One title that comes to mind is Anachronox. A western rpg with a really good story, interesting characters (one of your companions is an entire planet shrinked down to human size), fun humor and a cliffhanger that never got resolved.
I really wish they made a part 2 but I know it will never happen.
Took part in a work provided health check, and was pleasantly surprised. My cholesterol levels need to be better, but other than that I'm actually in pretty good shape! It's nice to get some good news once in a while.
Other than that, I'm in a general good mood. Feel like I'm a bit more in sync between my internal and external self, if that makes any sense :)
Oh yes, that's how I got my current job. I used to be an external contractor myself, said I was interested at working full-time for my employer (it's a very stable and fun job) and had to go through an entire circus. It was guaranteed I would get the job but I still had to:
All because their HR software requires certain steps to be followed or it'll refuse to process the application.
For our last contractor recruitment (new position, not a rehire) we got rid of our external selection agency (responsible for the first stage of resume scanning) and decided to do it ourselves, specifically for the reason in my last little rant. We didn't trust them to select the right candidates because they had no experience with our line of work and just blindly searched for keywords.
It was nice to get to see all incoming resumes but I had to pick through 40+ of them manually. And because of procurement laws, I had to grade all of them on a 20 point list of criteria we got to decide. On top of that, an applicant (or their recruitment agency) can challenge the fairness of the process if they feel we rated them unfairly on a specific criteria. So it was important to have a proper substantiation for every single judged criteria. That was over 800 times I had to check for proof if what a applicant claimed lined up with what their resume said.
And again, it was the recruitment agencies that really ruined my days (yes, plural). You could see that the recruiter altered resumes, wrote nonsense cover letters and did whatever they could to get past the criteria. At least half of the people who applied were clearly not suitable, but I still had to explicitly say why they weren't suitable for every single criteria.
Sorry, this is really something I can go on and on about.
It's definitely a nightmare, but that's what you get when you work in the public sector I guess.
It's cold and wet here in NL, but so far it hasn't bothered me that much. It's always cold and wet around here and I kind of like it. But that's just me.
Our house uses district heating which basically places us under a government controlled monopoly. Prices are not locked into gas prizes. On top of that the government mandated a price ceiling for energy costs. The price of electricity can not be more expensive than €0,40 kw/h for 2023. Not sure how things will turn out when 2024 comes around though.
Best thing for staying warm are warm clothes, of course. A thick cozy sweater is great, maybe together with some fingerless gloves if you get cold hands easily. Oh, and during dark days taking extra vitamin D might help as well. And of course, make your living space as cozy as possible: warm blankets, nice music, maybe some flowers to brighten the place a bit.
Oh and a personal favorite of mine when things get cold, Korean Citrus and Honey tea (Yuja Cha). I buy it premade in a jar. It's basically a thick marmalade you mix with boiled water. It's sweet but tastes so nice and warms me up when I'm feeling cold.
From a completely selfish standpoint, I hope they’ll do something with the neglected IP. Would love to see a new Sierra game, though that might just be the nostalgia speaking :)
Other than that, I recall Microsoft not going to interfere with any unionization attempts due to a neutrality agreement?
Wait, do you go over or under the freeway ramps? The map makes me think it’s under, but from your description it sounds like you’re going over?
Either way it looks like a very dangerous walk.
"Must not look suspicious, don't do anything suspicious, you're not suspicious."
Proceed to give the fakest and most strained smile in history to airport security and get pulled aside..... again.
My week has been going ok, though I’ve been dealing with some identity issues. Nothing I really want to go in to except that I’m reevaluating who I think I am and want to be.
On a lighter note, summer is finally over and the cooler weather has been wonderful. It’s so nice to dress a bit warmer and not having to worry about getting sun burned.
Oh, and I’ve started doing pilates again and my muscles are aching. Hope I’ll stick with it this time :)
Not exactly soup, but congee (rice porridge) is great for filling your belly and it's very easy to make.
I guess you could make it watery enough to pour it out of a thermos if necessary.
Yesterday was my birthday!
It was a nice and easy going day spend with my family. Topped it off with going out for a nice dinner.
I enjoyed it, nothing fancy but just the way I like it :)
Like many, I’ve been playing a lot of Baldur’s Gate 3. I love the game, but part of me is already longingly looking at the Pillar of Eternity or Pathfinder games for a bit less complicated level design.
The 3d worlds are nice, but I always have the feeling like I’m a little lost.
Just started a two week family visit to Singapore. The twelve hour flight was exhausting and everyone was struggling with the jet lag. My kids fell asleep at the dinner table, which was both adorable to see and sad because they were clearly at their limits.
We just had a 12 hour sleep, so hopefully we can start the second day with renewed energy :)
We’re going to need it, there’s a ton of social obligations to keep. It’s been 7 years since our last visit.