Toasty Melty

Bit warm over here in GB at the moment.

Could be the perfect opportunity to do that at the moment, although I suspect the opportunity to run away would be particularly short.

How hot ? Not so hot compared to other parts of the world but we get hit hard by it over here because we just don't expect it. Our bodies aren't built for it and our homes are designed more to keep winter warm in instead of remove excess heat in the summer.

Anyway, the car was reporting 30 degrees C in the shaded car park over at the Mall on Monday and high 20s yesterday (can't remember how much !). I do remember that the steering wheel was scorching because I'd made a partial misjudgment of parking with the windscreen facing where the sun would be when I got back to the car. Shade was a bit lacking.

One thing I don't understand is that people see car steering wheel warmers as being highly desirable. I'm the opposite ... I've been enjoying the seat coolers and their ability to rapidly take the scorchy bum feeling away. I'd kinda like something similar for the steering wheel.

I think I'll be bringing out my white jacket next week as the heatwave is expected to continue. I've only worn that jacket a couple of times, it'll be curious to see what it's like in the summer.

Yep. Look out for yourselves and other people/pets in this kind of weather.

Me ? I'm coping with it my managing how much energy I'm putting out because energy needs heat. I like to think a disciplined mind can control what it thinks about the conditions it finds itself in and that means I just try not to think about the heat. Because if you think about it, you start noticing it and your mind starts to play its tricks on you.

That said though, I'm also trying to do the right things to allow my body to cope with the heat. Sleeves rolled up at work (and the arms have improved to the point where they don't scare my coworkers as much), drinking lots of water, drinking less of the hot coffee and :

Potions Of Brain Freezing. In that case, it was a strawberry milkshake to go with a steak for dinner after doing the initial washing machine scout. But yesterday it was a Mint Choc Cooler Frostino before getting a weekly shop in.

They're good stuff.

I thought the heat was disrupting the computer as well the other evening. I have slipped into another Stellaris playthrough ... this time as the Rootlin Devouring Swarm who aim to avoid many of the more annoying mechanics brought into the game by ... eating everyone they come across. Literally. The Rootlin Swarm has a strong appetite for runs. Runs ? Erm, that would be who they're named after. I may have been watching cricket while creating the race. I hope they don't eat anyone who gives them the runs.

Oh and check out that randomly generated starting system ... one of the updates has allowed for more variation in the star systems, in this case it's a triple star system. Disrupting the computer ? The game was running like treacle in the Thursday session ... but it recovered well in the last session I did yesterday. The Rootlins have reached the point where an Equivalent race barely even gave them a speed bump as they were overtaken and eaten so the interest has somewhat gone out of that game now. There is more challenge though, the game hasn't reached the Midgame or Endgame crisis points yet where stronger enemies appear.

I reopened Elite again as well today and did some bimbling around the star system cluster I left the ship in. I was surprised by how much Empire rank I'd reached, there are only about 3 to go before the big ship is unlocked. I didn't stay in game too long though, the heat is making me not really want to go to that tunnel vision state I go into when I'm well into a game.

I've been buying more things ... It's the Steam sale at the moment and I've picked up the first person game Prey and top down fast tactics game Heat Signature. Both show themselves to be cracking games when on stream/videos.

That reminds me ! Gotta update the links on the right to include a FuzzyFreak person who has been great fun to watch on streams. She's a crazy one, definitely enjoys the games and is why I've bought Prey ... Possibly the spaceship building Empyrion too.

Musicwise, I've picked up the Deadmau5 collection. It's a different type of music to my usual but I've always admired how well made their music is. As far as the ones picked up last week go :

Snow Patrol - good ... but I think some of their inspiration has gone. I haven't heard any of the amazing tracks like Set the Fire to the Third Bar, Chasing Cars or Lifening.
Chvrches - very good (I have to admit my mind has tunneled into the games while their stuff has been on !). They make fun, energetic music to listen to.
Banks - very good again, great voice there.
Jack White - not bad. Again, nothing special like Seven Nation Army.

And I'm currently listening to the end of Jean-Michel Jarre's The Rendezvous. There's also a Heychrissa stream on and a KatherineOfSky video while Idle Champions does its grinding thing.

To the book now though ! X Wing Mercy Kill is proving to be very good so far. I'd recommend you start with the first Aaron Allston Wraith Squadron books though, they were mad.