Week Notes – Oct 14 to Oct 27 2025
- 🍂 I love this season of the year. I like the colors, the cool air, the golden light at sunset. There's something so peaceful about this transition into winter. With no trips or major commitments ahead, I'm really looking forward to a few quieter months.
- 🍁 This week also marks eight years since my partner, and I immigrated to Canada! What an adventure it’s been! 🥳
- ✏️ Lately, I’ve returned to private journaling with 750Words. The interface is beautifully simple, and I love how the stats gently nudge me to write every day. I’d fallen out of the habit, and I’ve noticed how much that affects my mood. So, I’m committing to the November 750Words challenge!
- 🏊♀️ My aqua fitness class has also resumed after the summer break, another small joy!
- 📖 I am re-reading Neuromancer by Willian Gibson for my local Book Club. I first read it 12 years ago, and honestly, I remember finding it confusing. This time around I think I'm grasping more of it, but still, I don't know what exactly is going on half of the time. I can see how this book is a cultural reference to the whole cyberpunk genre, but, wow, it is a strange ride.
- 📅 One thing I've noticed this month: I stopped doing my Start of the Day review with time blocking. I was being more relaxed on how I plan my days. I was still getting things done at work, but I noticed I stopped taking breaks and I was completely skipping my shutdown routine. Even the lunch break was affected, with me not properly stopping for lunch. That's not how I want my work routine to be. So, I’ve gone back to time blocking. On paper. That tactile process makes all the difference for me. It's the only way I will mentally prepare myself for the day and I will remember to pause.
- ✉️ I received a couple of lovely messages from readers sharing their feelings about listening to full albums in response to my blog post. Thank you! 😊
- 🎧 I am still listening to Nightwish albums, there is so much to unpack there.
📌 Cool online reads:
- Career Snakes & Ladders | Kev Quirk: I loved this post about career and identifying what’s truly important in life. This quote is perfect: “As a result of all this, I’ve realised that success isn’t just about upward motion. It’s about endurance, purpose, and perspective. It’s about being content in the work we do. Being challenged but not overworked. And most importantly, being in a position to spend time with loved ones.”
- Listening to Full Albums Again by Joel: he also wrote about listening to full albums! We share similar feelings.
- Music Monday by Nick Booth: I loved this idea of randomizing the act of choosing a full album to listen to, and the doing some reflection about it. I will try it.
📺 Videos I enjoyed:
I discovered a channel with an opera singer analyzing vocals in metal songs: The Charismatic Voice by Elizabeth Zharoff. I’m loving her enthusiastic approach, and I’ve been learning a bit about the art of singing. Oh, I found her channel because she has some cool videos with Nightwish music 🤗. And she interviewed Bruce Dickinson and Floor Jansen.
- Vocal Coach/Opera Singer FIRST TIME REACTION to Floor Jansen & Nightwish “Ghost Love Score”: this is the first I saw from The Charismatic Voice channel.
- This is THE Tea Time Interview with Bruce Dickinson! : This was so interesting! I’ve never seen such an intimate and fun conversation with Bruce Dickinson. He is such a character and his love for storytelling shows. It’s like listening to rock legend spin tales over coffee.
- The Floor Jansen Tea Time Interview You ALL Have Been Waiting For!!!! : A great interview with Nightwish’s vocalist. She talks about her music journey, her musical influences, being a woman in the metal scene, being a mother, the life on the road touring and just being human.
- THE CHARISMATIC VOICE – Wind Rose “Diggy Diggy Hole” (Reaction Video) | Napalm Records: Yes, she did a video with Dwarven Metal.
- 1.6 Million In Attendance! Metallica's “Enter Sandman” Vocal ANALYSIS of an INSANE live event! : This one is with the classic Metallica live performance in Monsters of Rock Moscow from 1991.
- Kirk Hammett Reflects On His Career In Metallica with Rick Beato: My partner discovered his channel, and we stumbled upon this gem of an interview with Metallica’s lead guitarist legend.
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By Noisy Deadlines Minimalist in progress, nerdy, introvert, skeptic. I don't leave without my e-reader.