
- I've taken a break from the internet for a bit. Not like a real break as in not being online because I work and live here, but I haven't been tweeting and I haven't been updateing my weeknotes. It's just been a really stessful time at work and I'm going to stay "offline" for a while.


Week 12


- *Loki*, so far, is very good, but it's the most agonizing to watch week to week. Especially that last episode. You can't just end an episode like that. It's not even a cliffhanger it just kind of ended in the middle.
- Becks and I finished *Lupin* this week. I'm excited that there is going to be a Part 3, but I was totally content with the ending of Part 2 being the series finale. I kind of wish it was. It wass sad, but romantic in a way.
- Ya'll see that Windows 11 announcement? It was so weird! Microsoft just doesn't know how to do a presentation. Panos seemed like he was going to breakdown and cry the entire time. He kept looking over to the prompter. And then like halfway through they started doing this strange transition between scenes. Why was it like this? Everyone else figured out how to make a good engaging commericial for thier new stuff. Baffling. Windows 11 itself looks alright. It's Windows. The centering of the start menu is terrible; the time is still in the right corner so the whole OS looks unbalanced and pull the eye to the right. Thankfully there's an option to put the start menu on the left to fix this. I was hoping they would have taken this chance to get rid of the Ribbon interface. It just doesn't work. At least for me. I can't figure out my way around it and always end up wasting time trying to look through it to find features.
- We found this series from Delish on YouTube where this lady goes around theme parks and eats all the food there. It's our new go to show. The host, Tess, is so catty and obnoxious in the most delightful way.
- I've been catching up on *Dungeons & Daddies* and it continues to be one of the all time best D&D podcasts around. The most recent episode I've listened to, "Mark! A Vagrant", was one of the funniest things I've ever heard.
- I just watch *Luca* tonight. A movie about sea monsters in Italy that want to buy a Vespa. It was as adorable as you might expect it to be from that description.
- I downloaded the new Safari Technical Preview and have been playing with the new tab bar. Because of I've implemented a dark mode on my site, you may have already noticed it based on your settings. I know it's not a popular opinion, but I really like the new Safari design so far. I think people just have a lot more tabs open than I do; I usually have no more than 2 or 3 when just casually surfing and maybe like 15 or when working.
- I've got the house all to myself this weekend. Becks is taking a mini-vacation with her mom. You know what that means, hehe... That's right! More time for me to spend working on the additional work I've decided to take on because I clearly hate myself a whole bunch.


Week 11


- I withdrew from consideration from a promotion and I feel pretty great about it.
- I'm still working my way through the Yuffie mission in *FFVIIR*, but I love everything about it!
- I used "troika" in a sentence this week so you know I've been bringing my top-tier bullshit.
- Light week over all.


Week 10


- I'm a fucking moron and took on another extra project and have lost my weekends like a dumb dumb. I'm so tired, but I want the extra money. I don't *need* the extra money, I **want** it. After the last year and a half my wife and I deserve an extra specail vacation and this is how I make that happen for us.
- I went for a promotion at work, but I think I'm going to bow out. I know I would do well in the position, but I don't think I would be happy in it. I went for it because I always go for it. That's always how I've been. I see something I deem as "next" or "better" and I immediately try to grasp for it. Maybe not this time though. ...I did show up to the interview in the loudest, most obnoxious outfit I could muster and it was cool as hell.
- WWDC was this week there wasn't a new MBP and so it was a terrible WWDC. That's actually not true, I thought it was a fantastic WWDC and I'm excited for all the update, but none more so than the new Safari. First, I dig the new design. Two, I'm excited to see how I can make use of the new tab bar within my site designs. Three, `lch()` color syntax is finally here!
- I'm downloading *FFVIIR Intergrade* as we speak!
- I've learned the hard way that spicy curry noodles + cajun hot wings + pasta = a very bad time.
- I'm still thinking about *Cruella*.
- I'm also thinking about *Loki* which was such a blast and I'm incredibly jazzed to see where it goes.
- Have you tried that new Spatial Audio shit in Apple Music? I was listening to The Weeknd and it was terrible! Totally butchered every song. Luckily you can turn that shit off and listen to the original master. However, a lot of rock sounds pretty good in Spatial Audio. I'm looking forward to hearing some old school metal; that should be radical.
- I need to start building more interesting things and learning more things. As much as I try to keep current I feel like I'm always so far behind.
- Becks and I went on a date! It's our first real date in a long while. We went to this World of Wonder thing at the mall. It was just a bunch of small art installations and selfie rooms. It was a lot of fun. It was nice to just be out of the house and doing something fun and random.


Week 9


- Gunning for a promotion at work. I feel confident that I'll get it, but I'm fine if I don't. The other person going for it is my counter part in my department and she brings a totally different skillset to the table than I do. We also get along great and work very well together. If her skills are what's decided that the department needs to grow then I can understand and respect that.
- We saw *Ponyo*. It was super adorable! I kept expecting the mom to be dead, but it never happened. I'm used to there being some more darkness in a Ghibli film, but this was clearly the "kid's" Ghibli film.
- My wife started a new job this week and she's been so happy! It's nice to see finally at an organization that values her and wants her to be there.
- Becks and I braved going to the movies finally. We used to go like once every couple weeks pre-pandemic so this was big for us. We went to a very late show and had a whole row to ourselves so we were able to sit without masks which was nice. We saw *Cruella* and I absolutely loved it! It's totally ridiculous and over the top which is exactly what I wanted out of it. It's punk and fashion and heists and revenge and 70s; what's not to love? I do wish it was gayer though. It was a bit gay, but needed more gay. Also I just love Emma Stone and will pretty much see her in anything.
- Monday is WWDC. Let's see. iOS 15 is going to have some iMessage updates; they've been teasing the hell out of it. I require a new MacBook Pro 16" with some sweet Apple silicon. Also if they could up their HomePod game and Apple TV game a bit that would be swell.


Week 8


- I did something impulsive, but I can't talk about it yet. We'll see what happens.
- Becks and I watched *[The Present](https://www.netflix.com/title/81424328)* on Netflix this week and it took everything to not be a crying mess. Definitely watch it if you can. It's the story of a Palestinian man and his daughter trying to buy his wife a gift for their anniversary.
- In a totally different direction, we started watching *[A Black Lady Sketch Show](https://www.hbo.com/a-black-lady-sketch-show)* which is absolutely hilarious. I'm sad I'm only just discovering it, but I'm here now and having a blast.
- Continuing the TV updates, I finished *[Castlevania](https://www.netflix.com/title/80095241)* and it did not disappoint. It's some of the best and most fluid action animation I've ever seen. They haven't reached the creativity high they achieved in the 2nd season when the trio infiltrated Dracula's castle, but it got close. Sypha continues to be just so OP and I love it.
- And *[Duck Tales](https://www.disneyplus.com/series/ducktales/tc6CG7H7lhCE)* season 3 is finally on Disney+. I love this show and I finally got Becks to enjoy it with me.
- In other news my favorite coding font, [Cascadia](https://github.com/microsoft/cascadia-code), finally got updated with an italics version! I saw the notificaiton of the issue getting closed while I was the middle of the 1-1 and I had to stop the meeting to freak out about it. I dig it. I would have made some different choices with it, but I very glad to have it.
- Becks and I finished a puzzle last weekend. It was amazing! It was *[The Mystic Maze by The Magic Puzzle Company](https://www.target.com/p/the-mystic-maze-jigsaw-puzzle-from-the-magic-puzzle-company-1000pc/-/A-79552697#lnk=sametab)* and it's my new favorite puzzle. I want to get more from this company.
- Have you seen this trailer for *[Last Night in Soho](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tB9WUIv9KH8)*? You must. YOU MUST!
- If you love weird, irreverant animation then you need to check out *[Neon Kombini](https://roosterteeth.com/watch/neon-konbini-2021-1)* from Rooster Teeth.
- Speaking of Rooster Teeth, the *[most recent episode of Chump](https://roosterteeth.com/watch/chump-season-4-48)* was a spiritual experience. It featured the Takeout Crew and if that means anything to you then you know what a special experience you're in for.
- I bought some new shoes. I picked up another pair of the *[D.O.N. Issue #2 Marvel Spidey Sense](https://www.adidas.com/us/d.o.n.-issue-2-marvel-spidey-sense-shoes/FX3457.html)* shoes, but this time they are Spider-Gwen colors.
- FINALLY Pop Sockets has made a MagSafe Pop Socket. It works well and I'm all about that Pop Socket life now.
- We got one of those robot litter boxes a couple weeks ago and it has been an absolute game changer so far.


Week 7


- I'm an old now and I get excited about updates to productivity software. I'm so jazzed about all the [updates coming to Google Workspace](https://www.theverge.com/2021/5/18/22440226/google-workspace-smart-canvas-features-docs-updates).
- We finished Shadow and Bone on Netflix. It's a rough watch until episode 5 which is when the show actually starts. And once it starts it doesn't stop! Except for all the parts with the lady and the witch hunter because they have 0 chemistry and it's a non-stop cringe fest.
- Finally a ceasefire. Israel is no longer actively bombing Palestinians to hell and are just back to their normal amount of ethnic cleansing.
- My collection grows! I am now the proud owner of an original iPod.
- Speaking of Apple stuff, the new Siri Remote arrived today and oh my god it's so much better. I feel stupid because it's just a remote, but it's the little annoyances in life that really add up.
- Watched Army of the Dead tonight. When Zack Synder stops being up his own ass he can actually make a pretty solid and enjoyable movie.


Week 6


- Eid Mubarak! I hope everyone managed to have a good one. It was and still is very tough.
- What should have a been a joyous time for all Muslims was instead a horror as we watched the atrocities being committed on the Palestinians by the Israeli government. I can't imagine what they are going through. My heart hurts and I'm so angry.
- On top of that I've been really missing my mom lately. I went to one her favorite restaurants on the Eid to feel a bit closer to her. It was my first time at a restaurant in over a year. It was rough.


Week 5


- Marvel released a [sizzle reel for Phase 4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdpxoFcdORI) and I got super emotional. They're releasing 4 movies this year in theaters and I can actually go see them! After a year of lockdown and no movies when my wife and I would go to the movies at least twice a month it's just nice to see some semblance of normalcy return. Also I'm stoked about *The Marvels* because Ms. Marvel is going to be on the big screen! And is it just me or did that 4 at the end of the video look a little suspiciously like a *Fantastic Four* tease?
- We're just a week away from the Eid. I'm looking forward to it; it's been a rough Ramadan.
- We bought this [ridiculous coffee table](https://twitter.com/arkmuntasser/status/1390906520280342534?s=20) and it's so ugly I love it!
- We watched *Mitchells vs the Machines*. It was so charming and delightful; I cannot recommend it enough. The furby scene had us howling!
- This Sunday will be 2 weeks since my 2nd shot and I'll be full vaccinated! I can't even begin to state how much a weight is being lifted off my chest, but I'm sure if you understand the feeling. That is assuming you're not one of those dumbass, dipshits not getting the vaccine because you're a stupid moron.
- I've been jumping back and forth between React and Vue lately and boy they are just fun to work in. When I write Vue I feel like I'm writing more strucutred, accurate code and that helps me focus and I can move very quickly. In React I feel like I'm writing fancier code and generally am having more fun building, but I get lost and confused a lot more readily. Maybe I should write a blog post about this?


Week 4


- Started really getting involed with the DEI efforts at my company. It's long been something I've tried to push and promote on my own within my department with some success and I'm excited to help where I can and learn even more.
- Saw the new Mortal Kombat movie; [read my Twitter thread for thoughts](https://twitter.com/arkmuntasser/status/1386570113571201025?s=20).
- A new album by The Prize Fighter Inferno dropped and I've had the song [Holidy Fool](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQHwEHBOkdQ) on a loop. It's fucking Evil Dead 2 as a song! For real, check the lyrics.
- I'm still reeling from the season finale of *Invincible* I mean holy shit that was intense and absolutely brutal to watch.
- Support for the `gap` property in Flexbox [shipped finally in the latest version of Safari](https://twitter.com/jensimmons/status/1387121082176577544?s=20) and my soul has ascended to a new plane of existence.
- It's ya boi, the Apple slut buying up all the new Apple shit like this new [Siri Remote](https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MJFM3LL/A/siri-remote?fnode=216726505b3a962aaed9044d8a08a8be96476f0ac7fb6cac4501d625c8a8c7ff27a1347ff043075f1c6648ac37737c54e39cf4afafb1b4eb105e67b53c07b3db20b3c9a429092496c9f1e53a97fd74185958fd282961ba4d03df147548579d71).
- My newest pair of shoes, the [LEGO x Adidas ZX 8000 'A-ZX Series - Mixed Blocks](https://www.adidas.com/us/zx-8000-lego-shoes/FZ3482.html), came in and their as awesome as you would expect.


Week 3


- I was not emotionally ready for *[Invincible](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invincible_(TV_series))* to be where it's at even though I knew it was coming. I never read the comic and have no idea what direction this is going to go.
- I built a fun thing I'm calling a [Warbly Grid](https://warbly-grid.glitch.me). You can hover over the grid with your mouse and the grid animates in a satisfying warbly way.
- Nearly 2 weeks into Ramadan. The days are long, but the weeks fly by. It doesn't help that the days are literally getting longer.
- Getting my 2nd vaccine shot this weekend! God I'm so looking forward to being done with this pandemic. I desperately want to be able to just go to a restaurant or a movie. Sadly, not everyone shares this elation toward the vaccine. The past week I've been dealing with friends and family refusing to get it because the right-wing death cult propaganda has gotten to them. It breaks my heart because there was a chance we could have celebrated the Eid together this year if they would just get it, but no.
- You know I bought some [AirTags](https://www.apple.com/airtag/); 4 pack, bay-beeeeeee! Going to pick me up that new Siri Remote next week as well.
- The 2 of my employees that I mentioned last week continue to impress and it makes me incredibly happy to see them rising to the challenge.


Week 2


- You best start believing in site redesigns, you're in one! Launched the redesign of the my site.
- I've delegated one of my major responsibilities to two of my employees and things are already looking up. I feel a lot less stress personally and there's a lot more attention and care going to the project than I was able to offer it alone.
- The new [trailer for the next Fast & Furious](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJC2kxfZEfw) movie, F9, dropped and it's given me new life in this nightmare hellscape. I love this series; it's just the best.
- Watched this powerful video from [Carlos Maza](https://twitter.com/gaywonk) called "[How to be Hopeless](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJaE_BvLK6U)". If you have a nagging fear constantly living in the back of your mind then this is the video for you.
- [Ramadan Mubarak](https://twitter.com/tha_rami/status/1380690405424037889?s=20)! Not quite through the first week yet, but this is the most tired I've been during Ramadan. I think it has to do with still being in a pandemic, but also knowing that the end of the pandemic could potentially be around the corner is just making time move even slower.
- Absolutely [loved this video analyzing the architecture in Final Fantasy VII Remake](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG7WzStbnzg) by the brilliant [Simone de Rochefort](https://twitter.com/doomquasar) of [Polygon](https://www.polygon.com/). The original PSX version of the game had to do a lot of environmental storytelling because of the limitation of the platform. It's incredible to see all the work that went into lovingly recreating all these environments and expanding on them to make the world all the more real and lived in.


Weaknotes