For the past week, I’ve been staying home full-time to recover from being sick with flu-like symptoms. Despite my asthma symptoms, which I always experience after being sick, I plan to return to work on Monday. I intend to contact my doctor to prescribe me “Flixotide Diskus” and hope it helps alleviate my symptoms.

The exciting news of the week is that I’ve been selected as one of the seven people for a maisonette. Since I’m the second person selected, I hope the first person drops off, and I’ll get to decide whether I want the maisonette or not. There’s a group sighting soon, so we can take a look inside the building and decide if I’m truly interested. Afterward, they review my documents to verify that I have the appropriate financials and maintained a good rental history over the past three years.

I’ve decided to schedule an appointment for some mental therapy. I’ve also started reading books related to psychology. Mental well-being is the key to good overall health, not just physical fitness or a healthy diet.

Movies

• Shelter 1.5/5
• Over Your Dead Body 3.5/5

TV Series

• Spider-Noir
• • Enjoying it, it wasn't what I expected.

Reading

• Emotionele Gezondheid - Mohammed Boulahrir

Links

• Enable Low Latency Profile on Windows 11 (boosts overall speed)

This past week has been surprising. I never thought a simple note blog post would attract so many visitors. Perhaps it’s because of the title. It wasn’t meant to be clickbait. Also, many bloggers have linked or mentioned me on their blogs. I feel honored, as I’m new to blogging and still have much to learn, especially writing.

Perhaps I should also create a blogroll page.

Living

I’ve been searching for a new place to live, to save money. After my last breakup two years ago, I stayed alone in the house, and the rent has increased yearly. Now, I pay 1420 Euro monthly, up from 1200 Euro. This is too much for someone living alone. I hope to find a social housing unit through a housing association for a maximum of 900 Euro with energy-saving features like a heat pump, good insulation, solar panels, and no gas.

Health

My week (more like lately) has been mentally exhausting, which likely caused my flu-like symptoms which started on Saturday evening. Mental health and physical health are closely linked.

Movies

I’m a bit picky about movies, as you can see from the average ratings.

• Crime 101 3/5
• Office Romance 3.5/5
  • Started bad, but ended up liking it more, so gave it a 0.5 score more. :)
• Micky 17 3/5

A movie with a truly good story will earn a 4 or more for me, I suppose.

Software

Planning a write-up about my move to European software alternatives or self-hosting software. I’ll cover both Mac and Windows since I use both. Keep an eye out for it soon.

I prioritized rest and recovery. Apparently, after my holiday in Valencia, I was completely drained. I was glad that work wasn’t overly demanding, allowing me to gradually regain my energy; reached a readiness score of 86 in the weekend. This was also the day I resumed practicing calisthenics.

Movies

• Ladies First 4/5
• Cold Storage 2/5

Software

I am looking into moving completely from US tech (software) and trying out alternatives for software that I am already using.

Holiday

Recently returned from my holiday in Valencia. I didn't get to see or do everything I wanted during those six days, but there's always a next time. Due to my mom's age (75) and health, we couldn't do everything, but it was still wonderful quality time together. We walked a total of around 55 km which is an impressive feat for my mom! We did make use of public transport, though.

I accidentally dropped my Ricoh GR III HDF camera, but to my great surprise, nothing was broken! Perhaps it's thanks to the camera's lightweight design; 257 grams.

Public Dancing Event in Valencia

Reading

• The Gift of not Belonging

Gaming

• Diablo IV: Lord of Hatred

Software

• Obscura VPN (referral link)
  • As a long-time Mullvad VPN user, I decided to give Obscura VPN a try, since it makes use of Mullvad VPN exit servers.
• Signal Proxy
  • I am planning to host a public Signal proxy to help out against censorship.

The highlight of last week was that I went to Utrecht with my mother. The main purpose was to visit the newly opened Uniqlo store, and there I bought some new clothing that I can wear for my upcoming holiday to Valencia very soon.

Speaking of Valencia, since I have never been there before, I bought the Time To Momo: Valencia book. I started reading it recently to prepare for the holiday.

Second highlight was visiting an Italian restaurant where I had never been before. Although I liked the wooden interior, the food was OK; nothing spectacular, overpriced for what it was. But I did have quality time with Linda.

The highlight events distracted me while I await feedback from a lawyer I contacted about a work-related matter.

Besides all that, the daily life was just the usual.

Movie

• Mercy 3.5/5
• • I enjoyed it. It kept me wondering what was going to happen.

Games

Into deck builders as well these days, besides tower defense games.

• Cubic Cosmos
• Handmancers

Reading

• The gift of not belonging

Software

Interesting software that I came across and have been using myself since recently.

• SnapOtter (self-hosted on Raspberry Pi 5)
• Forklift

Another week, another opportunity for something new to pop up, and guess what? It did! I had a little rock-induced “crack/chip" in my car’s front window, which I got while cruising on the highway. So, I went to Carglass to get the front window replaced. They actually suggested fixing it instead of replacing it because it was still within the fixable margin. The good news is that my car insurance will take care of the whole repair.

Besides that, the other thing on my mind is that I had to contact a lawyer regarding a work-related matter. In my research and opinion, my employer isn't fully complying with the rules concerning my rights. I have tried resolving this with my employer for months, man-to-man, but at some point, my patience ran out. There was simply no end to the back-and-forth. I will always fight for my rights 💪

I seem to be doing well, considering the circumstances. I simply accept things beyond my control and let them go. Time will reveal the outcome. I simply go with the flow. According to a recent dream: some dogs, cats, and crows visiting my front door and garden. I opened the door and went outside, accepting that it was the last day of my life. I was ready to call my mother and say goodbye. So, the meaning of the dream is that a significant change is coming, and I appear to be accepting it. I’m still uncertain whether I believe in spiritual things or their meanings. I blame my girlfriend for this 😅

Besides all that...

Read more…

The highlight of my week was visiting the newly opened Aora matcha cafe in Eindhoven, which opened just three weeks ago.

The entire place has a good vibe, with its stylish decor and soothing color palette. Even the spacing between seating areas is great, providing enough privacy. I could easily spend hours at Aora, working on my MacBook Neo, while occasionally ordering drinks. It’s the perfect place to relax and unwind.

I can’t decide yet if the drinks are as good or better than those from Good Tea Stories, also in Eindhoven. I will have to visit it more often and do more tastings. Oh, and as a surprise, they even offered me a taste of their matcha and black sesame soft ice cream; I loved the black sesame one.

Besides matcha drinks, they offer other (limited) options. The pastries were delicious, though a bit pricey.

Software

I recently discovered a couple of software apps that I’ve begun using on my MacBook Pro.

• Fastfetch
• • A basic system information tool for the terminal.
• Nothing-bar
• • A native macOS menu bar app to control Nothing headphones.

Recently, I have been trying out all kinds of browser alternatives for Safari on macOS, but I kept going back to Safari because it just works and is efficient.

Games

I have been looking around at different methods for game streaming to the MacBook Neo; GeForce Now looks interesting enough. I might give this a try in the near future.

Besides that, I started playing Nordhold very casually.

Hey there! It’s time for another weekly life update. I’m finally getting consistent with my updates.

The rollercoaster weeks have been over as this week has been easy-going, whether it is physically or mentally. Although I do have some odd dreams, as if my subconscious is trying to send me a message. I’m attempting to keep a dream journal, as long as I can recall them after waking up.

So what else has been going on.

• I recently started carpooling with a colleague, but unfortunately, that arrangement will end in June because he has been forced to change his work shifts. To save on fuel costs, I’ll try to ride my electric bike more frequently during the warmer seasons.
• I’ve booked my holiday to Valencia, Spain.
• I asked my niece (12) if she’d like to join me for a visit to the Efteling in June. She hasn’t given me a definite answer yet.
• Visited my mom to help her make choices related to the renovations of her home.

Excitement

A new matcha cafe called AORA has opened in Eindhoven, and I’m excited to try it out. The interior looks cozy, making it a great spot to relax. If AORA is great, it’ll be a new favorite for my matcha drinks, besides Good Tea Stories.

Besides that, I heard that Uniqlo is opening a store in Eindhoven! It’s one of my favorite clothing stores, but unfortunately, there’s no official date yet. Somewhere this year at least, but for now, I’ll have to visit Düsseldorf or Utrecht, which will also open a new store at the end of this month. I’ve already planned a trip to Utrecht.

Applications

• TinyStart
• • A tiny launcher for macOS, fast and focused on the essentials.

Website

I’m quite pleased with the overall design of my website now. I’m considering making a few minor tweaks here and there. I’m also glad that Olly from Pagecord has increased the maximum size for custom CSS from 8KB to 16KB.

It’s been the same old routine; meaning not much has changed.

So, I’ve noticed that I’m feeling somewhat burnt out; I’m trying to take plenty of rest whenever I can.  Also, I feel like I’m on the brink of getting sick. So, these days, I’m just going to work and then come home and stay in my peaceful comfort zone. As a result, I have also been ordering in food more than I would have liked, but it's not particularly junk food because I always consider my personal health.

One thing that brightened me up was my mom’s unexpected invitation to join her on a holiday to Valencia, Spain. It’s been a while since I’ve had a break from the daily grind, and this trip might just be what I need. We’re planning to go on a last-minute trip in mid-May. She generously offered to cover the entire cost of the trip, knowing that I’m currently on a tight budget. My 75-year-old mother is still quite mobile. I feel like she wants to experience more of the world with me before it’s no longer possible. So, I am going to look into that. She asked me to look up places to stay and the other logistical things.

Besides all that, I have found a couple interesting websites and applications.

Websites

• The Mindless Scrolling Calculator
• • Find out how much of your life you’ve already spent scrolling.
• 2of3 by Ente
• • Turn one important secret into 3 recovery cards you can keep in different places. Any 2 cards bring it back.

Applications

• Little Snitch
• • Protects your privacy and prevents your private data from being sent out to the Internet without your knowledge.
• Wispr Flow
• • Makes writing quick and clear with seamless voice dictation.
• Setapp
• • Large collection of powerful Mac apps available by subscription.

I’m thinking about signing up for Setapp, and I’m really enjoying Wispr Flow so far! But I’m a bit worried about the 12-15 Euro monthly fee, as it feels a bit steep compared to other monthly subscriptions. If I remain on the free tier, I’m limited to dictating a maximum of 2000 words per week.

In the meantime I've tried various browsers, but I keep returning to Safari on macOS. It appears to offer robust privacy controls and anti-fingerprinting features while being efficient with memory usage. The latter is particularly crucial for the MacBook Neo, given its limited 8GB of memory. It has yet to cause me any problems, although.

Speaking about the MacBook Neo, it replaced my main custom build computer for daily use for now. I connect it to my LG 34-inch ultra-wide screen, and voila!

Media

Starting in April, I have been enjoying watching new anime series on Crunchyroll. Such as the start of season 4 of "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime".

Another week has flown by, and here I am, writing down another week’s note. I’m not sure if it’s really grabbing anyone’s attention, but at least I’m getting more consistent, at least with one thing. Because I’m still struggling with working out; it’s tough to get back into the flow.

Since the start of the week, I’ve teamed up with a colleague to start carpooling because we live so close; around less than 10 minutes apart. I wasn’t really keen on it at first, thinking it would be a hassle or that I’d miss my independence. But with the fuel prices skyrocketing due to global events, it turned out to be a smart move to save money by carpooling. Plus, I can fill up my tank in Belgium, which would save me about 40 cents per liter.

Besides that, things haven’t been too exciting in my personal life this week. It was just another typical work week, which has been a bit draining. I think I could really use a long holiday to recharge!

I did play Jenga on Easter, and it was a special moment for me because it reminded me of playing the game back in my younger days.

Technology

• I’ve been busy working on the custom CSS for Pagecord.
• • I really value Olly’s interest and support as the developer of Pagecord.
• I’m also trying to figure out my new defaults, but for macOS, since I got the new MacBook Neo.
• • I recently discovered LocalSend, and it’s amazing for sharing files between macOS, Windows, and Android!
• I’ve also taken steps to make my domain name more secure since I switched to yeechie.nl as my main domain from itchy.nl.
• • Hardenize report
  • Internet.nl report

As mentioned before in a short note post, I have bought myself a new MacBook Neo and I am definitely loving it. I’ve found myself using it more than my main gaming computer. I even purchased a dongle, Bluetooth keyboard, and mouse, and sometimes I connect it to my big 34-inch widescreen. 

At work, I took some more time off because technical issues persisted and there wasn’t much work to do. This gave me more time to familiarize myself with the MacBook Neo and practice a bit of mindfulness and self-reflection.

I’ve recently become a fan of Upfront products. What I really appreciate is that they use few ingredients. Their packaging is clean, simple, and practical. I’ve already tried a few of their products and will continue using them, such as “Eiwit Matcha Latte”, “Oats Appel Kaneel”, “Eiwit Rijst Pudding”, and their “Creatine”. 

Regarding sports food, I’ve been a bit off track with my calisthenics practice lately. I’m working on getting back into a regular routine, but it seems like daily distractions are getting the better of me.

Besides how much I enjoyed the MacBook Neo, the next best thing was going to the cinema with Linda. We saw the new movie Project Hail Mary at the Vue Cinema in Eindhoven, and I absolutely loved it! I didn’t expect the comedy; I was expecting something else entirely, like a different kind of space movie. I give it a 8 out of 10.

I’ve been experimenting with the custom CSS on this website.

And let’s not forget that hay fever season is here, and my nose is definitely feeling the effects! :'(

Work has been tedious these days due to technical issues that have kept us at a standstill for half a week and counting. We had things to do to fill the time at first, such as cleaning up the work areas and assisting a different department next door. However, there wasn't much work to be done because both departments relied on each other. As a result, I took some extra time off here and there because I felt I could be more productive at home rather than hanging around at work or working at a slow pace. I always want to be productive and keep myself busy at work; otherwise, I'd rather be somewhere else.

I also took advantage of the extra spare time I had following the breakup to reflect on myself. Linda, to my surprise, called me days after the breakup to have a good talk about the relationship that had ended. We decided to give it another try. Everything went well except for one thing: communication via texting. This is what we're hoping to solve. I admit that it wasn't only her fault but also mine.

Meanwhile, my long-time friend Kimmy paid me a visit. It has been a long time since we last met, for various reasons, the majority of which are mine. We enjoyed each other's company while wandering around Utrecht's center and along the city canals, and we decided to crash at a cafe inside a massive city library for a while before taking the train back home. We didn't talk much, just enjoying the day with the occasional chit-chat, and I tend to fall asleep on trains. Which didn't bother us because we're both introverts.

Since I removed region blocking, I received a China scam email informing me that they were registering my name as yeechie.com.cn, yeechie.org.cn, etc., and asking if I was bothered by it. According to online articles, they most likely wanted me to pay up so they wouldn't register my name as a brand. Which made me think that domain names in popular TLDs aren't all that expensive these days. So I decided to register several domains with my name in them: yeechie.com, yeechie.net, yeechie.org, and yeechie.eu. To protect my name?

I'm excited about the upcoming spring anime season! There is some amazing anime coming out of which I have been waiting for years to come

Linda, the woman I was dating, and I recently ended our relationship. It did not work out. The problem for me was that when I expressed a concern or explained my introversion, I was not heard or understood. If I had to explain the same thing over and over again, I was eventually blamed for my behavior. She started arguing that my behavior was not OK. She was unable to have any accountability and kept protecting her ego.

Now that I am no longer dating, I will have more spare time on weekends. So, hopefully, I will stop procrastinating about cleaning up or preparing my garden for spring. On the other hand, I don't think having a messy garden is a bad thing; it just doesn't fit in the neighborhood. Insects, birds, and other wildlife benefit from it, though. Preserving nature as it is, but in my garden? Or is this an excuse to avoid working in the garden? ;)

As spring and summer approach, I'm thinking about getting out more and doing things solo. I always carry my Ricoh GR III HDF camera with me to take random photos. Maybe this is how I will meet new people. I've noticed that as I get older, I have fewer friends. Is this considered normal? Especially for an introvert.

In terms of my online life, I am considering various options. Such as self-hosting more services. Linkding, a bookmark manager, is something I have recently started hosting. It runs on my Raspberry Pi 5. Another thing I'm doing is reviewing how I use apps and online services. Moving to apps developed and hosted in Europe, mainly for privacy reasons. I'll be updating my default lists over time as I make my decisions, which shouldn't be significant because I already use many European products. Trump is the root cause of all this. I'm not anti-US products or services; it's just the “US Cloud Act” that allows them to look at your data whenever they want, even if the data is stored in Europe.

Speaking about tech. I'm very excited about the MacBook Neo! I'm considering buying one, but not right away because of financial priorities. It will be my first Mac.