Tex Mex

My circadian rhythm woke me up at the crack of dawn. Usually I'd try to roll over for a few more winks but a golden opportunity to play Starfox presented itself. The remake came out earlier this year and I got it for my birthday. I can remember getting the original game from Software Exchange in the very early 2000's. I knew nothing about the game minus the fact it had a big robot in the cartridge and it was with the budget afforded by my pocket money. Louis and I took it home and immediately fell in love. This many years later I found myself playing the shiny new imagining of the game, the same beats made me smile and the music still made my heart swell. Call it nostalgia goggles I guess, but this one lives in one of the softest spots in my heart.

That took me to 8am. Where I then said goodbye to Rebecca who was off to a baby shower. I had the day to head up the road to a local bake sale, then to the shops to gather ingredients for the Tex Mex dinner party I was attending. It was a everyone bring a dish situation so I locked in and made Cowboy Caviar, which has virtually all the best beans and peppers mixed into on delicious side salad. On arrival it was clear that everyone made a big effort too, the desert in particular was a knockout. We just drank margaritas, chatted and played a few parlor games til today turned to tomorrow. The highlight was the pinata we busted up. His carcass was left with me which felt so natural in my hands - probably because of the pinata short film we did twelve years ago. Time flies, but the good times keep coming and our films stay the same age. 

Working Friday

Rounded off my full working week with a perfectly regular little Friday. Again, I'm feeling more at home within the office, more people know my name now and everything is slowly settling into place. I even bumped into a old colleague at Screwfix during a 90 seconds window in the middle of the afternoon, coincidences like that always make me smile. Now that I'm fully at work I'm gearing back into the mindset of making the weekend count, I've already got a stacked plan for the next few days so let's see if I can make the most of it.

Happy 33, Me!

Rebecca is always such a trooper when she elects to wake up at the same time as me. 6:20 is early for a random Thursday but she still managed to spoil me with a pastry breakfast and a few presents.

Going into work was the most surreal part of the day. I intentionally told myself that I wouldn't tell anyone it was my birthday today, mostly because I didn't want the fuss. New job, new colleagues and all so I didn't expect anything either. Ten minutes into my day someone walked in and declared 'Happy Thursday'. Which someone misheard and worriedly replied 'Happy Birthday?! Who's Birthday is it?!' I stayed quiet here, but the office chat quickly turned into a conversation about when everyone's special day was, so everyone went round in turn, like an ice breaker, revealing their birth date. Still I kept quiet, really hoping no one would ask me. Then they did. Point blank. 'So, when's your Birthday Theo?' In that moment I knew I couldn't lie so ai sheepishly said it was today. They asked if I was joking at first but the silence was held too long for it to be a bit. The office immediately imploded into a frenzy. One colleague who I'd worked with a couple of years now, felt so awkward that she seemingly went out and orchestrated a typical office birthday out of thin air. Massive credit to her though - she got a card signed by everyone in the office, a cake and a couple of gifts. I'm actually quite happy it went the way it did, we all got a great story out of it.

Back home I had the place to myself for just under an hour. I got a new game as a gift so I booted that up and sat back in the sofa. At that exact moment, I clocked the birthday bunting Rebecca put up for me, which made me aware that I was literally living inside the short film I made with the sock puppet. Only difference was I knew friends and family were only a couple of minutes away. Louis, Rachel and Dan turned up for an evening of laughs and burgers. We watched an ideal comedy film for our crowd: Nirvana the Band the Show the Movie which tickled us all pink. I'm so grateful to have spent my double three day with people who were there to make sure my Birthday was a special one.

So Long, 32

Had five days on the job now and I've just about got the measure and rhythm of things now. Office crew know my name now and come to me for help on things, I like being useful so I'm warming up to things moreso. I'm slowly building up my banter, it always takes me a while to show my stripes, but having one familiar face in my team helps expedite this. 

My last day being a 32 year old was today. I always had the idea that 32 was the perfect age when I was growing up. Young enough to be cool, but old enough to be mature. I hope I spent it as well as my young self dreamed, but like the rest  of us, I only got one shot at it. 

Studio History, As Told By Office Furniture

Pivoted away from emails, instead I was out and about to IKEA to buy and assemble some office furniture. I've been working in these studios so much now that I began to spot my handiwork everywhere I look. Desks built on old jobs. Shelves oiled and drilled into the walls. Old fridges I brought off Facebook marketplace. Every humdrum piece of that place holds a story of some kind, a history barely worth remembering, but it's there because someone made it so. 

History is in my mind a lot at the moment, not just because it's my birthday soon, but Nintendo just showed off a trailer for a remake of Ocarina of Time. Shiny graphics and modernised gameplay but still the same adventure underneath. It's crazy to believe that game is almost 30 years old now, but just a few notes from a song takes me right back. 

Sliding into Monday

Slowly remembering my roles and responsibilities. I set up a meeting room, sent some emails and just generally tried to make things go smoothly. Got back on the world of hire cars too and tech support for my colleagues. It's nice to be useful I suppose. 

Yesterday Rebecca updated our framed collage of our time in Canada. We have postcards, ticket stubs and even Polaroid photos of some moments. I caught myself looking at it quite intently today, I felt it's power as if to say 'This is one of the reasons we work.' Wonder what adventures Rebecca and I will go in next. 

Quizzing Sunday

Now that Rebecca and I are fully back at work we wanted to spend today doing nice and calm things. We took a walk out toward the harbour, popped into a book shop and brought a big cookie to indulge in. I cooked a roast dinner too, the first of the Autumn. Best part is knowing the leftovers will be in the next few dinners this week. 

So while the daytime was calm, the evening was combative... I went cross city to meet up with some friends for a pub quiz. The quiz's theme was the 60's which was sounding a bit rough on the outset, thankfully there were a ton of questions that were film centric. I'm glad that's my mastermind subject because I actually had to dispute the quiz master who made an official correction to the marking for a specific round about Oscar winners. My team found it hilarious I went up and the team next to us were flabbergasted at how our score sheet went from 0 to full marks. Glad I did though because we won!! I've never won a pub quiz in my life so I'll be riding this high for a while.