100 Days, 100 Doughnuts

Closed out the week on a high, I juggled a lot of small requests and other bits, towards the end of the day my head was swimming with the amount of little things I had to keep track of, but I tied everything off in a near bow, completing the important stuff while leaving the other bits til Monday. It also happened to be our 100th shoot day (blimey, the time went quick there) so many crates of doughnuts materialised, and we patted ourselves on the back - let's keep on going! 

Weapons

Pulled a lucky number out the Callsheet lottery so I got to walk to work today! Got the blood pumping before I manically started catching up on old emails from yesterday. By lunchtime I had cleared my backlog so after that I was back on track to do my actual work for today... Which I was trying to do quickly so there was enough time to get back to my house after work to host a movie night with my colleagues. Tis the spooky season and we were all joking about watching Weapons a few months back, but we're all too chicken to see it in theaters. So there we all were, huddled round my telly with me on the floor, all hiding our eyes at the prescriptive scary bits. There was a real energy to the viewing though because it was a pitch perfect horror for tonight. Tense jump scares to start with, then gory action to end with a real sense of dark, designed humour. It was a certified horror romp.

Doggie B-Roll

Slung my iPad over my shoulder once again to act as the 2nd Unit Script Supervisor. All the old steps and elements slowly came back to me and by the end of the day I was flying. I was mostly helping shoot a mountain of Dog B-Roll which I am incredibly excited to see in the final product. I submitted my notes, did the rushes and got home and now my eyelids feel like they could slam shut any second so I'd better get some kip.

The Tap

Glided into one of the easiest 2nd Unit Days I've ever worked on. It's a well oiled machine now, everything flows smoothly, people are happy and we get the days done. The only thing easier than today will be tomorrow's 2nd Unit... That is right until I got the tap on the shoulder to Script Supervise for it. I said yes immediately of course and the day itself is remarkably simple so no stress there, but I had to dust off my old software and remember how to bring all the elements together. I'm blessed with a very supportive team too who helped me do my homework - just want to make sure I do them proud tomorrow.

Raising A Glass

Alarm went off, I instinctively went to hit the snooze button, which as a result of a recent software update has put the 'stop alarm' button right next to '5 more minutes'. I woke up again with only a handful of minutes to do my whole routine yet I still got in before all my colleagues.

A couple hours after I settled into the day and email hit my inbox, in fact it went to to the inbox of everyone on our production. It informed us that Dame Jilly Cooper had passed away. It naturally came as quite a shock to all of us, just a month ago several people attended her annual garden party and she frequently came to visit on set. To honour her memory we arranged a toast on set, real champagne out of real glass flutes were handed out to crew on wrap as the execs came down to give a small speech. Amidst glum faces, we raised a glass, then smiled as we told stories and anecdotes about Jilly. It was like a funeral and a wake at the same time. It was surreal being all together in that moment, but comforting to be amdist a network of people who have been touched by her wit and her work.

The Girl with the Needle

Another Sunday come and gone, yet I feel a bit numb to it all. Tomorrow will come around but that's fine by me. Monday will be all well and good, things seem a lot more stable at present and stresses are evaporating. No doubt I'll be batting away curve balls, but I'm good at that now.

I think I absorbed a numbness today from the film I watched - The Girl with the Needle. Lordy it was bleak. Highlight of my day was sitting with the cat on the sofa as we watched the movie. Her fur felt a bit cold to the touch so I layed some blanket over her. Normally she hates that but she let it happen today - bless her cotton socks. That was the glimmer of warmth I needed to get through the film.

Sleep Withdrawal

Back to the classic Saturday headaches after getting an actual full night's sleep. It like I'm getting withdrawal from from being exhausted... Not entirely sure how that one works but we roll with it. A couple of coffees later and I'm on track to veg out - Rebecca was out this morning so I caught up on movies and games. Later on we did an Arts Trail, an opportunity to snoop around local front room and admire their decor. We didn't end up buying anything but it's a good warm up for the big one in November.

It's Showtime

With little over 6 hours sleep under my belt, I found myself unironically doing the All That Jazz beat where Roy Schneider addresses himself in the mirror on the morning with 'It's Showtime'. And indeed we all earned our wages well today (as did the whole crew) because there were a billion and one balls to juggle today - and we didn't drop a single one. The staff fridge was still full of zero alcohol beer so we all raised a bottle (or a tin) of non-booze and cheersed to a week well done. In spite of my tiredness level I made it up the road for a round of board games and had a vintage night playing Bomb Busters and a few other little winners. Always such a joy to make it up there each week.

Revenge of the Late Callsheet

Got in early to help a bunch of people with some odd jobs, only to find out that everything was much easier than we all had anticipated, so I just ended up having a chill breakfast. The flip side was that for the first time on this job I found myself on the production truck after hours waiting for a call sheet to print. Bunch of things scuppered our plans there and I stayed back and extra two hours, which was gutting because I planned to have a hang out evening with Rebecca tonight... I've not really had much spare time this whole week so the weekend can't come fast enough.

Got Wood?

Again, it's weird to think I was on Spain this time last week. Now it just feels like work is a way of life again, especially as the clutches of lack of sleep are starting to take root once more. Lots of odd jobs today, best of which was dealing with some crew members who went out to buy some urgent wood without any means of actually paying for it. Thankfully, myagic wand still hasld some sparkle in it so all was well, all it cost was a fraction of my sanity.

Tractor Tailgating

Had one of those 'oh crap' moments when an email came in asking about a potential error on some paperwork we sent out to crew today. It turned out to not be a biggie, but it got my heart rate going. Things are cranking up with now too since the new Block are starting, lots of pieces falling into place and need actioning. In the middle of it all I got to drive a long-wheel based van down some very narrow and windy country lanes. It's been a hot minute since I've been behind the wheel of anything that size so I took it slow... For anyone behind me it must have been like being stuck behind a tractor.

Drained

'I'm a long way from floating in the Spanish sea' thought I, as I reached into our clogged outdoor drain to remove a blockage. I was down to my armpit in pipes before the lipids broke free and things ran smoothly again. Though once you've smelt that sewage stink you notice it repeating on you throughout the day, no matter how much Fairy washing up liquid you scrubbed yourself down with. 

Back to work today and boy, there was a lot of emails to catch up on. Once I broke the back of it though, everything subsided and flowed beautifully (yes, the pipe metaphor is extending into this paragraph too). Since we were working til much later tonight I buried myself in reading the new scripts and other lil bits. All prep so no curve balls attack me down the line. 

Our of Practice Roast

One last decompression session prior to returning to work tomorrow. Mostly catching up with games and films on my end. Rebecca always had fond memories of The King and I which turned out to be the perfect Sunday afternoon watch. I had to pause the film every now and then to do prep work for the Sunday roast I was making - first one since the end of Summer and I'm already a bit out of practice. Then again, it's a meal that basically just tastes of gravy, the sides just provide a variety of textures.

Cluedo Strikes Again

The cat served as our ever diligent alarm once more, though I was she came with a snooze button. After getting back home in the small hours of the morning a chance to sleep in a bit more would have been much appreciated. Thankfully I just about got enough sleep so was fit and ready for an afternoon of board games. Mark, Lucy and another friend all met up for an afternoon of activities and snacks. Highlights included playing my latest Formula One style racing board game, then a trip down memory lane with a bout of Cluedo. Technically it was Harry Potter Cluedo but the core was all still there, fully capable of re-dredging memories of how Mum used to just trounce us when our family played.

Lil Crabs

Slept in during our final morning in Spain. I needed all my beauty sleep to walk along one more promenade and drink black Americanos at cafes. Rebecca and I dipped our feet in the sea one last time and she took me to the Marina, her favourite place to spot crabs.

Caught a late flight back home and currently sat on the last connecting bus that'll shuttle me to bed. Just the weekend of my holiday left to enjoy. 

Packed Spanish Day

Made the most of our last full day out in Spain with an early rise to go see another nearby beach town. Breakfast was followed by a walk to the old town, then coffee, then lunch, then another dip in the warm, warm Sea. It wouldn't be a trip to Europe without a scoop of ice cream too. All in I'm starting to feel very well rested on my holiday... Just in time before we fly home tomorrow evening.

Warm Sea

A favourite activity of Rebecca's parents while away in Spain is visiting seaside towns and sitting in for a coffee. They never make it past the threshold of the promenade onto the sand though, so Rebecca and I had to do that for them. For the second time this year we waded into the ocean, which was the perfect temperature, for a swim and a float. Feels like we were out there for ages, meters away from the Spanish holiday makers and the tourists but because it was out of season it felt just right. 

My body has started to relax a bit now that I'm deep into my week off. That means that I overslept last night and yet still felt tired. I had a wee nap in the afternoon and now I feel right as rain. The next few days should continue to unwind me so I'll be fighting fit for when I return to the job. 

Secret Surcharges

Got charged just over £4 for a coffee at the airport, I'd be outraged if it weren't for the nearby lady crying down the phone about Ryanair's ruthless back size quotas that are designed to just rinse people from their hard earned cash. Can't complain about the actual flight though, we got to Spain just fine and the book I was reading carried me through the whole trip. Mostly I had my nose deep into the short story of Babette's Feast, a film I cherish and the original story is just as powerful. I could just about get away with blaming the plane's overcranked air conditioning on why my eyes got a bit teary. 

Touched down with Rebecca's family who were awaiting us in the arrivals lounge. Day one was a real settle in day, the only big outing was one to the local superstore, but I love foreign supermarkets so I had the time of my life. I also clocked it has been about 7 years since I last stayed in Rebecca's Parent's Spanish home. Another lifetime ago.

Bijou Bag

My tiny bag arrived, although very much on spec, I was still taken somewhat aback by how bijou it is. The Switch just about fits (to the detriment of my fashion options), and I've economised on space by simply not packing a wash bag - giving my deodorant and toothbrush a penthouse suit wasn't an option. 

The rest of the day felt almost like sitting in an airport anyhow, a good chunk was spent clock watching as I waited for my holiday to start. We just set our alarms for 5am, a wake up call I'm incredibly familiar with... Time will tell how Rebecca manages.

Teeny Tiny Bag

Returned to the dump to finally say sayonara to the remainder of the apple tree trimmings. Also sized up a few of my rucksacks to see if any qualified as Ryanair hand luggage... None fit the bill so I hastily ordered one to arrive tomorrow. I'll be vacuum sealing my Nintendo Switch in there while wearing all my layers of underpants to onto the plane, God help me if I have to get a random security check. Otherwise I spent the afternoon hanging out with Rebecca and sparring with Louis online over Street Fighter. Think I'm getting closer to matching his skill level now which is great, it's quite humbling being the Brother who keeps loosing for a chance.

Free National Trust

You can always count in Rebecca to find a good deal on National Trust days out. We visited one for free today - didn't even pay a penny for their usually scandalous parking surcharges. The best part was queuing up with Trust members, watching their world crumble hearing that their subscription doesn't net them any perks today - they let the riff raff in and Rebecca and I were leading that charge. We basically had a nice day going around a stately home and is adjoining land. The chills of Autumn are certainly in the air and the trees are very slowly showing their colour. So glad I live somewhere where I can stay around to the seasons.

Hiatus #2

Which a little less sleep than I'd like, I managed to get through the final day before our Hiatus break. The crew were simultaneously low energy from the night before and stoked for the prospect of a week's long holiday. The day it's was uneventful, minus the final hour when everything suddenly kicked off. But we got through it and now all I can see ahead of me is vistas of easy going and spending time with Rebecca.

Bad Decisions (lol)

 It was our midway drinks tonight. I'm usually pretty good at avoiding bad decisions, but then our Block Producer bought everyone a round of shots... 

 

Happy Birthday Louis 2025

Between getting my teeth filed at the dentist and doing a day out on location, I had Louis' Birthday on my mind. Seeing as he got me a bunch of Street Fighter stuff it only felt right to get him some stuff too so we could keep the sparring matches going strong. I caught traffic on my way back home but we still had plenty of time to hang out altogether. In honour of Bread Wee on Bake Off, Louis made focaccia and Rebecca made flatbread. My eyes were bigger than my stomach though so now I am full of gluten.

Reckon Louis had a good day though - Happy 30th again Broski. 

Carrot and Marmite

The whole office fell into a collective slump around lunchtime. Did we eat too much? Did our workload stagnate? Was there a gas leak? Turns out opening up a window and letting in a bunch of fresh air really does make a world of difference to concentration levels. It sounds like an old wives tale, but it had a similar effect to painkillers, the hurt just melted away. Without it I wouldn't have made it up and out of work to make a steaming batch of soup.

Believe it or not, I've never made soup before. But a friend recently shared their recipe for Carrot and Marmite and I just had to see if I could do it justice. One thing I am legit good at is following recipes so there wasn't much room for disaster (unless you hate Marmite of course) the immersion blender I got for Rebecca's birthday yonks ago was finally in my grasps and I gotta tell you, I think I like making soups now. I made a whole cat of the stuff ready to take into the office next time I'm there. Everyone is a self-confessed Marmite lover (statistically rare I know) and hopefully it'll bring a bit of fun to the day.

Muzzy Monday

Didn't quite feel as rested as I wanted to when I woke up, always a cracking way to start a Monday. With the hiatus coming up though I know I'll be in for a good decompression session, in the meantime we're kinda winding down on the way to Friday. There's a few extra hurdles to get over before then, all very manageable but we want to avoid any shenanigans before our time off. A semi schedule of sorts has appeared for the next couple of weeks so there's plenty of ways to get ahead which is nice, with any luck things will stay as is so we won't need to unpick any plans. 

Wet Leaves

Went toe-to-toe with the apple tree for round 2, this time it was all about disposing of the parts we amputated. The real logistical nightmare for us is taking the detritus through the house, over the new carpet while also minding the doors so the cat doesn't run out into the road. I settled on using a fabric potato planting sack to transport bits of branch through the house after I chopped them all down again. First one I did was easy peasey, then the rain decided we were now playing on hard mode. I just soldiered on, trudging wet compost through the house as I just got soggier and soggier. It's a job well done at least, I just wish my weekend wasn't wholly consumed by this damn apple tree.

Winded and Windfalls

Went out for some Birthday drinks with my team last night and woke up feeling fragile. I was curled up on the sofa for a good hour after getting out of bed just trying to stave off a headache and waves of nausea - totally self inflicted but I still felt very sorry for myself. Luckily, Rebecca took pity on me and helped me through the rough spots of the day until I bounced back at lunchtime. Then it was gardening time - the apple tree has been running rampant for a couple of years now, so it was high time for some cutbacks. I even had to bust out a hacksaw (I only just remember I owned) to hack the tree's limbs off with... It was all very surgical and knackering but the garden is in a much better state now. A nearby cafe was also asking locals for windfall apples to make their sauces with - we had a few leftover and got a free slice of cake out of it. A very fair exchange!

GOAT 2025

 A teammate suggested that I went down. To set today for no particular reason.

Sidebar. We have a weekly running Friday bit where the 'biggest legend' of the team is nominated for a GOAT award. It's given to a new member of the crew every week and the winner has a picture of posted up on the lunch chat.

And the winner of the GOAT award was mn! Cue everyone clapping and asking for a speech. I was too flabbergasted to launch into anything massive but I just about managed to communicate how humbled I was by the whole thing.

Long Day for Old Me

Did a trademark long second unit day for old Theo. I was up at the crack of dawn to make sure everyone was all happy at base, before dashing away to grab a bunch of breakfast rolls for the tech recces. Fast forward 12 hours and I was still at the office to set up meeting spaces and shoot off last minute emails. But all day long I just felt tired behind the eyes, that kind of weariness where if you hold a blink for a little too long you realize how nice it feels to have your eyes shut, and by extension, how nice sleeping would feel. I'm treating myself to a bit of extra snoozing time tonight. I'm 32 now, I needy rest or I'll barely function.

Happy 32nd Birthday to Me

The cat's birthday gift to me was not waking us up at the crack of dawn. My alarm did that for us and Rebecca very kindly elected to get up with me so we could share a morning together... It was still dark outside when we got up so she got a mite more than she bargained for but that made the gesture all the sweeter. I unwrapped several well curated books from her alongside my cards which now adorn my mantle piece.

Flash forward to work and my one colleague who was in earlier than me managed to do a heck of a job decorating, AND making coffee for all the grown ups before their tech recce. I helped wrangle them all onto the bus and someone loudly announced it was my birthday... So of course a room full of very important people all started singing happy birthday to me which is as embarrassing and cool as it sounds. My team continued to spoil me throughout the day with cake and well wishes, greatly appreciated when I was actually running around a fair bit today. 

Back home I was joined by Louis and Rachel for some Street Fighter, burgers and Bake Off. Which meant even more cake.

The existential dread was staved off for the entirety of the day, I was just so happy to be surrounded by people who genuinely enjoy my company and wish me all the best. Even on a long work day I felt very special. 

Knocking on 32

Donnedy coffee coordinator hat once again today and put everything in place for a whopping 40 orders. Thankfully the place we got our drinks from today is an old haunt who know the drill. They were pretty pleased to see me personally because I have such a honed system in place to tick off names and help the baristas out where I can. Years of actual coffee making experience put to practical use once again. 

The coffee run was a fun baby project to help take my mind off the fact that tomorrow marks another year of aging for me. Birthdays have somehow shifted away from something I have untempered enthusiasm for, into something more existential. There's that nagging feeling telling me I have once again hit a milestone with very little to show for it, but I think I'm just a bit down on myself. I gave my 31 to two TV shows in the making. Minus Christmas and hiatus dates, I worked and worked some more, earning plenty of dosh but perhaps missing out on some other things as a result. My free time is somewhat limited and I always feel the pressure to spend it well, which in turn feels like my fun has been scheduled which makes me feel like I'm always on the clock.

32 has oddly been a year I've looked up to. Two feet firmly into 30, but still young at heart. Perhaps some of my life wisdom will tell me to slow down, take stock and cherish what I value most. And maybe just maybe, write my Great American Novel. 

Coffee Coordinator

I was one of the first people to park up at unit base today because I was getting in early to take an important phone call. The phone never rang so I used that time to catch up on emails from my time off which went by pretty quick. By midday I was caught up and everything equalised. My attention is now shifting up and towards our next wave of tech recces, of which I have become the coffee coordinator for. Whenever I try to escape arranging foodie bits somehow I keep getting pulled back into it. 

The most Sunday, Sunday

Got up early to feed the cat and the play some video games before our guests woke up. It was just me, the cat and the early morning thunderstorms. All we really could do today was stay indoors, which made it feel like the most 'Sunday, Sunday' ever according to our friend. I mostly did that thing everyone does on the last day of the weekend: bury my head in the sand and try to forget I'm back to work tomorrow. It's been a nice long four day holiday for me, but a busy week is on the horizon and I'm already worried I've forgotten all the steps to this particular dance.

Bristol Tour Guides

Rebecca's school friends came on down to visit us in Bristol, and without wanting to boast too much, we planned the ultimate day. Lunch was procured from our local bakery (and Tesco, but that doesn't sound so fanciful). Next up, Clevedon for a coastal hike around Poet's Walk as our friend pointed out the fossils in the old rocks. 'I forgot how much I like looking at rocks. It's like scrolling, but better.' Back at home we took a quick break before heading to the hottest new pizza place in town: Gigi's. I hadn't been before so I was relying on a LOT of words of mouth to impress our guests. Thankfully it was tremendous - earning the covented double thumbs up from the gang. Finally, we headed to a local taproom for a cheeky pint. That really is a best of the Southwest kinda tour. We've been doing these long enough now, I daresay we're pretty good at it.

Westonbirt Arboretum

With bellies full of hotel breakfast, Rebecca and I headed back south to Tetbury. It's a town I'm pretty well-versed with after doing a bunch of filming there so it was lovely to share a part of that with her. The town is only really a high street though so after grabbing coffee and buying some quirky bars of soap we headed to the day's main event: Westonbirt Arboretum! It's been on my Bristol bucket list for a long old while and today the planets aligned and we took the plunge. We went around the old gardens first up and they were stunning. The trees were obviously impressive, but without sounding a bit crazy, the planting arrangements were really cool - long clearing draw the eye towards funnels of leaves in a way I've not really seen done before. Pretty special place.

 

A Good Friends Wedding

Hit up my all time my recently most rewatched YouTube video: 'how to tie a half Windsor tie'. All in prep for the wedding we attended today. I've not sat in a car for a handful of hours in a full suit before but there's a first time for everything.

The wedding was for an old University course mate and Rebecca's old housemate. As such there were a few old faces there from my course and we had ample time to catch up like old war veterans. Time flies so fast, but it felt like 10 years never went by at all. The ceremony itself was refreshingly low-key, all of us guests were up for a laugh and there were no dramas, no backstage shenanigans, just good vibes through and through. Rebecca and I boogied in the dance floor til our cloths were drenched in sweat and even made a few new friends along the way. 

Backpedaling the Backfoot

Had a morning to myself again in which I mellowed right out and felt good about life. Then headed to the office and found myself on the backfoot and only just about recovered by hometime. Mostly I was shoring up my workload while I'm off for the rest of the week by planning ahead and keeping people in the loop. I *think* I got it all done in time, plus I did a mammoth purchase order that took most of the day on and off to do. But now I can sit back, enjoy my extra two days off and enjoy a uni friends wedding tomorrow.

Script Tracker

I tended to my writing desk for the first time in a while, only to put my thoughts to paper on a game I recently played ahead of my end of year review. I have time in the mornings right now so it's nice to do something a little more worthwhile. At work I was throwing out script after script, good thing I keep track of all the amendments because a lot of the cast and crew are starting to lose track (at no fault of their own, there honestly is a lot floating around right now). Otherwise I was on logging duty for the taxis we booked in the month of August. While there was about 30% less than usual, I still had to input over a hundred lines from one spreadsheet to another, ready for it to be PO'd in detail. It's riveting stuff I assure you.

I also low-key forgot I was on leave over after tomorrow so I hastily reconciled all my outstanding jobs and looked ahead to next week. Think it's all in hand, I have tomorrow to wrangle the last bits. 

Crockpot

Last week I mentioned how the batch of brownies I brought in May have ignited some kind of baking revolution within my team members. I certainly did not expect a member of the Accounts team to bring in a full on Crockpot full of their home made minnistrone soup to share with the masses. A good deed has ripples and inspires others it seems. That certainly made going back into work after one day off much easier to swallow, but in fairness it went pretty quick. 

Sunsetting Summer

For my one day off this weekend I spent it doing one of my favourite things: popping down to Newbury. Dad was on good form in the kitchen rustling up some roast beef. His recent hand operation means that he needed a bit of help doing bits and pieces so I was happy to oblige. I was even happier though drinking wine and enjoying a Sunday roast, a meal I'd forgotten all about over the Summer months. 

End of August today, with we bid farewell to Summer, at least til next year. All over the UK BBQ's will be rolled back into sheds and jumpers will be dredged out of closets. The sunsetting of Summer is always a bittersweet moment, makes one think about how close we are to the end of the year already. The colder seasons beckons, we are helpless to answer the call.

Mario Kart After Midnight

Work for me started at 15:30 today so I had a good chunk in the morning to do some fun stuff. Rebecca and I watch the Thursday Murder Club film which was fluffy and inoffensive, then I played through one of the best games I've touched all year. Riding on that high I headed to work, though Saturday's are often fraught with very little to do (I remember on an old gig my most important job on a Saturday was to get the Producer a copy of the Guardian). So in-between legs of work we busted out some Mario Kart to play with the chaps on the truck. Made the night work go quick and the bonding time was real.

Bank Holiday Monkey Paw

Repeated yesterday's trick and watched a film before work then never quite got my head fully into my work. Most Fridays have chatterings of 'what are you doing this weekend?' which are usually pleasant to hear about. This week however everyone knew what the answer was: work. In a twisted monkey paw wish come true the unions have introduced an inflated day rate for Bank Holidays (yay) but that means we just make up a five day week by doings the following Saturday with no extra pay (boo). At least it's becoming a shorter day and I'll get to spend the morning at home... Maybe another movie before work?

Banana Splits

I'm doing split shifts at the moment which basically means I get my evening off in the morning. Gotta get your free time in where you can though so I watched a film before work today, but heading in afterwards spun me out a bit. Because the unit are shooting into the dead of night they let me finish the last few hours of my day working from home. I spent a little while rigging a makeshift work space (which was legit enough to make Rebecca jealous). Same again tomorrow, at least I know what I'm in for.

Middle-ing Middleman

With the studio looking like a bit of a ghost town now it was down to me and the team to keep the day to day going. Lots of kit to be returned and collected: radios, power converters, dollies and magliners full of monitors. Every vendor is supported by demand, and somehow the market has evolved to require a middleman like myself to arrange buying and hires but seldom touch the goods. But hey, some satisfaction in fluid logistics I suppose.

Production Understudy

Returned to the office for a day of chasing via email. And when that doesn't work I phone. And when that doesn't work I just give it an hour then do it all over again. What was quite sweet is when one of the Production Assistants came up to me and asked if they could learn about Prod Sec'ing from me. Of course I said yes, but I felt a bit bad as I basically told them the whole job is just copy and pasting, using en masse email software and never leaving your desk in case someone needs something copy and pasted immediately. Not exactly the razzle dazzle and glamour you get into the biz for but it pays the bills.

In other news, I realized I've been misspelling two normal words for far too long.

 Infomation is not Information.

Responce is not response. 

A Muppet is what I am. 

Leisurely Racing

With the long weekend drawing to a close I found myself 'leisurely racing' to get it all done before the end of the day. I finished up the new Indiana Jones game that has taken me all of August to play, Rebecca and I went round Bristol on a Gromit Unleashed tour to spot a few dogs and chickens... I mean penguins. Then I made a batch of brownies for my colleagues (plus a few chef treats for us) and did another 'chick flick': Muriel's Wedding which won Rebecca and me over instantly. A great way to end a long weekend.

Babka

 Had my first babka today from the Sunday market. 'life it pretty good' I remember thinking to myself taking another bite while sipping on an iced Americano from an independent coffee place. Somehow it only got better after I made dinner tonight and it turned out even better than usual. Then Rebecca made an apple crumble with fruit from the garden. Then we watched All That Jazz - a film that I'm kicking myself for not watching sooner because it was dynamite.

Best of all though... No Sunday Scaries because I'm not working the Bank Holiday Monday. One more day to do it all again. 

Mid Life Mega Drive

Returned to the Sega Mega drive first thing this morning. I have a deep nostalgia for the graphic and soundscape of that console and one of the coolest things is actually playing games I've never dusted off before - it's like planning for gold. I'm on a bit of a pre-turning 32 crisis I suppose but returning to my roots always helps ground me. 

Rebecca was smitten by a local taproom after visiting there a few months ago so we swung by for a burger and a bevvie. Was really cute to just go as the two of us, one of the last outings before we wave Summer goodbye for another year.

The Big Haul

I had a hunch I wouldn't be too busy today and that turned out to be largely true. Good for me because I got plenty of time to hit up the crew for the long awaited return of Fiver Friday. It turns out people were KEEN, we went round all the houses and everyone was so excited to play, we ended up with a single handedly the biggest pot I have ever run: £470! We got a member of cast to draw and announce the winner and I got to pass someone a 'life changing amount of money'. 

Moreso than a quick gamble, Fiver Friday gives me a chance to walk amongst all members of crew and talk to them. It's nice to drum up some enthusiasm and give a spark of fun to them, especially going into a long weekend. We really do have an A-team with us this time round. Everyone is good at their job and good people - it's rare to get that combination sometimes, even moreso when there's almost 200 people on your crew. I felt lucky to be a part of something, all I did was put names in a hat today, but that was much more gratifying than even I expected.

Dusting off the Lucky Hat

The whole gang is back at the studio and with that comes a sudden wave of crew requests. I was wrangling hire cars, post and an industrial sized scale at one point, all in aid of the mighty machine of film making. I felt like the time was right to finally resurrect Fiver Friday too, everyone has found their feet and the game wouldn't serve as an interruption. With any luck, someone tomorrow will win a 'Life changing' sum of money.

Materialists

A shorter day meant less time to cram everything in, which was especially tricky with back to back meetings to set up for. My co worker were slightly distracted though by the hottest social event of the show - a work Summer party. Alas, I didn't get the invite so Cinderella didn't get to go to the ball. Instead I tided up, sent my last few emails then bid the office farewell. I had other plans this evening anyways - a date night with Rebecca to the cinema. The film: Materialists, the second feature from the director of Past Lives. I was mentally prepared for this movie to not be the Second Coming, review scores braced me for that, but I also feel like they're doing the film a disservice. What we have here is a smart and considered piece which felt classy and mature in all the ways that matter. Anyone going in expecting a rom com will be disappointed - there's very little com, and the rom side of things is intentionally cold and distanced. Very glad we have this one in the universe.

Treacle Day

Back in the office today for a day that just went on and on and on. Again, we've kinda hit a sort of coasting velocity now, so now is at least a good time to start looking ahead to make our future a bit easier. But I live for the deadline, and without a sense of urgency it's tough to muster up the drive to properly crack on with something. Because the nature of the job is so ever changing, its often harder to unpick something you've worked hard on so you might as well wait til later to do most of the bigger jobs anyway. I'm loosing myself in the sustainability side of things now which is all just logging and reporting anyway. Anything to make the day go faster.

Swing By Set

Wifi woes hit first thing today - it's been a hot minute since I had to deal with that. It's also been a while since I've been down to set for a visit but since my plate was a little clean I decided to swing by. Everyone is always chuffed to see me, even the important people are glad I popped down. I should make more of a habit of it really, I'm going to intentionally finish up my workload quickly so I have more opportunities to call on them.

An Hour Before Sunrise

The duvet was stolen off me in the middle of the night. I went to retrieve the blanket from Rebecca (the self-admitting duvet hog) and my actions were admonished by a barely cognisant Rebecca who pulled it back over her. So I laid half awake, needing to crack on with something I started looking into old games to play so I drew up a little list. Louis is playing some retro games now too so I'm looking forward to comparing notes. When the house was awake we all got ready to head into central London for Rebecca's Mum's Birthday. We did a walk along Southbank and headed into a cafe followed by Cote Brasserie. The birthday girl was happy but we were sad the weekend was over. Back to it tomorrow in full force.

Dan The Man

En route to another trip up to London we arranged to call on Daniel who's staying in Newbury at the moment. I was desperately trying to piece together when the last time I went into Daniel's house, likely we'll over a decade ago now but the smell of his home was so nostalgic. We played a few board games with him as he talked about his latest plans to possibly move to Bristol. I didn't want to put pressure on him at all and over hype him but I was low key very excited at the prospect of him coming to live in B-town. Hopefully it becomes a reality.

Freakier Friday

Caught the bus to work, enjoying the opportunity to get lost in my book along the way. What followed was a pretty standard day, arranging biscuits for meetings and derigging radios, plus the occasional email. I was really just counting down the minutes til the evening though so we could join Louis and Rachel at the Cinema to watch Freakier Friday. While the original was a pleasant surprise, this was just a sequel. Nice to see all the familiar faces return though and there were some laughs but it didn't change the world. 

Our Chum Albert

With the team still split across night hours, I found my workload has evaporated somewhat, so I had the chance to dive into an area I previously put on the backburner: Albert. I started building and inputting a bunch of data into our sustainability trackers. My pride and joy being my lunchtime log which keeps tabs on every meal we've eaten, how many people were fed on set each day and how many meat, fish and vegan options that chunks down into. It's a layer of diligence that you can only truly muster enthusiasm for when it's your baby. You always hear that creating TV is one of the most environmentally destructive fields of work (outside of literal fracking). Indeed, filing all of our eating habits, waste-by-weight, fuel deliveries and transportation it's quickly becomes  apparent that things could be better. Still, the Albert initiative is less preventative than it is awareness building... But the deeper you go the more you start to be a bit more militant about sustainability. I'm just a logger though in this war though, so I can create a report full of lies, damn lies and statistics.

Heatwave Part Deux

Dressed for the heatwave part 2, but like many sequels it was a disappointment. So I sat in my shorts in the office during the day, covering the office hours as the rest of the crew are still sleeping in and resting up for their night shoot. I'm a little de-synched from it all now as a result but that means I can crack on without getting too many people messaging me.

Onto the next leg of dentistry, my appointment today was literally just 'open your mouth... Very good.' it was the quickest appointment ever, more an appraisal to see if the retainers were doing their job. I was passed on the next round of trays and the cycle begins again. On my 13th one now, so we'll over the halfway point and still feeling good about the results so far. 

Waving Hello to the Heatwave

Was holding on by my fingernails but I just about got through the 2nd Unit day. The heatwave sure didn't help things, driving around in a car with no AC does wear on the soul. Long old day for little old me too but I should be cruising for the rest of the week... At least I hope so.

2nd Unit Lucky Charm

Its only Monday and I feel totally zonked already. Think it's because we're walking into another chucky second unit day at that always ratchets up the work load. I'll be down there with them tomorrow, the 2nd Unit Lucky charm in a manner is speaking. In fact I've supposedly got a small nod to do some very light continuity work for the day - we'll see if that manifests, but in the meantime I just want to sleep.

Static, Single Sunday

While Louis ran 30K this morning, I made a sausage sandwich and bummed around on the sofa. I gotta get my rest while I can though and while Rebecca was out I watched movies, chilled with the cat and played some games. I did find a pocket of motivation to go sit at my writing desk though, mostly to tinker and to play around with some ideas in my brain - there's few things I love more than a good mind map. 

Back to work tomorrow and it'll be an odd week. There's night shooting going on but I'll just be doing office hours and going home when the others are halfway through their shift. It's a blessing though as that frees up my evenings so I can be social.

Best Man

Took it very slow this morning, we didn't have a lot going on and I had a worse-than-usual Saturday morning headache that comes with sleeping in after a long week of early starts. Our only real objective was prepping for a BBQ at our tonight - a trip to the butchers and supermarket basically and pressing burgers.

Mark and Lucy showed up just as I was tipping the hot coals onto the grill. I was trying to play it cool but I was low key a little flustered as I hadn't fully mentally broken down the order in which I was cooking each element. I was styling it out pretty well, until Mark pulled out a very nice looking bottle of sake and asked me to be his Best Man. I said yes immediately! I felt so honored and happy for him in the moment, all I could do was give him a hug.

Now I just have a few months to plan a speech... 

I'm a Hermit Crab

I started the day channelling the energy of a hermit crab. I didn't want to see anyone or spend time with large groups of people. My heart thawed as the day went on and my tasks melted away, giving way to that fabled Friday feeling. 

You know it's August too when the balloons start flying over Bristol. Rebecca and I have made a small tradition of heading to the nearby park to hop to see the balloons fly over for the festival, more often than not the launch is called off due to adverse weather, and that exactly what happened again tonight. Still we got to drink a tin of booze in a park during a golden sunset - not bad for a Friday night. 

What Is a PO?

Raising Purchase Orders is a practice that still a bit of a mystery to me. Like, we get an invoice and then we just promise to give them the money? Cash really is just numbers on a spreadsheet after a certain point... Speaking of spreadsheets and PO's, that's all I did today. I have a seemingly endless amount of logs to update and people to promise money to. In fact, I'm desperately trying to plough through all this so I can get into doing something stimulating but my eyes start glazing over after a certain point. I really do have to force myself to do the work sometimes. Copy pasting is so irrationally time consuming though - I barely have enough time in the day for some reason. Especially when our PO software crashes, undoing almost an hour of work.

Pit of Doom and Despair

Despite have a to do list of extremely non-urgent and simple tasks, I could never shake the feeling of impending doom and stress. That sounds like a Millennial worry, but oddly enough I blame my lunch. Something in what I ate today gave me a stomach 'thing' that I can only describe as a pit of dread feeling. My gut was literally telling me to panic when I knew, deep down, everything was fine. It felt like when you can't get to sleep some nights because your brain keeps telling you that you forgot to revise for you final exams. School was over half my lifetime ago, you silently protest, but that nasty feeling can't be shaken. It'll fade by the morning though, I'm too tired these days to really give much of a hoot. All I crave is the weekend.

Easing Up a Touch

Relative calmness passed over me at work. Nothing pressing, nothing urgent, just me and my spreadsheets, copy and pasting for hours and hours. I think we're stepping into a less logistical phase now so we can loosely afford to take our foot off the gas as we return to do our due diligence. If there's one thing commissioners love more than profit it's paperwork. 

Reality Whiplash

The best and worst thing about everyone coming back after a week off is that we are all united by the same sentiment. Non of us really want to be here. Some flew back from their sunny Spanish holidays only less than 10 hours before work and the tonal whiplash was visably crushing for them. At least we're all in the same boat on this one. There was some expected 'back after a week' stuff to crack in with, all of it came at a good pace and thankfully the day was over before we knew it. I even got off a little early so I got to do a wholesome thing and meet Rebecca at the supermarket to take her home.

Reality crept in. Now its taken its shoes off, helped itself to our teabags and don't want to get off our sofa.

Heading round the Mountain

The final day of my time off was spent doing a lot of low-key special things. Rebecca and I did a walk around Hengistbury Head and popped into a local tea room for luncheon. Bournmouth Pier always looks so far away from up there, I suppose it mimiced how in felt by leaving that place behind. The car ride home was admittedly just something we had to white knuckle our way through, being in a hot car for three hours is rarely my idea of a good time but we made it work. We were rushing back for a video game session with Mark and Dan, we've finished Baldur's Gate now so we're on the hunt for some new hangouts and by gumbo we struck gold. R.E.P.O. is yet another 'dudes in a dark room' game which is ripe for scares, but this one leans further into comedy than it's contemporaries which gave it an edge. Then to cool the tension we hopped into Peak, a mountain climbing game where rationing coconuts and giving each other a helping hand is the only way to guarantee success. Mark was giggling a lot towards the end and that energy was infectious. We ended the night on a disastrously hilarious hail Mary attempt and a vow to return to the mountain.

Weird thinking this morning I had so much to look forward to in the day. Now in bed my thoughts turn to Monday and returning to work. I haven't got the Sunday Scaries, it's more like resignation to another leg of work until the next stint of free time. 

Asian Carbonara

Made it down to the beach. Pity the Sun didn't quite get there too but we made do. Rebecca and I read on the sand til the sunshine just about poked out so we took that opportunity to dash into the sea. Well, we didn't so much dash as timidly wade in while making chimpanzee noises as the cold water hit new spots on our skin. We got over it and had a good paddle though - might be my first and only time in the ocean this year.

Picking up from yesterday on the topic of Bournemouth traditions, a new one I'm in the process of making is 'Theo goes to the Korean Supermarket, buys a bunch of stuff and tries to make a meal out of it.' It always yields fun results. I wanted to make a noodle broth bowl tonight so I did my usual steps while adding a Pho stock cube to the noodle water. Said cube must have had some mighty thickener in it though because when it came to serving up it all kinda emulsified to the noodles, like an Asian Carbonara. It wasn't the vision, but it still tastes jolly good. 

Back again to Bournemouth

Made it down to Bournmouth for the final leg of my week off. Staying down there is still steeped in Summer holiday traditions for me, day one is always a Winton High street day. Popping into G&T's, Lidl and more recently the Korean Supermarket. We did take a trip out to Wimbourne as a afternoon activity, just for coffee and a mooch though, plus a cheeky half pint at an independent looking public house. But then we got KFC once back in the gaff and everything was right again in the world.

Not Lapping up the Laptop

It's a little bittersweet to think that the last thing your laptop will likely do is help you research a new laptop. I spent most of this week waiting on a brand spanking new device to arrive and today was the day. I peeled away the layers of cardboard housing the new bit of kit, only to quickly discover that I just didn't vibe with it so I had to return it. Bit sad really, but I'm trying to 'buy nice, not twice' at the moment and if I already had problems with it I just knew they'd haunt me far into the future. So dealing with all that took up most of our day, thankfully we left all that stress in place in Bristol as we headed over to Newbury. Dad had just got back from hand surgery (nothing too serious) but everyone was in good spirits. It's a bit of a lay over today though, our final destination is Bournmouth where we'll be enjoying the sun for the final few days of my time off.

Bash the Fash

My day was full of (relatively) unexpected Nazis. My breakfast YouTube video was all about the Nuremberg Trials. We watched Cabaret this evening which has our fascist friends bubbling away on the periphery. Finally the new Indiana Jones game went on sale just as I was thinking to myself 'gosh it's been a long time since I punched a Nazi in the face.' 

Otherwise the midway point of my Hiatus has come and basically gone. It started off as an ocean of opportunity, but it's drying up into a lake of maybes. Time at home has been productive in a different way, but now I'm ready for one last change of scenery before I'm back to it on Monday. Bournemouth beckons... 

My Best Friend's Wedding

On the topic of spending each and every day of my holiday we'll I'm proud to say I did something that I have been putting off for far too long, (and maybe you have too).

I defrosted my freezer.

After that I was actually invited to the cinema to go catch 28 Years Later but plans fell through at the last minute with the chaps I was meant to be going with. Instead Rebecca and I continued our Rom Com fiesta with My Best Friend's Wedding which was not great. 

I read a few user reviews of the film who argue it works better when you embrace the fact that you're meant to accept the fact that love makes you so crazy things, even if it makes you the anti-hero of your own movie. I can respect that if it was the intent but somehow I doubt Hollywood would attempt something like that. The script was dead on arrival, minus Rupert Everett, who's charm and charisma carries the whole thing.

Farewell Cottage

With heavy hearts, Rebecca and I packed our bags to leave the cottage and our chums behind. Back to a fragment of reality at home but we are still on our holibobs so we're going to do the most we can with it! We went out for lunch almost immediately after getting back to Bristol up at the Sundial Kitchen. I've never had lunch there but never had any doubts about it's excellence, indeed, we left stuffed. While waiting for our food I drew up a little list of all the films I want to try and watch this break. I put 10 on there, an ambitious but achievable number and so far I've already seen two of them so I'm well on the way. Gotta try and do a lot of the things we love this week.

Sunday Stout

Pretty perfect Sunday all told. Rebecca and I wanted to repay our most gracious hosts by cooking them a meal, so a short trip to the local Morrison's was in order. We left with all the ingredients for a chicken picatta (one of my new signature dishes) but we had plenty of time to kill til supper so we played Mario Kart and Bananagrams. We fancied a walk latterly so we all ventured down to the nearest pub, only a brisk walk away. We all discovered Nightjar Stout and quickly fell in love with it (and the non-city prices). I brought a few games to play on a pub bench for a change of scenery and we stumbled home. 

Very glad we agreed to stay on another night, it just meant we could all enjoy one extra day here. There no Sunday Scariest niggling at the back of our minds, just an upcoming week of easy going and recharging. The only thing I will be thinking is I don't think we'll be able to top the last few days out here in Hereford anytime soon. 

Transparent Needle In A Haystack

The porridge that lined my belly was more than enough to take me up Hay Bluff. We parked up the car, pointed at the big hill and said we're gonna climb that. A short while later we were stood next to a Trig point, admiring the view while surrounded by Welsh sheep. We headed into Hay on Wye for some book shopping, Rebecca was in her element and gave us all the best venues to pop into. Just as we were headed into the final shop I put my hand into my pockets to check for my belongings and noticed I only had one of my Invisalign retainers... I sheepishly informed Rebecca then even more sheepishly retraced my steps around town before resigning to the fact my upper retainer was lost to Wales. I tried to play it cool all the way back to the car, after all it would be near impossible to find a set of transparent dentures in a busy village. 

'Oh, are those them?' Matt asked, pointing at the side of the road where we parked the car. I'd recognize my teeth anywhere and lo and behold, Matt found a needle in a haystack. A quick rinse and they were back in my mouth.

Mum read the Blog yesterday and messaged to say the cottage we're staying at sounds a bit like the one from Withnail and I, which I chortled at, then immediately clarified that it was in fact very lovely, in spite of reading about a past incident in the guest book involving a dead owl and the wood burner. Gosh we found that entry funny, until we ourselves heard a flutter inside the wood burner. 

Rebecca bolted out the room while Matt and I fashioned a cage out of a laundry bag which we pressed up against the cast iron doors. Gingerly, we opened it up. Yet we heard no commotion, nor could we see a sign of life. Had it escaped up the chimney? Maybe died of stress? We moved aside to investigate further, dropping our guard for just enough time for the sparrow to fly into our faces and around the room. I dashed to open a window and it got the memo and quickly flew out.

A beer was in order after that, so we opened the fridge and settled into a lazy afternoon of games and drinks while Ben busied himself with slow cooking a joint of lamb. Every second of marinating and slow cooking was worth it when it finally hit our plates. I just went very quiet as I slowly and deliberately took mouthful. It was that good. 

One more full day in the cottage tomorrow, I doubt it'll top how eventful today was, but I don't want to speak too soon.

Fantasizing about Fun

 The anticipation for wrap was on the mind of every single crew member. The promise of a week off was impossible to put out of our minds. Some are going to Spain, others Corfu, others are having a staycation. But everyone will get the chance to rest and recharge thoroughly and holding that thought in the mind is a very powerful thing indeed. 

For part one of our hiatus fun, Rebecca and I drove along the windy roads up to Hereford. Matt and Ben have a relative who partially owns a cottage there which we're all staying in. Frankly, it's a miracle I can post the Blog tonight since the service it patchy and there's no WiFi here (but after slamming my out of office on, zero interest sounds like a blessing). We dusted the cobwebs off our bed, drank beer in a cost living room and discussed plans for the coming days. Holiday starts now!

Hiatus Incoming

The morning to midday leg went really slow. Then the afternoon just melted away like it always does, leaving me scrambling. Just one more day of work til our week away and by golly, everyone is gagging for it. I'm just excited to rest up and recharge more deeply. I want to watch a boat load of films and take my foot off the gas for a minute or two. Til then, we got one more day.

 

 

Tracking Wide Shot

Made a royal fool of myself on 2nd unit in front of the whole damn crew. I had to go see someone who was on a far side of a field where the cameras just so happened to be pointing. So I ran as fast as my little legs would carry me so I could duck out of the big wide shot. The were nowhere near ready to turn over as it turned out and everyone just watched, their heads tracking me as if I were a very slow moving ball at Wimbledon. 

Everything else went smoothly and I wished my Mum a happy birthday too. She's going off to eat Ramen at a favourite sushi place. I so very much wished I was there. I just had a pale ale for dinner and I'm thinking of chasing it with under 7 hours sleep before I do it all over again. 

Holding My Breath

Got pulled in so many different directions today that I actually found myself booking taxis for people - far from my job role but needs must. When folks weren't getting in touch over email I ended up calling and getting properly involved in their movements which meant my head was constantly shifting gears between a variety of things. On top of that I was prepping a 2nd unit again and arranging a suite of other behind the scenes bits. I didn't really get a chance to catch my breath, quite literally because I noticed that when I start feeling a bit stressed or anxious lately I have a tendency to hold air in my lungs. Everything went fine though so no need to torture myself, but still I wished I could afford a small moment of respite.

First One In, Last One Out

Back to it on Monday morning and the day had some choppy pacing. First one in the office so had about 30 minutes to catch up on all the stuff I may have missed out on while I was away. Next hour or two was just tinkering away. Midday was crunch time as several little jobs all landed on my plate all at once. Then outro into the evening and it was smooth sailing. I was also the last one out the office. What I really want is a day where no one messages or throws me through a loop where I can just crack in with all the other bits that have started to pile up between the cracks. Instead I'm doing a three legged race with myself, limping over the finishing line til our hiatus.

North East to South West

For all intents and purposes, today was a travel day. We packed down the Air B&B in the morning and got back into Bristol in the latest portion of the afternoon. In between there was a Tesco meal deal, a pull over for some plane spotting and a moderately delayed train (entitles us to some money back at least!) To pass the time I stuck my nose deep into the new Donkey Kong game which I just about ended up finishing an hour ago. Gotta get my head out of holiday and video games mode though as another week of work looms... Then it's hiatus time!

Beach Hut Brigade

 With all the wedding business out the way, today was a planned come down of sorts. We were invited to a beach hut to spend the last few hours of the Saturday out on the sand. Put a bunch of 20 somethings out there with a spade and eventually they'll just start to dig a hole and we were shocked at how deep they got it so fast. On e the crowd dissapated Rebecca felt a bit cheeky...

Afterwards we paddled in the water, collected shells and was visited by an especially curious seal. The rain called off any later plans so we all hundled underneath the beach hut and took shelter. While the weather wasn't ideal, there was some bonding to be had with 20 people hunkering together as the yonder was pelted with raindrops.

Back at the Air B&B only one thing was left to do on the beach vacation bingo card: get fish and chips. Bags are mostly packed for the long trip home tomorrow, it's gone pretty quick the last few days - hopefully my time off soon goes a little slower. 

2025 Wedding Number 1

Wedding days always go so fast. One minute I'm cooking brunch at an Air B&B while pressing my trousers, the next I'm getting pats on the back from the father of the groom for cutting shapes on the dance floor. Somewhere in the middle there was a ceremony, wedding breakfast and cake cutting, but something about drinking champagne at midday has the capacity to distort time and space. 

The turnout on the dance floor has always been my barometer for how well loved the family is and this wedding was full to the brim. I'm always humbled by being merely invited to weddings and this one was a corker.

Getting my Kong On

While we had a big leg of of journey to do to get to the weekend's wedding - my priorities were loyal first and foremost with Donkey Kong. I missed a bus, got caught in the rain and attended the most vacant feeling Argos I'd been to in a long time, all so I could get my hands on the new game. With that in hand, I was ready to sit in the backseat of a car for over 3 hours, heading up from London to Wells-Next-The-Sea.

We did a quick whistle stop tour of the town (a trip down memory lane for Rebecca and her parents) then headed to the first of many wedding engagements: the family BBQ. The parents of the bride and groom are the generous sort and provided burgers and merriment for a staggering amount of people - I reckon they're super grateful for everyone making the trip up this weekend and I'm equally grateful to be invited. 

Bloody Cheekbones

Did the next round at the dentist with his tiny saw inbetween my canines. Only 15 minutes in the chair thankfully getting parts of my skeleton permanently shaved off. When we were done I went for a light rinse of water and the liquid ran red once again. The nurse had to get a wet wipe to dab at my cheekbones as blood somehow got up there too. I'm at the halfway point of my treatment now (in theory) and things are still going well, just gotta keep on trucking.

I drove to Unit Base straight from the dentist to complete typing up my handover and doing all the other bits to clear my backlog before I bowed out for the early weekend. Rebecca's Dad drive us up to London where we're staying over before doing the next leg tomorrow. Lot of travel over the next few days but it'll all be worthwhile to have a boogie in my suit.

Wedding Packer

Laughed about a very old call sheet that dumped me with an 13 hour work day... Then did almost the same hours today. Prepping things for my hand over and running between the office and the studios means that a lot of my time is eaten up super quick. And when I got back home all I really did was pack my suitcase for the wedding I'll be at the weekend. At least that drummed some excitement into me for the long weekend I have coming up, all my hard work will be rewarded with a nice spell away and a party to dance at.

Surprise Distance

My day was full of little surprises. I was mentally prepared to do a full day at the Studio, I set up my desk just right and a pot of coffee had my name all over it. The. I was summoned to the truck on location so I took my coffee to go and worked from there.

Back home I noticed how cool and breezy the temperature was, it would be a shame not to go running in it. So I strapped on my shoes and popped out for a quick jog. But aforementioned weather was so nice to run in that I decided to take it slow and see how far I got. I ended up pushing myself in all the right ways and did my first 5K run since Covid. You always feel best when you inch yourself out your comfort zone, but the hardest part is always starting... I almost couldn't be bothered to head out today, but I'm so glad I did. 

Broski BBQ

The Sunday gods blessed me, I awoke with no hangover whatsoever, just in a tiny pool of my own sweat as the Summer heat rinsed me. I could just about muster a trip to the supermarket to get bits for a BBQ later on. We invited Louis over for it to, I'd totally forgotten he'd been to a stag due this weekend so he was looking more hot and bothered than me. We fixed him a plate though and he perked right back up again though, in fairness if I was in his shoes the prospect of have a free grill up would be hard to say no to.  

Boat Drinkers

 After recovering from a night out it was only fitting to go day drinking. My colleague booked in today way back in March so it's been a long time coming. We went up and down the river with beers in hand. Before I knew it it was almost midnight- that's the power of drinking with people you enjoy being around I suppose! 

Bouncing Back from a Bender

 I told myself a keen lie last night. 'A late night and only 5 hours sleep before work won't hurt me, I did some mad nights for Youth for Europe so I'll be fine.' Turns out, I'm no spring chicken anymore who can bounce back from a bender. I arrived at the office and all I really wanted to do was find a secluded office, shut the door and close my eyes. Alas, I was basically in charge today since the rest of my team were on a mandated day off, I got to run around and keep the ship afloat. I was also an Assistant Director for a lot of the day, putting cast in cars and moving them around the studio. Lastly, the day finished with me driving a Luton up the road (it's been a while) before closing the day with a cute pint with Rebecca.

I cannot wait for sleep. 

Us and Them Myth

Unit base was like a runway strip. Perfectly level concrete as far as the eye could see. And the temperature was like taking your first step off the plane as you start a holiday. 'Thank God for air conditioning' said our Line Producer. At the time I agreed with her but I felt for the crew down there sweating it out on set. 

That's the common perceived disconnect between crew and Production. Like generals in the army, we point the finger from afar and make them fight our war from our cool, cool office. The key is to try and bridge that gap between the two sides - this is where crew drinks comes in. Historically I was often the only member of the Production team willing to be out for a session. But tonight we got 4 of us, plus a sweep of other departments (including catering) to come out for a drink, or two , or three followed by some dancing. Heaven knows we deserve it. I burnt the candle at both ends a bit as I'm the only one out tonight who has work tomorrow, but I showed my face and that counts for an awful lot.

Knickerbocker Glory

Slept for over 8 hours and had a day where I could finally catch my breath a bit. It was also cause for some celebration as we hit a milestone in filming - a Mr Whippy ice cream truck parked outside and we all dove into Knickerbocker Glory's (Which I'm still recovering from). All I really want right now is a nice long weekend but we're only halfway through the week, still I'm on the mend now, just hacking up all the residual horribleness leftover from the cold. 

Summer Cold 2025

Stressed myself over nothing with the 2nd Unit. I still got it. Everything ran like clockwork and everyone was super chill and happy with the day. In reality I spent most of it blowing my nose inside a cast trailer, I suffered a small relapse in health after feeling perky again yesterday... Tomorrow though... That's when I'll really be in the up. 

Rebecca has taken time of work to get over the sickness too. Nothing worse than a Summer cold, especially when your nostrils are already chafing from hay fever. 

Twelve Hours

Actually got some sleep last night and elected to work from home to avoid putting too much strain on myself. Which turned out to be counterproductive because I got a phonecall at 07:30 and the work didn't stop for me for another twelve hours. My busiest days are always the ones where I can't do anything for myself, it's not that I don't trust people but coordinating things always takes more time and effort when doing it from afar. Our first 2nd unit day commences tomorrow, think I'm a little rusty but we'll see how the day goes. At least I'm feeling a whole lot better... But I have given whatever Lurgy to Rebecca now.

The Savour of Baldur's Gate

 Last night I attempted to manifest a good night's rest before signing off on my blog. The second I hit publish I laid down and couldn't sleep for three hours. Eventually I got up, made a lemsip, sat on the sofa to wait for it to cool down, next thing I knew it was morning after I sprawled out on the coach. The remainder of the day was spent feeling sorry for myself, even when the universe was at it's kindest. Rebecca was as patient and caring as ever while looking after me, our Sunday arancini guy gave us a free one, and the takeout we had for dinner bundled in a freebie too. Doesed up on meds, I'm ready for a real sleep tonight.

After 18 months in the playing, Mark, Dan and I finally finished our playthrough of Baldur's Gate 3. For a near hundred hour campaign, I am blown away by the fact we kept it going and it didn't fizzle out. The final battle is done, the victory lap was savoured and the adventure is over.

Sizzling Sinuses

My throat and nose were sizzling when I woke up and they maintained that level of nastyness long into the day. While I wasn't knocked out by the illness, a day of respite was in order. So Rebecca and I camped out in the sofa and watch movies (including Chicago, the only Best Picture winner from the 21st century I hadn't seen yet) as the Summer rain lashed against the window. Rebecca frequently remarked how hot I was to the touch, likely my body is fighting off something but with any luck I'll be in a better place after a better night's sleep.

Friday Lurgy

The thing that was causing me a barrel of worry has finally been resolved so I wanted to spend my Friday smiling. A few people in the office have some kind of illness but I also thought I caught something recently so I was totally immune. Went up the road for beers and board games, took one sip of stout and then it all hit me. Bunged nose, sore sinuses, fatigue, the works. Guess that's my weekend plans now - getting rested up.

Swelling Dread

Experienced yet another day that went by far too quickly for the amount of things I actually got done. I'm sat on my hands a bit again though as I I'm waiting on other people authorizing various bits and pieces before I can do anything. We got a 2nd Unit coming up (my specialty!) so I'll be across that no doubt in several of its aspects. In the midst of all this, I can't shake this feeling of impending doom lingering in the pit of my stomach. I honestly can't place where it's stemming from either...

Perfect Facsimile

We hired a temporary member of the Production to help us around the office, and without hyperbole, he looks exactly the same as me. I kept getting messages from the team laughing about how he's my clone and how our boss will keep having to do a double take. It actually put me in a bit more of an emotional spin that I had prepared for. Here I am, believing that I'm a beautiful, unique snowflake and all that jazz, yet here is my perfect facsimile, walking around the same office, in the same department as me. I know we're all instantly replaceable in the grand schedule of the job and this brought that to light in a way that was more uncomfortable than I expected.

But to be fair, it's also pretty funny. He's with us for two weeks, I wonder how long the comedy will stay fresh.

An Easy One

Got back into Bristol after a work day that went far too quickly. My team all stood behind their desks, unpacking their laptops after everyone went down to set. 'This'll be an easy day', one of us said. I also think that was the last thing that was said to each other as we got our heads down and powered in through the day. I came out the other side wishing we had a few more hours of the day, but that was all reserved for travel back home which felt painfully long. Time is relative as they say.

Time and Memory

Drove down a very literal memory lane first thing this morning. First two hours were admittedly not super nostalgic, but when I slowly approached the location that was so synonymous with Malory Towers in my mind, I started to feel all warm and fuzzy. Is there a word for a homecoming for somewhere you've never lived? The Germans or the Japanese almost certainly have a phrase for it, but we'll just call it a bittersweet sense of relocation. So many memories of Malory came flooding back on approach. The wrap parties, the landscape but most of all the people. Like all the cells in our bodies, coming back felt so alien yet so familiar. Something old and something new at the same time.

Somehow I lucked out and landed in the same accomodation wing as all of our big dog HOD's. (It was also where we put the cast up on Malory). We threw darts, shot pool and drank arguably too much for a school night. All the while I glanced at the pub tables and booths where past crew members and I sat. I remembered the conversations, their energy, their ghosts. But in this space I made new memories, just as fond as the old ones. Their moments overlap and interwine all at once, not unlike remembering multiple Christmases from long since past. What a hell of a thing time and memory is. 

Speedy Sunday

Heatwave out so the perfect day to drawn the curtains and stay indoors. After a big Saturday it was refreshing to lock myself away and potter around. Movies were watched, games were played and dinner was cook, consumed and washed up. Monday frankly has come around too quickly, especially when I had to spend a small chunk of the day packing for an overnight tomorrow - I'm a little out of practice since the last job but thankfully I can just about remember how to pack a pair of underwear. 

Pampering #1

 Without really planning to, today became a bit of a self pamper day. First up was a trip to the barbers, the guy recognized me from last time and he did me a really good cut - really Summer ready now. Up next was a trip to town for some clothes, I'm running low on hot weather wear but I emerged with a new polo top and a more utilitarian shirt. Last up, I've been eyeballing a fountain pen for a little while so walked up to a nearby stationery place to scope some out. All the ones I was interested in were behind a display cabinet so I had to ask to try before I buy. The clerk produced the sanctioned 'test unit' which to everyone's dismay, he couldn't get to work. Then, lightbulb. He remembered he had one in his personal bag. A few moments later he reappeared with the exact pen I was looking to get (clearly we both have great taste). So I played around with it and decided to pull the trigger on a little present to myself. I walked back home with a new haircut, some new clothes and a swanky new pen - a whole new me!

We had a picnic in the park with a few friends and they're very well behaved dog in the evening. Rebecca pulled out all the stops with a main course, side salad and she even packed the plates and cutlery. I just brought beer. 

Rushes Runner Revisited

 Friday vibes almost all day. Early wrap on the cards, Glastonbury in the background, all the grown ups away - it should have been a certified slam dunk easy Friday. After midday everything changed and we were suddenly bombarded with stuff that hit like a ton of bricks. The light at the end of the tunnel was doing the rushes run - something I actually quite like doing. I know that passing a media card over is the final job of the day and there's some nice closeure to passing it to the staff at the edit house. That member of staff ended up chatting with me, small talk at first, then read my name on the signing sheet and recognized me - I gave her one of her first work days in industry. It was just lumping a load of boxes between The Bottleyard but someone had to do it. Funny to think such a flippant exchange at the time can have such ripples and impact on other people's lives. It made a ropey afternoon much brighter knowing that I made a real difference.

Always the Right Call

Bizarrely, I spent the entire day on the Production truck being the most senior member of my department on board. But without an awful lot really going on it was just kinda nice? A colleague had her Birthday today so we decorated the truck, brought a cake and flowers for her - all the usual stuff but it's the first real one of the job so it was fun to do little bits like that. We went to the pub after work too for a small hangout, I had the choice of doing that or going home to play video games by myself (my all time favourite thing to do) but it was the right call to be sociable. In fact, it's always the right call.

Demoralizing Run

After cramming in another batch of important crew members into a minibus for tech recces, I suddenly found myself alone in the office for a couple of hours. Between the night shooting and some other shenanigans, it meant that my hours were the only ones that aligned with the morning shift. Thankfully, I ran everything smoothly, answering questions as they rolled in and putting stars in cars as required. I rewarded myself with a little run after work. Considering I did exactly the same route during a heatwave last week, I oddly found today's run excruciating. That's the classic demoralizing outing though, the one where your gains stop and you question if it was all worth it? Will I ever run a further distance? Is this the end? Will they turn me into glue? But nah, you just have to realize it was a 'bad run', plenty more chances to do it better.

HOD Scraps

Loaded 40 coffees straight into the backseat of my car and sloooooowly drove them out to our recce location. Down  country lanes and one way traffic, and only spilt a single drop. The Location team were super pleased with all the support today and brought us back a couple of leftover bits from their buffet lunch - HOD table scraps often find their way into the communal fridge. The unit are technically on night hours today and I'll be bedding down before they wrap. Always a weird thought that. My phone will still be buzzing through updates but I'm not on the clock to give a damn. Same again tomorrow.

Midnight Dodger

I never am too sure where the time goes when I'm at the office. Likely pootling around on the computer doing small jobs as they trickle in. Our hours are about to get all kinds of crazy but I'll be doing an early morning coffee run for the grown ups for their tech recces tomorrow. Guess that's better than working up until midnight though. Rebecca and I went for a couples run again the evening too, now that the heat wave has passed I'm more inclined to get hot and sweaty again. Did the same route as last time but it gets easier, that the nature of it. Like putting one foot in front of the other it's a slow process but you get better every time you push yourself.

Mr Play It Safe

We're in the market for a new dresser unit of sorts so Rebecca and I walked into our favourite 2nd hand furniture place and had to do a coin flip on a chest of drawers unit. Candidate #1 was a classic pine unit, akin to the one we already had. Candidate #2 was a two tone oak unit with brass handles and a touch of personality. Usually I'm Mr Play It Safe, but we both dipped in for the rouge choice. It'll be arriving later on in the week so I guess we'll see just how well it goes with the room, but we're already jazzed about what we'll use it for... My plethora of winter jumpers will finally have a home! 

On the walk home we managed to walk through a film set and I bumped into an old colleagues. It would have been a beautiful reunion if it hadn't been raining and there wasn't an AD shouting 'get out of shot' to us, but we know the biz so we shuffled to one side. I'm back to it again tomorrow too, up first thing getting sausage baps for our next round of tech recces. If I'm lucky they'll be leftovers at least. 

On Call Drinking

It wasn't until my third coffee of the day that I started to feel like myself again. My Saturday morning headaches are crippling to my energy levels, but I mostly think it's because I'm catching up on sleep. I also spent the entire day on tender hooks to go day drinking with some chums from work, I just had to await the call. So I waited, and waited, and waited. Until finally, after the sun had gone down on the longest day, I got the message to go out with people. Problem was my social battery was a little low and I was already in my pyjamas so I opted for an early night instead. We'll paint the town red next time.

Weekend Cheese

 Our unit base was situated on a working farm with their own cheese making premises so I naturally had to buy a little souvenir to enjoy. I walked a small cut of cheese back to the truck and told my team I couldn't wait to tuck into some 'weekend cheese'. A term which got me on the receiving end for a real roasting. I just meant a little treat to enjoy over Saturday and Sunday - Rebecca and I are humbl folks like that and a small wedge of cheese is something to get legitimately excited about. Haters gonna hate though, I can't wait for some cheese, biscuits and port.

So Long, Lolly Run

In the midst of a heatwave, set demanded the one thing they can always ask Production for: ice cream and cool fizzy pop. For the first time in my life I wasn't the person to physically action that, rather I asked my colleagues to go get 100 ice cream and hand them out - that's one job I certainly don't miss, but it was nice handing them all out to the crew who were genuinely grateful. 

My home feels like the hottest place in Bristol right now, at least our sun facing back bedroom does. The game I'm playing is quite taxing on the old PC and it's gotta jettison it's hot air into an already toasty room. I'm just sweating for my right to play video games. 

Yearning for the Monitors

With a bit of time in my hands after clearing my plate from work, I took a stroll down to set to go sit with the Script Supervisors. They actually invited me down to hang out after they caught wind of me being a scriptie once upon a moon and they were super accommodating to me just being by the monitors. I was summoned back to my day job to copy paste data from spreadsheets after a spell though, but I crept away for just long enough to enjoy myself and to see most of a scene play out. Hopefully I'll be able to pop down again from time to time to keep my brain attuned.

Pen Paradise

I set off for work hilariously early to beat the traffic and instead the traffic beat me. Over an hour of driving later I landed and dove into my work. The big thing at the moment is the amount of birthdays we have coming up for friends and colleagues so we're cooking up plans and gifts for them. Speaking of gifts, I've had my eye on a rather nice pen for a little while now and a saw our base was a stones throw away from a stationery shop. Low and behold, they had my pen, not even behind a cabinet so I could try it out and get a sense of it. Better still, they offered to sell it to me with a blue ink cartridge inside - I was prepared to drop some more money just so I could write in my signature colour. Just in time too, I had plenty of Birthday cards to sign...

On Turning 25

Deary me. I finished up my to do list before lunch time and nothing really emerged to stack on top. I'm not used to lulls in the action as it turns out, but the mind does start to wander when it's not occupied. I honestly think I spent more brain energy being the office DJ, a usually thankless task but when it helps everyone around me lock in then it's all worth it. 

A coworker is lamenting the fact they're turning 25 soon, pondering and getting stuck up on the fact 'they haven't accomplished much with their life'. That kind of thinking bits hard, especially at that age. I remember working at coffee #1 and telling my 30 something colleagues exactly the same thing when I was turning 25. Despondantly they remarked how they'd give anything to be that young again. Well now I'm empathizing pretty hard with that sentiment. Still, I hope we can knock them out of their funk.

Run Rebecca, Run

Rebecca and I went out on another run together, this time we smashed her personal best. First time we went out last month she was wheezing her way towards the finishing line (not a far cry from how I was doing the first time I got back into the swing of things), but today she took it all in her stride. Slowly but surely I'm convincing her that it's a fun hobby.

Our lazy Sunday's have also given way to a new part of our routine: a mid afternoon movie. Often these are mid 2000's chick flicks that Rebecca is enlightening me on and so far we haven't hit a stinker. It's just funny going back through my film history to see well regarded 60's French cinema, Silent era masterworks and cheese ball Rom Coms all lumped in together. 

Padel 2

Keep getting Saturday headaches. Probably a combination of catching up on sleep and not having caffeine in my system at the appointed time of pre-6am. I push through it every weekend though, I suppose by the time it goes away symbolizes how rested I am. It didn't effect my performance during some sports though. Mark and Lucy invited Rebecca and me to go play some Padel together. It had been a hot minute since I last had a stab but racquet sports do come back to me pretty quick. Padel is an odd one though because you need to unwire your brain a bit from classic tennis rules as there's always more options to keep the ball in play - the most common being smashing the ball against the wall for a bounce back. Literally every one of us that played got offer that opportunity in a game, ran over to strike the ball, then had a physical hiccup as our brain and our arms didn't communicate properly. That made it all the more fun though - we're all at a similar level so the match was dead close but always a hoot.

11 Years

Although today was meant to be a bit shorter for everyone, I still found myself running around trying to facilitate everyone. I got the Friday feeling though, around lunchtime I started to twinckle knowing that two whole days of rest were incoming. But that feeling was slightly stolen away as the post work requests came flooding in. 'Hey there, sorry it's after hours but...' is the prefix from hell, especially on a Friday. But I got away smooth and managed to enjoy a date night out with Rebecca to it's fullest. 

Not just any date night though! It was our 11th anniversary of getting together tonight so we hit the town, visiting a swanky wine and pasta place which was stunning. We're talking crab, clams and the silkiest panna cotta I've ever had. We crashed back down to earth by  sauntering into a kooky board game bar smack bang in the middle of Friday Night Clubbing Central. It was a little slice of us and a little quieter than most places so it was Ideal for us. The whole time we spent playing games I couldn't believe 11 years had passed me by - I'm so very lucky to have Rebecca in my life.

Plied with Pancakes

My colleagues noted my thousand yard stare on occasion today. I was running out in the rain a lot, juggling multiple requests on emails and WhatsApp which managing several expectations. It can be quite draining that but I didn't want to make a thing of it. Yet to make me feel better I was plied with pancakes from catering, which I would have enjoyed more if I wasn't constantly getting up to sort out more problems. That said, I wore my many hats well and showed a lot of people I wasn't just a Prod bod. Even the director made a remark as he saw me loading a camera truck.

A busy day requires some fun in the evening though. I nipped out for a quick run before Louis and Rachel popped round to try the new Mario Kart game. Louis likes the new cow character and shouting cow puns when he does something hype as it turns out. 

Tray 9

Attended another round of teeth shaving with my dentist. I asked him if it was as ropey for him as it was me and he just smiled while giving a tired look. Another set of my trays went in too, markings my 17th week with these things in my gob and I'm still not halfway yet. The results are starting to be a bit more pronounced though, just have to let that carry me for now.

My one hour at the dentist unexpectedly put me in the backdoor for the rest of my work day. I played catch-up til about 4pm, then coasted for a couple of minutes, then got hit with a bombshell that I had to untangle a bit too late in the day. I think it's all sorted but I certainly earned my money today. 

Cleared To Do

Something miraculous happened this afternoon. I cleared my to do list. Every single thing has a strike through it, not one job left to do for the day, even my daily duties were all done and dusted. While there's always something to be getting on with, I'm in a position to do those extra jobs in a more leisurely capacity which is a lovely prospect. This even came off the back of a chunky curveball I swiftly battered away when one of our hire vans broke down on the motorway. Everything was tidied up and sorted swiftly though without fuss. I felt so good after the day I went for a short run to, once again, try getting back into the swing of things. I gotta try keeping that up a bit more, I can feel my muscles being to atrophy behind my desk.

Lukewarm Monday

Back to it this Monday and the day went by slow. We're kinda over the big hurdle now, all our time, energy and stress has been poured into a single area and now that sequence is over we're just kinda laughing. I was in the office today and most of the day was just quietly spent tapping away on keyboards and emails, enjoying a lukewarm Monday to get us ready for the week. Even still I found myself as the first one unlocking the office and closing it up at the end of the day. I gotta learn to leave in good time really, there's so much more to life than work.

Power Washer

Prepped Sunday Scramble for Rebecca and her family. Her Mum and Dad are out in Spain for most of June, but before they went they offered to power wash our back garden. I couldn't possibly say no to that could I? It actually looks better than new out there now - the cat will barely recognize our garden!

I stayed at home while Rebecca went out to a gig in Bristol. Those few hours alone was all I needed to recharge my batteries before the next work week. I think we've broken through the hump of the block and gotten into a really firm swing of things. Just have to maintain energy and get through the marathon job and that starts with an earlyish night to catch up after yesterday's madness.

Happy Birthday Dan 2025

In between games of Mario Kart we got the house ready for Rebecca's visiting parents. We took the into Bristol town where I eventually splitered off from them so I could hang out with Dan plus a few other friends from my secondary school days. We did pizza, pints, shots of ameraetto, fun hypothetical questions and arcade games after dark. Rebecca and I queued to get into the sweatiest booth in Bristol to play some Guitar Hero together. I think Dan has a good day out in the city - he's the Birthday boy as of the stroke of midnight so I hope he had a good one!

 

Mario Kart World

Friday on the truck was a fun place to be. A bunch of the grown ups toddled off home just after lunch so we started raising hell. We admittedly got a bit overexcited by it all but we were laughing, working hard and laughing some more, a jolly good way to spend the day. Better still, Rebecca and I had a Friday night in. We opened a bottle of wine and settled in to drink and drive with the new Mario Kart - this time finish up all the levels, earmarking our favourites and learning to the best routes to destroy each other with later. It's been over a decade since the last Mario Kart so I think we're allowed some excitement.

Switch 2

While driving around town doing various drop offs for work I got the guy punch email. 'Your copy of Mario Kart isn't getting delivered... So sorry'. Potential day ruiner that, luckily I managed to hop into Argos and pick up a copy like usual - now I just needed to cross my fingers and my toes for my Switch 2 console to arrive.

No dramas there though - it landed super effectively with Rebecca at home. Now came the agonizing clock watching at work. I put my copy of Mario Kart on my desk as if it was a photo of my child - 'do it for them' style. That kept me going and before I knew it I was unwrapping the console and playing games with Rebecca all evening long. 

Nothing beats the excitement of a new console. Perhaps this one was a little downplayed because it's a little too similar to my old Switch. That and I'm 31 now, my emotions are much more in check. But I'd be lying if there wasn't a tiny part of my that felt like a little kid again opening up that box. 

T'was the Night Before Switchmas 2

Rocked up to a unit base I'm pretty sure was visable from space. With a huge number of cast and SA's in there was a lot to wrangle from all the departments, but everyone looked at ease. They had the right help, good team members and all the resources they needed to do their job well while keeping a sense of humour. That's frankly the best possible environment in our business and it was a pleasure to go into work today.

Tonight is also the evening before the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2. I always get a little sentimental saying goodbye to and old console though, I remember what the original Switch represented, I recall where I was physically and emotionally when I got it and I can't help but smile thinking of all the good times it's resulted in. I went Interrailing with that thing, it's been a constant partner for family holidays and Su Beer competitions. To think that device will now be put in storage after tomorrow is actually madness. But that cycle is all part of the game. New tech comes in, rendering older consoles obsolete, but their impact is irreplaceable.

Copy+Paste

I don't think I did anything at work besides move information from one spreadsheet into another. I'm not even joking. Names for distro lists? Lemme copy+paste those off a Google sheet onto a dedicated emailing platform. PO'ing taxis? Lemme copy+paste from the invoice into a logging spreadsheet so I can copy+paste it all again into our PO software. Work like this is a bit fabricated at times, do humans need to justify their time doing busywork or are we just here to suffer? At least I get pennies for my pasting, then numbers in my bank account go up.  

Switch 2 Dispatched

Got to work just after the crack of dawn to set up our satellite wifi, (We're saving money by using me instead of a dedicated engineer to set it up). My boss invited me down to set to see it all setting up and getting ready for the big sequence we're doing. I had a small hand in organizing bits and bobs and it was nice to see them arrive and get put in situ. Otherwise I just kept to myself, put my head down and got in with my work. I'm actually getting ahead of the game once again, I have breathing room and I'm feeling good about the next few weeks. But it was a long old day for me, I've not fully got back into the swing of being back in Production during shoot days. I'm in the office tomorrow though so I should be able to recover a bit. 

The one thing that's keeping me going is the dispatch email I got saying the Switch 2 is on its way to my doorstep. Just a few more days to go... 

We can be Vampires

In the true spirit of enjoying my one day off and thus not wanting to see sunlight, I spent the majority of the day playing games and watching films about Vampires. Ok, I did actually do the North Street shuffle as it only felt right to do something productive with my day beyond being with creatures of the night. But if we really want to talk about bloodsucking, then we can go no further than Grease 2 - a cult classic to some or an absolute tire fire in my eyes. At least it was fun to watch something quite terrible with Rebecca, we had a hoot laughing AT the movie tonight, the ultimate brain off Sunday watch.

Hassleback

Woke up and had coffee just like I do every morning. I like to give myself a leisurely 49 minutes each morning before heading out to work, a chance to calibrate and steel myself for the day ahead. I figured out what bus to catch the previous night, but I figured checking again wouldn't hurt. But it did hurt. I now apparently had 10 minutes to dash out the house to catch the only bus running on a Saturday that would get me in on time. I was in a grump but an unlikely colleague approached very early in the morning with a tote bag. 'I have a game I want to show you'. He produced a crudely painted wooden box with slots cut into it, some poker chips and a single dice. He explained how his Brother came up with the game as he taught me the rules. We played a round and It was indeed a cute dice game with a fun twist. We finished and I thanked him for the game. 'That's for you' he then said. I was caught off guard by the generosity, but touched none the less. Here I was, just white knuckling my way through a working Saturday and a ray of sunshine entered my world. My outlook changed and my day seemed all the brighter.

False Friday Stupour

I legitimately thought Friday was going to be a nice normal time, instead I once again found myself running on my hands to keep up with the day. To add insult to injury, the shooting crew wrapped fairly early, leaving me and the Production team in the office still scrambling to get everything sorted. Because I'm working tomorrow I couldn't quite bring myself to go out to play board games so I stayed indoors and enjoyed a Friday night all to myself. If anything, I accidentally pulled myself into a false Friday stupour, it was only much later I re-remebered that tonight was a school night. Early rise for me again tomorrow, but Saturday can't be so bad right?