2025-12-17 14:09:20
"Stay Another Day" by East 17
You might think I shared East 17 on the 17th on purpose but you would be wrong, sadly. This is also not a Christmas song but about Tony Mortimer's brother death by suicide. Festive.
2025-12-16 20:35:07
"Step into Christmas" by Elton John
That iconic piano refrain that screams "Christmas" with Elton John's trademark camp swagger. An enduring classic for a reason.
2025-12-15 18:46:52
"Last Christmas" by Jimmy Eat World
The official rules of Whamageddon state that cover versions don't cause you to lose so fill your boots!
2025-12-15 02:34:02
Startled awake at 4am by who knows what. I hate 4am because it's too early for an early start but too late to go back to sleep.
As I mentioned last week, the work bedlam continues. I have three full-time projects that I have to get to a certain level of "done" before the Christmas break. It's doable but there's a fair bit of pressure on me. Usually I'd panic but I'm conducting myself pretty well — running point on client communications, writing code, defining strategy.
I have also put plans in place to step up in the role of our team's "AI Champ"; a group of employees championed with helping peers navigate the complicated and controversial world of AI1.
Regular readers aware of my position on artificial intelligence tools may be surprised by my decision. My argument goes; they're going to use it anyway, it's better they have a dissenting –and informed– voice at the table than a room full of fanboys!
Chris the handyman stopped by with a small handful of Alan Garner books for me to borrow so it looks like my "To Read" list just got bigger — physical books too, which will be novel. So lovely of him and made me feel part of a community.
The village Christmas Tree is up and sparkling in the evening gloom. Nearby, in the graveyard, tiny Christmas Trees adorned with lights are popping up on the newer graves; sad and heartwarming.
Speaking of evening gloom, I learned about the Equation of Time which says that we're into a period where the evenings are getting lighter (but the mornings are darker) because of a quirk of timekeeping. Science is so interesting!
1: Neither "artificial" nor "intelligence".
2025-12-14 18:09:25
"Yule Shoot Your Eye Out" by Fall Out Boy
Opening with obligatory sleigh bells and a riff that's a riff on Jingle Bells before dropping to classic Fall Out Boy whiny acoustic emo about the trials of teenage romance. Shades of Spill Canvas. Mid.
2025-12-13 16:31:42
"Making Christmas" by Rise Against
I haven't listened to Rise Against for a long time because they became my go-to "code angry" music at the end of a job I disliked. This Nightmare Before Christmas cover slaps though. The mark of a good cover is when it sounds like the band could have written it and this checks that box; frenetic, chaotic, with a sense of humour.