjust to all these things happening in my life and the world as a whole…I hate the fact that I’ve not blogged in six weeks (!!!) and I have a lot of posts to finish up. And a client website that needs a few tweaks, and a couple of things to finish for another company. I need a break, and at the same time I miss blogging here. Let’s hope I can get a good work/life balance sorted soon so I’m not always playing catch up :)