iMuse: December 2020

Okay, so admittedly I've spent a lot more time this year giving credit where it wasn't due, and engaging with the data being drip fed daily by the Government and media like an addict at the teat of his fix. I think it was largely for my own sanity in truth, because where others take the scaremongering at face value, I've always had a penchant for analysing data and seeing what is happening for myself. As it turned out, all that was happening was an influenza strain was killing the elderly and vulnerable; and that's not to be heartless, but that is just what happens regardless. The "pandemic" was (and still is) simply a glorified strain of influenza like any other year running it's course through the population.

So, what have I done to keep myself busy whilst the world went to hell in a hand basket? Well, I lost 4 stone from walking to and from work every day and improving my diet (no more 8 coffees a day!). According to the Fitbit I had off my mate Dan back in March I've walked 1,300+ miles since then - that's 2,709,500+ steps! I even started back playing football at Goals, Dimensions and Power League until lockdowns ruined it, smh.

I've been on day trips with my daughter to Waterworld, Flip-Out, Inflato and Blackpool. I bought her an Xbox One S & an iPad, and spent evenings gaming with her remotely whilst video chatting with her on Discord. I've been abroad to Belfast and done the Black Cab Tour and visited the Titantic Museum, the Dark Hedges and the Giants Causeway (thanks to the Game of Thrones Tour). I've written and recorded a new music album (aMuse), and I've finished my novel (Lightfade). The last bit was a joke; that novel is never getting finished at the rate I write it.

I've spent a lot of time gaming, watching TV and films (thanks to Netflix, Disney Plus and Amazon Prime), and even read a few books. Hell, I even had Spotify Premium and now Amazon Music Unlimited. Some entertainment has been good, some trash; we'll discuss below. I've spent time with friends and family; first this was remotely on video chats, and then more recently in person (albeit secretively lest I be arrested for choosing to ignore the scaremongering fear porn being force fed to me daily). All in all, I've done my best to just keep busy, keep "normal" and get on with my life.

TV has seen a wide range of content consumed. Atypical S2 & S3 kicked off the year, followed by the shocking documentary Don't F**k with Cats. You S1 & S2, then also I Am Not Okay With This. Reverted back to anime to finish up S3 of Castlevania, and then had a little bit of light entertainment with White Gold S2. Allowed my curiosity to get the better of me and delved into The Seven Deadly Sins S1. Back to regular content like Car Masters: Rust to Riches S2 and Rust Valley Restorers S2. Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness emerged to absolutely flip society on it's head. Sex Education S1 & S2. Naturally I binged Ricky Gervais sensational After Life S2. Then I went a little mad and binged all 9 seasons of Peep Show, because... well, why not? Back to curious anime with High School DxD S1, and then onto something more meaty with Ozark S1, S2 & S3. Space Force S1 came along to amuse me, and my brother encouraged me to watch Schitt's Creek so I binged all 4 seasons of that. 13 Reasons Why S4 dropped, and I was recommended to check out Cursed S1 as well. How To Sell Drugs Online (Fast) S1 & S2 entertained me, and then my mate Kyle told me to check out The Umbrella Academy S1 & S2 which I did. High Score S1 followed delving into the history of the games industry, and my brother told me Jack Whitehall: Travels with my Father S4 had slipped under my radar so I caught that too. No Game No Life S1 was back to the anime, and The End of the F**king World S2 brought me more deadpan humour. The Haunting of Bly Manor S1 was another new name causing a scene so I watched that too. My bestie Gina gave me access to her Disney Plus account and I watched some National Geographic documentaries, Finding Atlantis, Atlantis Rising and The Lost City of Machu Picchu. I got Amazon Prime to order my daughter some birthday presents, and subsequently binged The Boys S1 & S2. Disney Plus rounded out the year by adding The Mandalorian S2. An emo reminded me that Vikings existed, so to see out 2020, I'm binging S6 of that.

Disclaimer, I'm not much of a film watcher. I saw Netflix added Studio Ghibli titles and watched My Neighbour Totoro, Spirited Away, Laputa: Castle in the Sky and Arrietty. My colleague Sophie told me to watch Spenser Confidential so I watched that in a Netflix Party with my brothers, and I rewatched Chappie with my nephew Charlie. Watched The Platform in a Netflix Party with my brothers too, and then watched the Goon, and Goon: Last of the Enforcers. Saw some strange film called Cardboard Gangsters. When the pandemic was hitting, everyone was watching Contagion so I joined in. Watched Fractured on a Netflix Party with my brothers. Saw The Brothers Grimsby and Extraction. Rewatched Death Note with my nephew; I love Ryuk! Saw Netflix added Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga and watched it because Will Ferrell is hilarious. A few guys from my MSF guild recommended checking out The Old Guard; wasn't that impressed tbh. When I got access to Disney Plus I jumped at the chance to watch the final trilogy of Star Wars; The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker. Watched Hubie Halloween with my nephew. Watched The Social Dilemma after seeing a guild mate on about it. Calm With Horses was a strange film. Mortal Engines disappointed after I'd been hyped to see it. Watched Home Alone whilst wrapping Christmas presents like every year. Followed up with a bunch of mediocre Christmas films on Netflix; Holidate, Christmas with the Coopers, A Christmas Prince, A Christmas Prince: The Royal Wedding, A Christmas Prince: The Royal Baby, and Christmas Inheritance. Watched The Christmas Chronicles with my nephew, and ended up with It's A Wonderful Life on Xmas Eve (another tradition of mine).

Didn't read anywhere near as much as I'd hoped. Biohazard by Ken Alibek was an obviously relevant title as the pandemic began. I read half of The Art of Asking by Amanda Palmer after getting it cheap from Google Play; my friend Joey had been recommending me read it for some time. Found a free copy of The Rational Male by Rollo Tomassi online and gave it a once through. I bought an anthology of The Famous Five last Christmas and finally read the first book Five on a Treasure Island by Enid Blyton. My brother got me The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck by Mark Manson for my birthday as requested which is what I'm currently reading.

It's been a mixed bag of gaming this year; I've probably bought more titles than I've played. It started with getting the Platinum on God of War, followed up by the disappointing Thronebreaker which was too narrative heavy for me to stay engaged. I finally played through Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, and satisfied my nostalgia with the long overdue FFVII Remake (when is Part 2 coming?!). Blitzed through the campaign of Call of Duty WWII before becoming bored with Monster Hunter World around 3/4 of the way through. Discovered the masterpiece that is What Remains of Edith Finch and followed up with the Rise of the Tomb Raider. Slogged through Assassin's Creed: Unity so that I could follow up with Odyssey (recently started). Thoroughly enjoyed the absolute gem that is Marvel's Spider-Man which inevitably got Platinumed. And of course spent way too much time playing Marvel Strike Force, Fortnite and Minecraft (as ever). Oh, and I dabbled in Among Us, the obsessive game this year.

So yeah, all in all it's been a crazily mundane year. Roll on 2021 when hopefully life can return to some semblance of normality!

Well... wow. It actually happened? Well. Sort of. But not really.

Alas. On paper, Brexit has been delivered.

The most terrifying part of the "victory" speech was hearing Boris Johnson proclaim that "Britain can now make it's own laws" which given the tyrannical shitstorm we've seen throughout Covid is fucking horrific.

What was supposed to be one of the highlights of Brexit, being able to Govern ourselves, has now become an alarming prospect.

I'm also hearing that Gibraltar, Northern Ireland, and the Fisheries have all been fucked over in order to get this "deal" delivered before New Year, along with seed farmers and no doubt many other industries. Ironic when all along we'd been supportive of a "no deal" rather than a "bad deal".

At least we've reclaimed our spot as 5th strongest economy, with a forecast that UK GDP will absolutely bury France by 2035.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2020/12/26/uk-economy-outstrip-europe-next-15-years/

Rule Britannia, I guess? Perhaps.

iMuse

Thursday, 31 December 2020

Monthly Musings: December 2020

Wednesday, 30 December 2020

Content Consumption 2020

Monday, 28 December 2020

Merry... Brexmas?

Friday, 25 December 2020

Anotha B: aMuse