Blaugust 2023: Lessons Learned
This is the last week of Blaugust 2023: Festival of Blogging and it is customary at this point to reflect on the event and one’s own contribution to it. For me, the stand out aspect of this year is the number of people participating and the diversity of blogs. I find it most reassuring that so many people have chosen to express themselves online and share their thoughts and insights. It has also been most gratifying to see so many people join the Discord server. There have been a lot of interesting and enjoyable discussions over the last few weeks. I hope that the support and resources available have proven useful for new and returning bloggers and that the event has been beneficial for them. I always find that Blaugust is good for bolstering my enthusiasm for writing and getting me back in the proverbial saddle.
This is the last week of Blaugust 2023: Festival of Blogging and it is customary at this point to reflect on the event and one’s own contribution to it. For me, the stand out aspect of this year is the number of people participating and the diversity of blogs. I find it most reassuring that so many people have chosen to express themselves online and share their thoughts and insights. It has also been most gratifying to see so many people join the Discord server. There have been a lot of interesting and enjoyable discussions over the last few weeks. I hope that the support and resources available have proven useful for new and returning bloggers and that the event has been beneficial for them. I always find that Blaugust is good for bolstering my enthusiasm for writing and getting me back in the proverbial saddle.
September is now on the horizon and in many ways it offers the hardest challenge of all for new bloggers or those that have recently returned. That being to keep blogging and to find some sort of routine or schedule that is appropriate. Sadly, some bloggerss will become increasingly intermittent in their output and a few will go into a hiatus. Such is the nature of blogging. Not everyone has a work/life balance that can sustain it and it is also fair to say that some will discover that as a hobby, blogging simply isn’t for them. But that is part of what Blaugust is about. It is an opportunity to work out and explore one’s own relationship with writing. What approach works for you and what motivates you to write or produce the material that you do. It is about being realistic and honest with yourself.
I have found, once again, that Blaugust has provided the impetus to encourage me to write every day. I think this just comes down to being in the company of like minded individuals, who are all trying to do the same. The event also provides a tremendous sense of satisfaction in seeing a series of posts build up over the course of the month. And it is nice to engage with those who leave comments. What I would like to do in the months ahead is see if I can increase the readership, which has naturally declined during the period I have not been writing. I am hoping that regularly blogging about Starfield will prove an enjoyable experience and of potential interest to readers. In the meantime I need to revisit the Blaugust Achievement list and determine which ones I can claim. To everyone else who participated, well done. I hope you’ve had a successful Blaugust.
Blaugust 2023: Staying Motivated
I have participated in Blaugust numerous times over the years and also in several other similar events. I have therefore written about the subject of “staying motivated” quite a few times already and as a result it is quite hard to come up with a new angle on the problem and not to sound like a scratched record. I also appreciate that my rather hardline and fundamentalist message of “stop complaining and just write, no excuses” may not necessarily resonate or inspire everyone. We all have to tackle this problem in our own unique way. So today, I’ve decided to adopt a more conciliatory stance and offer five straight forward and practical points that may help the aspiring blogger to keep on writing in the weeks ahead.
“Gonna fly now, flying high now” and other motivational stuff
I have participated in Blaugust numerous times over the years and also in several other similar events. I have therefore written about the subject of “staying motivated” quite a few times already and as a result it is quite hard to come up with a new angle on the problem and not to sound like a scratched record. I also appreciate that my rather hardline and fundamentalist message of “stop complaining and just write, no excuses” may not necessarily resonate or inspire everyone. We all have to tackle this problem in our own unique way. So today, I’ve decided to adopt a more conciliatory stance and offer five straight forward and practical points that may help the aspiring blogger to keep on writing in the weeks ahead.
Focus on your own blog and not what others are doing. It is natural to look to other blogs for ideas and inspiration. Ideas for both templates and posts are shared and this is how popular formats and styles become established. However, other people’s blogs can also be a distraction. Especially if you feel that they are gaining a degree of success and yours isn’t quite getting the same sort of traction. Just like obsessing over website traffic and stats, worrying too much about what others are doing is problematic. It can sow the seeds of discontent and undermine your output. Which is why it is important to stay focused upon your own writing. There comes a point where you must draw a line under tweaking your blog’s design and apply your energies to writing. A fancy looking blog without any regular content is redundant.
Brainstorm ideas. Keep notes somewhere practical. Be it in a physical notebook or electronically. Write down ideas, as and when they come to you. Better still, brainstorm potential writing prompts and talking points. Write them down, put them in some semblance of order and start banking ideas for the future. Write draft posts if that is your style and get the basics down first. Ideas become bullet points, bullet points become paragraphs and paragraphs can be built into a full blog post. If you have a good idea, don’t squander the opportunity. You may have an angle on a particular subject that others haven’t covered yet.
Hannibal Smith likes a plan
Plan posts. Brainstorming ideas and collating draft posts allows you to plan content in advance. Some bloggers like to write spontaneously or react to what is happening around them. But not everyone favours such an ad hoc and impromptu style. Hence planning posts in advance may well increase your chances of them completed and out the proverbial door. If fate provides you with both the time and inclination to write two posts in a day, then seize the opportunity. Some subjects may well need to be tackled in more than one post. Therefore planning an appropriate arc to accommodate a weighty subject may be the best approach. Committing to a series of posts may also provide a degree of stability that you need. It means not having to think of new material for a while which can take the pressure off.
Set achievable goals. Blogging becomes a lot easier if you are entirely honest with yourself. We all know what we can and cannot achieve with regard to writing and balancing the requirements of the rest of our life. Therefore, don’t commit publicly to writing material everyday and then fail to achieve it. You will disappoint yourself and your readers. If you can realistically post one post a week then embrace that reality and ensure that you do your best. Placing unnecessary pressure upon yourself is counterproductive, so don’t do it. Be candid about what you can produce, with the time and resources you have and then focus upon getting it done. Something is usually better than nothing when it comes to blogging.
Reward yourself. Finally, reward yourself after writing. If you have set yourself a target of three posts in a week and you achieve it, then claim whatever prize you have set for yourself. A carrot on the end of a stick is better at motivating than just a stick on its own. Gamification is often a good tool to increase productivity. So find a way to reward yourself that will actively encourage you to write. Obviously, if you fail to hit your target and still reward yourself, you’re an unconscionable hypocrite and calumniator, who will burn in perdition’s flames. But that’s blogging for you and the universally accepted code of writing. No blog post. No cakes. Or meth. Or whatever your personal indulgence is.
Creator Appreciation Week: Cool Dudes Walking Club
It's Creator Appreciation Week (August 13th – August 19th) for those participating in Blaugust: Festival of Blogging 2023. What does that mean in plain English? It means I am going to write a post specifically about someone or a group of people who create content that I enjoy. Now that is not a short list. I subscribe to dozens of YouTube channels and even more blogs via Feedly. However, it is not practical to try and write about all of these. So I have had to think long and hard about selecting one creator to highlight. It’s quite a difficult choice because I enjoy a multitude of content for different reasons. However, I have chosen one which regularly keeps me entertained, has a good community associated and also offers an element of interaction which is quite unique. It is this last factor which has tipped the balance.
It's Creator Appreciation Week (August 13th – August 19th) for those participating in Blaugust: Festival of Blogging 2023. What does that mean in plain English? It means I am going to write a post specifically about someone or a group of people who create content that I enjoy. Now that is not a short list. I subscribe to dozens of YouTube channels and even more blogs via Feedly. However, it is not practical to try and write about all of these. So I have had to think long and hard about selecting one creator to highlight. It’s quite a difficult choice because I enjoy a multitude of content for different reasons. However, I have chosen one which regularly keeps me entertained, has a good community associated and also offers an element of interaction which is quite unique. It is this last factor which has tipped the balance.
One of my hobbies is walking for pleasure. The UK has a culture of walking and it is often a very practical means of getting about. Then there are the obvious physical and mental health benefits. The former are obvious, the latter not immediately so. Some people do not like being alone with their thoughts or find silence or at least the absence of speech, comforting. I do. Walking affords me a time to think and reflect upon anything I choose. It also allows me to switch off if I wish to. And then there are walks in the countryside. There’s the enjoyment of planning a route and challenging yourself with the distance you walk. Walking can be a fluid situation if a route through a field is untenable, or the weather turns against you. But it is always worth it for the potential views and the opportunity to pursue other interests when out, like photography, painting or wildlife spotting.
Which segues nicely into the Cool Dudes Walking Club. I would like to point out that “dude” is used in a non-gender specific way and that the club is open to all. About seven years ago I was perusing YouTube and found a channel belonging to comedian, actor and writer Marek Larwood. I was aware of his work and subscribed to his channel as it featured (among other things) a series of videos involving excursions to major tourist attractions in London. Let it suffice to say that Marek’s outlook on travel, tourists and generally navigating daily life resonated with me. As he has a keen interest in walking and started producing more related content, he eventually set up a separate YouTube channel. Thus the Cool Dudes Walking Club was born. I subsequently joined, subscribed to the new YouTube channel and became a monthly supporter.
There is a tendency these days for videos to follow a “process”. I don’t mind well made YouTube content but I don’t want the process to crowd out the passion. One of the key things about Marek Larwood’s walking videos is that they are made in an informal fashion but that doesn’t mean that they lack enthusiasm. Marek talks about his gear, gives hints and tips about walking and what he’s hoping to achieve. But it never feels like a hard sell. He also provides anecdotes and information relating to where he is walking and the sights and sounds along the way. Yet it is far from didactic or stilted. In fact the overall tone of most of his videos is the same as if you were walking with your mates. In between the clear love and excitement, there are miscellaneous grumblings about tourists or public footpaths that farmers have purposely blocked. And don’t get Marek started on pigeons. Therefore, the Cool Dudes Walking Club is not only entertaining but very relatable. That is important.
Another aspect of the Cool Dudes Walking Club that I like is the associated community. The comments on YouTube are always pleasant and informative. Often Marek will ask a question in the video such as “do you like “wild” camping? If so, what is wrong with you?” and the responses are honest and again relatable. I think the channel attracts walkers with a laid back mindset who enjoy walking in the moment, rather than those who see this outdoor pursuit as an ironman style challenge. And then there’s the photos. There are a range of Marek keyrings available as club merchandise and an open invitation to take pictures of your “mini Marek” while out walking. Pictures that are sent in feature at the end of videos and they are for me a highlight. People are very creative with their pictures and they often feature very interesting locations.
So these are a few of the reasons why I enjoy being a member of the Cool Dudes Walking Club. It is nice to be part of a community that enjoys a shared hobby, has a welcoming and genuine outlook and is fun to spend time with online. Plus it would be remiss of me not to say that I appreciate Marek’s sense of humour and broader perspective. He is also very good when it comes to extolling the virtues of his walks and their respective locations. I visited both Avebury and the Bembridge Windmill because of his videos. I also empathise with his aspiration to try and make the Cool Dudes Walking Club his primary job. I used to harbour similar hopes regarding writing and this site. Therefore it is nice to see the club membership grow and someone making progress through their own hard work.
Blaugust 2023: A Personal Introduction
The first thing that springs to mind with such a post is the song “Introduce Yourself” by Faith No More, from their 1987 album of the same name. Ah, the power of word association. I was twenty back in 1987. Young, optimistic, trying to figure out what I wanted to do in life. I finally joined the UK civil service the following year as it was a practical solution to an unresolved question. But I digress. My personal employment history is not the point of this post as I don’t think I am personally defined by my line of work. So what actually does define a person? Their actions? The company they keep? John Saxon’s character, Roper, in the film Enter the Dragon.said “a man's strength can be measured by his appetites. Indeed, a man's strength flows from his appetites”. But he was wearing flared trousers so I remain sceptical of such a philosophy. As for me, I like to write. Always have done.
Faith No More were a “popular beat combo” from the 80s and 90s
The first thing that springs to mind with such a post is the song “Introduce Yourself” by Faith No More, from their 1987 album of the same name. Ah, the power of word association. I was twenty back in 1987. Young, optimistic, trying to figure out what I wanted to do in life. I finally joined the UK civil service the following year as it was a practical solution to an unresolved question. But I digress. My personal employment history is not the point of this post as I don’t think I am personally defined by my line of work. So what actually does define a person? Their actions? The company they keep? John Saxon’s character, Roper, in the film Enter the Dragon.said “a man's strength can be measured by his appetites. Indeed, a man's strength flows from his appetites”. But he was wearing flared trousers so I remain sceptical of such a philosophy. As for me, I like to write. Always have done.
I have written several posts in the past extolling the virtues of blogging. It serves a different purpose to other forms of content creation, affording a very personal means of communicating and expressing yourself. It is also invaluable for collating your thoughts and processing the world around you. It has a very cathartic quality and certainly will provide a form of self therapy if that is what you’re seeking. I also think there is a political dimension to writing. Too often these days we are encouraged to immerse ourselves in the trivial or get angry about bogus problems and false narratives. Writing is a means to see beyond such spurious things. To escape the confines of the boundaries set by others. It also challenges the status quo by sharing your own thoughts and opinions with others. And if that all sounds a little too pretentious or highfalutin for you, it’s also good fun.
Carl Sagan was a clever fellow
That’s the pitch out of the way, let’s talk about other things I like doing. I am a man of a certain age (55) and I enjoy traditional comforts, such as good food and wine. I don’t obsess over food and its associated cultural baggage, as in the modern idiom. I just like a “spot of lunch” and welcome meals from both ends of the culinary spectrum. I like reading and learning stuff. By that I mean proper stuff, not crazy bullshit posted on YouTube by some whack job. I recently finished The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan which was most illuminating. I try to read at least one book a month and nowadays tend to favour non-fiction over fiction, although I’m partial to some William Hope Hodgson. I am a big fan of cinema and watch films from all countries and all periods of time. It is an artform I take seriously and I cannot survive on a diet of superhero movies. I also like to walk for pleasure and regularly blog about my various day trips and holidays. I’m also a very political animal but am not affiliated to any specific party or ideology.
I have retired early, after a traumatic six years caring for my sick parents. I have plenty to keep myself occupied and seldom find myself at a loose end. It is my ambition now to ride out the remaining years of my life with the minimum amount of hassle and bullshit. I keep my expectations low and as a result I enjoy the simple pleasures in life, such as an unexpected sandwich and a chance encounter with a friendly cat at a bus stop. I laugh a lot as it is free and makes me feel slightly better about all the terrible things I see, that I’m powerless to change. All of the worst people I’ve encountered in life have lacked a sense of humour. I try hard not to hate things and people as such feeling tend to have a detrimental effect on everything. However, I agree with what Doctor M’Benga said recently in an episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. “There are some things in this world that don’t deserve forgiveness”. I also think that there’s only one correct way to put the toilet paper on the holder. The Spanish Inquisition burned people for less.
Doctor M’Benga is possibly the most interesting character in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
So that’s me. Well some of me at least. I don’t consider myself a complicated individual. But I like to think I have some depth to me. I hope you are enjoying Blaugust, especially if you’re one of the new people who signed up at the start of the month. I sincerely hope you find support, inspiration and camaraderie within the Blaugust community and that you also find your niche. There’s a lot of experience out there to draw upon and hopefully a lot of positive affirmation coming your way. If I can offer just one piece of advice to anyone who is grappling with blogging at the present, it is that if you keep doing something, learn from your mistakes and just persevere then you will get better at it. Unless you are the UK government but that’s another story.
Get Ready For Blaugust 2022
Yes, it's that time of year again. When our community of bloggers, streamers and podcasters come together for Blaugust 2022. The event is intended to celebrate independent content creators and their work, as well as encouraging those who are new or and returning to the field. Blaugust 2022 is all about offering a helping hand, sharing each other’s work and having fun. It is an event I participate in every year and one that I find personally very beneficial. It is a great way to meet and support new writers and make friends. I also find that Blaugust is key to revitalising my own enthusiasm for writing, which flags from time to time. I’ve been blogging in some shape or form for over 15 years and like any hobby, my relationship with it ebbs and flows. At present I’m not writing as much as usual and finding it harder to find subjects I wish to explore.
Yes, it's that time of year again. When our community of bloggers, streamers and podcasters come together for Blaugust 2022. The event is intended to celebrate independent content creators and their work, as well as encouraging those who are new or and returning to the field. Blaugust 2022 is all about offering a helping hand, sharing each other’s work and having fun. It is an event I participate in every year and one that I find personally very beneficial. It is a great way to meet and support new writers and make friends. I also find that Blaugust is key to revitalising my own enthusiasm for writing, which flags from time to time. I’ve been blogging in some shape or form for over 15 years and like any hobby, my relationship with it ebbs and flows. At present I’m not writing as much as usual and finding it harder to find subjects I wish to explore.
The last few years have been tough economically, politically and socially. The pandemic compounded these issues further hence many people currently feel that they’re struggling up a hill, rather than riding along on the crest of a wave. My enthusiasm for many of my hobbies and interests is somewhat low at present. I am far from impressed with mainstream filmmaking and frequently struggle to find anything that is more than adequate. TV offers a lot of choice but I prefer self contained stories that have endings, rather than shows that just run and run. Politics and social issues are partisan and acrimonious, as is the public discourse associated with them. Hence writing about such things is not particularly desirable at present. Constructive criticism can be valid but a continuous diet material that is essentially negative is exhausting. Hence, I need to broaden what I write about.
Blaugust provides helpful advice
Fortunately, Blaugust 2022 provides a useful vehicle for such change. Firstly, the event offers some writing prompts which are always useful if you’re coming up short on ideas. Replying and engaging with other writer’s posts is also another useful source of inspiration. As I’ve stated in the past, I’m a sucker for internet questionnaires. I always enjoy the challenge of answering some thoughtful (or frivolous) questions. If you don’t want to answer any questions you can always set some instead. As someone who writes, streams or podcasts, you have far more freedom to explore a range of subjects than you imagine. Especially if you’re not exclusively wedded to one game or particular subject. Your audience follows you often because of your personality and they will give you a lot more leeway than you imagine. I read a lot of blogs that discuss subjects that I’m not that interested in but I like the way the author thinks and expresses themselves.
So with all this in mind, I’m hoping to get back into my writing groove and see if I can blog everyday for the entirety of August. I am looking forward to reading new blogs and possibly seeing some former bloggers return to the fold. If you’re interested in participating in Blaugust 2022 then please read Belghast’s post which tells you everything you need to know about the event. Bel is the Shaolin Master of the event and an integral part of the social glue that keeps it going. There’s a FAQ that explains the purpose of this yearly event, details of where to sign up, the month’s schedule and a lot of useful resources. There’s also a Discord server that is very friendly. And remember, Blaugust is about having fun and participating. There are no “rules” and the event schedule and writing prompts are for guidance only. If you want to take part you’re welcome to do so in any manner that makes you happy.
Another One Bites the Dust
About three years ago, I wrote a very similar post to this one. Titled “Ride off into the sunset” it was an account of bloggers leaving or retiring from the community. Especially those who are established and part of the proverbial furniture. I referenced Zubon from Kill Ten Rats as an example and naturally invoked the mantra that nothing remains the same forever. Many of us go through periods of our life where a specific activity or pastime galvanises us into action. We focus on that activity for sometime and it becomes an integral part of our life and even identity. However, eventually we move on usually because such a hobby isn’t sustainable. Modern life makes too many demands upon our time. Plus we all change as individuals. What delights us today may well depress us in a year’s time. This was the thrust of that post and I now find myself in the sad but inevitable situation of writing it again.
About three years ago, I wrote a very similar post to this one. Titled “Ride off into the sunset” it was an account of bloggers leaving or retiring from the community. Especially those who are established and part of the proverbial furniture. I referenced Zubon from Kill Ten Rats as an example and naturally invoked the mantra that nothing remains the same forever. Many of us go through periods of our life where a specific activity or pastime galvanises us into action. We focus on that activity for sometime and it becomes an integral part of our life and even identity. However, eventually we move on usually because such a hobby isn’t sustainable. Modern life makes too many demands upon our time. Plus we all change as individuals. What delights us today may well depress us in a year’s time. This was the thrust of that post and I now find myself in the sad but inevitable situation of writing it again.
To cut a long story short, two stalwarts of the podcasting community have decided to call it a day. Beej and Void released the final episode of the Geek to Geek Podcast on June 7th. Then Braxwolf stated in a recent blog post that he was effectively taking an indefinite break from podcasting, which means that Beyond Bossfights is coming to an end. Both were excellent shows that presented the intelligent and enthusiastic face of fandom. And for the record I appeared a few times on Beyond Bossfights so it does hit home a little more than just being a casual listener. What I think this situation highlights is the high quality of many of the podcasts that we enjoy on a regular basis. Fan based content is often well researched, written and present. Because it is not a corporate product, it frequently has a sense of sincerity and earnestness that is missing from more commercially driven products. I think as listeners, we are at times spoiled and take these sorts of shows for granted.
On occasions such as this, there is often a propensity to pause and reflect upon the state of whatever community you cleave to. Because overtime there is a natural attrition of content creators, we tend to lapse into a morose mindset and the erroneous conclusion that our community is declining. But that is not really the case. Fandom is thriving and the only thing that is changing is the platform of choice to create content. I currently follow over 60 gaming blogs and continuously discover new fan based YouTube channels. As for Twitch it is a veritable cornucopia of fan driven material. So I don’t think that everything is going to hell in a handbasket. Fandom is simply evolving as all social phenomena do. I am a little sad on a personal level about the end of two very good podcasts but “them’s the breaks” as the saying goes.
Thanks Google Page Experience Update For Desktop
Last Tuesday, I noticed a drop in traffic to Contains Moderate Peril. As I’m currently only writing every other day, I assumed that it is normal to have occasions when visits to the site may decrease. However the decline has persisted and to date, works out broadly as a 20% reduction of traffic to my blog. At present, I have a lot going on in my life so blogging and website growth are not my highest priorities. However, I am a firm believer in cause and effect and so a situation like this must be down due to other external factors, rather than just the capricious nature of my readership. So I searched online to see if Google had made any changes and I subsequently found that they had rolled out an algorithm update starting on Tuesday 22nd February 2022. Apparently Google Page Experience Update For Desktop “is designed to highlight pages that offer great user experiences. Page experience remains one of many factors our systems take into account. Given this, sites generally should not expect drastic changes”. I beg to differ.
Last Tuesday, I noticed a drop in traffic to Contains Moderate Peril. As I’m currently only writing every other day, I assumed that it is normal to have occasions when visits to the site may decrease. However the decline has persisted and to date, works out broadly as a 20% reduction of traffic to my blog. At present, I have a lot going on in my life so blogging and website growth are not my highest priorities. However, I am a firm believer in cause and effect and so a situation like this must be down due to other external factors, rather than just the capricious nature of my readership. So I searched online to see if Google had made any changes and I subsequently found that they had rolled out an algorithm update starting on Tuesday 22nd February 2022. Apparently Google Page Experience Update For Desktop “is designed to highlight pages that offer great user experiences. Page experience remains one of many factors our systems take into account. Given this, sites generally should not expect drastic changes”. I beg to differ.
Please feel free to search about Google Page Experience Update For Desktop and to read exactly what it’s supposed to do and how it “works”. I have and it is simply beyond my skill set to fully comprehend it. From what I can ascertain it’s supposed to ensure that the best content continues to appear in search results, which is the usual corporate mantra. My real concern is whether it’s fair and if the system can be manipulated. Will smaller content creators be able to equitably compete with the big players. Well, it looks like the answer is “no”. I am not the only person to see a drop in traffic. I have found several posts over at SEO subreddit and they squarely point the finger at Google for this change. There also seems to be growing concern over Google’s continued push for standardised criteria governing content creation. If your site doesn’t entirely comply with these it will have difficulty being found. Sadly, a poorer quality site that is compliant, will rank higher in search results.
Statistics are not the defining reason why I and many other people write online. But let us not be coy. Finding an audience is important and you cannot do that if your website is not visible. However, whether anyone finds Contains Moderate Peril ultimately is a matter out of my hands. I could slavishly follow the prevailing content writing styles and SEO trends in an attempt to “game the system”. However, I like to write in the same manner in which I express myself in real life. Having to conform to a specific regulated standard to reach a broader readership is a double edged sword. You may gain accessibility but at the expense of nuance, maturity and character. Personal blogs are often not just about the content but the content creator as well. However, all of this is academic while we deal with the reality of Google Page Experience Update For Desktop. Perhaps it is naïve to expect an equitable process and a level playing field from a corporate entity such as Google.
Diary of a Podcaster Part 17
My personal podcast journey started back in 2010 when I effectively invited myself onto the Mordor or Bust podcast. The three of us who were involved in the production of that show were learning as we went along. I recently listened to an old episode and despite our enthusiasm, it is quite rough around the edges from a technical perspective. I think that the biggest mistake that I made at the time was not investing in a better quality microphone. I sound like I’m at the bottom of a well. It’s hardly surprising as I was using a very cheap analog desk microphone which I think only cost a few pounds from PC World. Roll on eleven years and I’ve been invited to be a guest on the Beyond Bossfights podcast. It’s nice to be back in the saddle again, so to speak. Up until now, I’ve been using my Razer gaming headset for any previous podcast recordings but I’ve decided to take the opportunity to overhaul my technical setup.
Cheap Desktop Mic
My personal podcast journey started back in 2010 when I effectively invited myself onto the Mordor or Bust podcast. The three of us who were involved in the production of that show were learning as we went along. I recently listened to an old episode and despite our enthusiasm, it is quite rough around the edges from a technical perspective. I think that the biggest mistake that I made at the time was not investing in a better quality microphone. I sound like I’m at the bottom of a well. It’s hardly surprising as I was using a very cheap analog desk microphone which I think only cost a few pounds from PC World. Roll on eleven years and I’ve been invited to be a guest on the Beyond Bossfights podcast. It’s nice to be back in the saddle again, so to speak. Up until now, I’ve been using my Razer gaming headset for any previous podcast recordings but I’ve decided to take the opportunity to overhaul my technical setup.
Aveek Condenser USB Microphone
The last official Contains Moderate Peril podcast was recorded in January 2019. Both Brian and I used our gaming headsets and Zencastr to record the show. I did have at one point a USB microphone on a fancy armature but although it looked as cool as heck, it was totally impractical to use and got in the way when I wasn’t recording a podcast. Hence slumming it with gaming headsets was the path of least resistance. However, Braxwolf and DJ PimpDaddy (they do have normal names as well) record their show using fancy desktop microphones and also use webcams for the YouTube version of the show. This has been a bit of a culture shock for me as I tend not to post pictures of myself online. But life is predicated on change so I’ve rolled with it. I already bought an adequate webcam during the 2020 lockdown, so I only needed to upgrade my mic and find a convenient means of being able to hear the other participants.
Anker Soundcore Life A1 Bluetooth Earbuds
In July I bought an Aveek Condenser USB Microphone. It’s essentially a Chinese clone of a more expensive brand but the customer feedback was good and the price was right. I’ve done some tests and the sound quality is perfectly adequate for the job in hand. It comes with a sturdy but simple desk stand. Rather than using headphones to monitor what everyone else is saying during the recording, I have recently purchased Anker Soundcore Life A1 Bluetooth Earbuds (why do products have such complex names these days?), so I don’t have cables trailing everywhere. I had to buy a TP-Link USB Bluetooth 5.0 Adaptor as well. I think in total these three items have cost about £100 or thereabouts. Bearing in mind that the primary goal is to be able to record clear voice audio I think I should be able to get the job done and to a reasonable standard. It’s certainly a far cry from the humble (IE shit) analog desktop microphone I was using a decade ago.
Blaugust 2021: Lessons Learned
It is the final week of the Blaugust 2021 Festival of Blogging event and the current theme and writing prompt is lessons learned. As a long term writer I do not have much to say on this matter. That’s not because I know everything and think there’s nothing new for me to come to grips with. You can always discover relevant and pertinent advice throughout your blogging journey. However, I do now have a fairly orderly writing regime and it serves my needs. The thing that most often derails this process are other demands upon my time. Overall, I think I have a positive approach to writing and it continues to bring me many benefits. With regard to lessons learned, I find it far more interesting to read others' thoughts on the matter. Especially those who are new to blogging or are trying to rekindle their passion for it. Krikket, Blockade85 and Aywren share some personal thoughts based upon their unique experiences.
It is the final week of the Blaugust 2021 Festival of Blogging event and the current theme and writing prompt is lessons learned. As a long term writer I do not have much to say on this matter. That’s not because I know everything and think there’s nothing new for me to come to grips with. You can always discover relevant and pertinent advice throughout your blogging journey. However, I do now have a fairly orderly writing regime and it serves my needs. The thing that most often derails this process are other demands upon my time. Overall, I think I have a positive approach to writing and it continues to bring me many benefits. With regard to lessons learned, I find it far more interesting to read others' thoughts on the matter. Especially those who are new to blogging or are trying to rekindle their passion for it. Krikket, Blockade85 and Aywren share some personal thoughts based upon their unique experiences.
Over the years, events such as Blaugust and the original Newbie Blogger Initiative have shown me that many people are writing as a means of self discovery, personal challenge or even self therapy. I understand this as I use writing as a way to order my thoughts and ponder the many of the issues that face us in life. I find that writing my thoughts, as opposed to face to face debate with others, is beneficial as it can be conducted without rancour. One has time to research a subject, reflect upon it and then form a considered opinion. However, I appreciate that others are blogging to do more than this. They are trying to conquer self doubt, work through a problem or test themselves. Blogging certainly does appear to be a valid form of cognitive behavioural therapy. It can have very restorative properties and be a source of support and community. I like to think that Blaugust contributes a little to these.
With all this in mind, I think there is another aspect to blogging that needs to be mentioned. It is a very personal undertaking. Yes, you can write under a pseudonym if you prefer and many people do. You can control to a degree who gets to see your writing. But there is still an element of “baring one’s soul” to it all and I think that is quite brave in some respects. We live in an age where we all have a degree of unparalleled reach due to social media and the internet. Yet that comes with a degree of risk in so far as the moment you stick your head above the parapet, then people may well take pot shots at you. There’s no shortage of angry people online and hatred is sadly an all too common currency these days. Yet I read blogs where the authors talk about their personal struggles be it physical or mental health, or the realities of their day to day lives which can be challenging. That takes courage as far as I’m concerned.
Which is why I think Blaugust in its final week should be short on criticism and long on praise. It doesn’t matter if you didn’t quite hit the target you set yourself or that you haven’t quite yet achieved global domination from your volcano lair. At least you posted some blog posts and have a swivel chair. You’re a step further along the road and that’s much better than not doing anything. Maybe you’ve discovered if blogging is for you and what you will do next. Plus hopefully you’ve found some new blogs and added them to Feedly or whatever list you keep to stay abreast of what is happening. The Blaugust Discord server is active all year round and you can always find people to offer advice and talk to. Hopefully, upon mature reflection the lesson learned by all participants over the course of the previous 30 days is “I’m glad I did it”.
Yet More Cult Movie Soundtracks
Tenebrae (1982) is probably Dario Argento’s most accessible “giallo” for mainstream audiences. Although violent, it is not as narratively complex as Deep Red (1975) or as bat shit crazy as Phenomena (1985). The story centres on popular American novelist Peter Neal (Anthony Fanciosa) who is in Rome to promote his latest book. Events take a turn for the worst when a series of murders appear to have been inspired by his work. The plot twists and turns, the director explores themes such as dualism along with sexual aberration and blood is copiously spattered across the white walled interiors of modernist buildings. It is slick, disturbing and has a pounding synth and rock score by former Goblin members, Claudio Simonetti, Fabio Pignatelli, and Massimo Morante.
Tenebrae (1982) is probably Dario Argento’s most accessible “giallo” for mainstream audiences. Although violent, it is not as narratively complex as Deep Red (1975) or as bat shit crazy as Phenomena (1985). The story centres on popular American novelist Peter Neal (Anthony Fanciosa) who is in Rome to promote his latest book. Events take a turn for the worst when a series of murders appear to have been inspired by his work. The plot twists and turns, the director explores themes such as dualism along with sexual aberration and blood is copiously spattered across the white walled interiors of modernist buildings. It is slick, disturbing and has a pounding synth and rock score by former Goblin members, Claudio Simonetti, Fabio Pignatelli, and Massimo Morante.
One Million Years B.C. (1966) is a delightful collaboration between Hammer Studios and stop motion animation legend Ray Harryhausen. It is the tale of how caveman Tumak (John Richardson) is banished from his native Rock tribe and after a long journey encounters the Shell tribe who live on the shores of the sea. It’s historically inaccurate, with dinosaurs, faux prehistoric languages and Raquel Welch in a fur bikini. It is also great fun and features a superbly percussive and quasi-biblical themed score by Italian composer Mario Nascimbene. Nascimbene was an innovator and often incorporated non-orchestral instruments and random noises, such as objects being banged together or clockwork mechanisms, into his music to underpin the stories it was telling. There is a portentous quality to his main opening theme as the earth is created and primitive man emerges.
Get Carter (1971) is a classic, iconic British gangster film featuring a smoldering performance by Michae Caine. The musical score was composed and performed by Roy Budd and the other members of his jazz trio, Jeff Clyne (double bass) and Chris Karan (percussion). The musicians recorded the soundtrack live, direct to picture, playing along with the film. Budd did not use overdubs, simultaneously playing a real harpsichord, a Wurlitzer electric piano and a grand piano. The opening theme tune, which plays out as Caine travels to Newcastle by train, is extremely evocative and enigmatic with its catchy baseline, pumping tabla and echoing keyboards. The music is innovative and a radical change from the established genre formula of the previous decade which often featured a full orchestral score.
Witchfinder General (1968) is an bleak and harrowing exploration of man’s inhumanity to man, presented in a very dispassionate fashion. Matthew Hopkins (Vincent Price) is an opportunistic “witch-hunter”, who plays upon the superstitions of local villagers in remote East Anglia and takes advantage of the lawless times, brought about by the English Civil War. Price’s performance is extremely menacing and his usual camp demeanour is conspicuously absent. Director Michael Reeves paints a stark picture of the treatment of women in the 17th century. Yet despite the beatings, torture and rape, composer Paul Ferris crafts a charming and melancholic soundtrack. There is a gentle love theme that has subsequently been used in the low budget Vietnam War film How Sleep the Brave (1981) and even featured an advert for Vaseline Intensive Care hand lotion in the late seventies.
Journey to the Far Side of the Sun AKA Doppelgänger (1969) is the only live action feature film that Thunderbirds creator, Gerry Anderson, produced. It is an intriguing, cerebral science fiction film in which a new planet is discovered in an identical orbit to that of earth but on the exact opposite side of the sun. A joint manned mission is hastily arranged by EUROSEC and NASA to send astronauts Colonel Glenn Ross (Roy Thinnes) and Dr John Kane (Ian Hendry) to investigate. Upon arrival the pair crash on the new planet in a remote and barren region. Ross subsequently awakes to find himself back on earth in a EUROSEC hospital. Exactly what happened and how is he back home? Journey to the Far Side of the Sun is like an expanded episode of the Twilight Zone and boasts great production design by Century 21 Studios under the direction of special effects genius Derek Meddings. The miniature work is outstanding. There is also a rousing score by longtime Anderson collaborator Barry Gray. Gray always expressed what was happening on screen quite clearly in his music, scoring in a very narrative fashion. The highlight of the film is a pre-credit sequence where scientist and spy Dr Hassler (Herbert Lom) removes a camera hidden in his glass eye and develops photographs of secret files. Gray’s flamboyant score featuring an Ondes Martenot works perfectly with the onscreen gadgetry and red light illumination of the dark room.
For further thoughts on cult movie music, please see previous posts Cult Movie Soundtracks and More Cult Movie Soundtracks.
Star Trek Online: The Agony of Choice
Today I finally earned the requisite amount of campaign progress to be eligible for a free ship in the MMORPG Star Trek Online. It’s taken eight months or so to achieve this and I’ve played doggedly through the Voth Advance, Tholian Trouble and the Defense of Pahvo, multiple times to gain the maximum 3,500 campaign progress. Despite having plenty of time to decide which of the multiple reward options I would take, when actually confronted with a choice, I found it quite difficult to do so. Because there are a LOT of ships available in this game. So many in fact that making a choice becomes problematic. You find yourself not wanting to make a mistake so you end up down the rabbit hole of “researching ships”. Naturally, there are no definitive best ships in the game, although there are many that favour specific play styles and have certain benefits. Opinions vary and so you quickly find yourself just confused, cautious and even a little annoyed at being “ put in such a position”.
Today I finally earned the requisite amount of campaign progress to be eligible for a free ship in the MMORPG Star Trek Online. It’s taken eight months or so to achieve this and I’ve played doggedly through the Voth Advance, Tholian Trouble and the Defense of Pahvo, multiple times to gain the maximum 3,500 campaign progress. Despite having plenty of time to decide which of the multiple reward options I would take, when actually confronted with a choice, I found it quite difficult to do so. Because there are a LOT of ships available in this game. So many in fact that making a choice becomes problematic. You find yourself not wanting to make a mistake so you end up down the rabbit hole of “researching ships”. Naturally, there are no definitive best ships in the game, although there are many that favour specific play styles and have certain benefits. Opinions vary and so you quickly find yourself just confused, cautious and even a little annoyed at being “ put in such a position”.
There are three choices on offer. You can claim a ship from the Zen store, or a ship from the Infinity Lockbox which includes all the cross faction ships and vessels that are usually only available for a short period of time or found on the exchange at extortionate prices. Alternatively you can claim a fistful of Lobi Crystal, which is an in-game currency that lets you buy not only unique ships but consoles, ship weapons, ground gear and personnel. Lobi Crystals have the advantage of being bound to your account and so can be transferred between alts. If you claim a ship from either of the other two options associated with this promotional event, then they are bound to character. Essentially, these choices are better for players with fewers alts and may be one primary character. Luckily that is me in a nutshell. Although I have nine alts, one remains the focal point of my gaming and gets the best resources.
So after much deliberation, I found myself back where I started and decided upon the choice I had made several months ago while working through the campaign. I chose the Tier 6 Atlas Prototype Dreadnought Cruiser from the TOS era. Although this is a really stylish looking ship with a nice 23rd century aesthetic, I really just wanted it for the Universal Console. The Dynamic Power Redistributor Module offers +11.2 Energy Damage Resistance Rating and +17.8% Directed Energy Damage as a passive boost. It then has a "clickable" skill that gives +40% Bonus Damage (Reapplied every 1 second for 20 seconds as long as health is above 80%), +100 Bonus Damage Resistance Rating for 20 seconds and +500% hull regen per minute for 20 seconds. All with a 2 minute recharge. This is all well and good but once the console was equipped on my current ship and the Dreadnought Cruiser sent to Dry Dock, it did seem to deflate the sense of victory for completing this event and mitigate all the hard work. Perhaps I should have chosen something shiny that I was actually going to fly. C’est la vie or STO in this case.
Blogging: Do or Do Not
We are currently in the third week of the Blaugust 2021 Festival of Blogging Event. The current theme and writing prompt is staying motivated. Several of my colleagues have already tackled the subject. Kaylriene, Krikket, Naithin and Wilhelm Arturus. There’s certainly a lot to say on the point and people deal with it in their own, unique way. But to cut to the chase I think Bhagpuss has hit the nail on the head and has touched upon the heart of the matter. “If you need to go looking for motivation then you're already in trouble”. Yes, that’s a very good point. Blogging or writing creatively is both enjoyable and rewarding. But it requires focus and effort. Hence for a lot of people the prospect of doing it to a schedule is daunting and effectively determines how they continue to blog. But that’s fine. There is nothing wrong with being an intermittent blogger. I follow numerous blogs of that kind. However, if you desire to write daily or on some other regular basis, then one of two things will happen. You will either do it or you will not.
We are currently in the third week of the Blaugust 2021 Festival of Blogging Event. The current theme and writing prompt is staying motivated. Several of my colleagues have already tackled the subject. Kaylriene, Krikket, Naithin and Wilhelm Arturus. There’s certainly a lot to say on the point and people deal with it in their own, unique way. But to cut to the chase I think Bhagpuss has hit the nail on the head and has touched upon the heart of the matter. “If you need to go looking for motivation then you're already in trouble”. Yes, that’s a very good point. Blogging or writing creatively is both enjoyable and rewarding. But it requires focus and effort. Hence for a lot of people the prospect of doing it to a schedule is daunting and effectively determines how they continue to blog. But that’s fine. There is nothing wrong with being an intermittent blogger. I follow numerous blogs of that kind. However, if you desire to write daily or on some other regular basis, then one of two things will happen. You will either do it or you will not.
Now I am sorry for going all “Yoda” on you all but I feel that this is an honest and realistic appraisal of the situation. Writing regularly requires discipline and there will be days when it does feel like a chore. You may feel uninspired and unfocused. However, if you still successfully manage to write something under such circumstances, then you do get a sense of immense satisfaction afterwards as you hit the publish button. As for the perennial discussion about writer’s block, I have argued in the past that there is always something to write about. More often than not it is a case of you just not wanting to write and you would rather go and do something else instead. Writer’s block does present itself as a convenient “get out of jail” card in such instances. But it also offers an opportunity to reflect upon your relationship with writing and how you want to progress.
If you genuinely want to write on the days when it is difficult then you have to sit down and come up with the germ of an idea. Once you have something written down you can focus upon expanding upon it. To start with, try adding a few points relating to it. Next if you begin to flesh out these ideas into sentences, before you know it, you have the foundations for a post. That’s how you power through these periods when you find writing to be an uphill struggle. It requires focus and determination to take that first step. To sit down at your keyboard and write that first word or sentence and start the process. And I think we all know in advance, whether we’re actually going to do that or not. If you’re not then that is fine. You haven’t failed. You’ve been honest with yourself. In fact you have found the level of writing that you’re comfortable with, which is an invaluable lesson.
Blogging isn’t an “all or nothing proposition”. You write what you want, how you want, when you want. Put aside what you think people might expect from you and focus upon your own needs. If you reach a point where writing is actually causing you anxiety then you need to stop and take stock of the situation. During the course of our lives we try lots of things. Sometimes we find that we like something and it becomes a regular part of our lives. Other times we give a new activity a go but discover that it is not for us, or that we will do it only occasionally, or only on our own particular terms. All of which is fine. So overall, I believe that motivation is a bit of a Red Herring. There are certainly things that you can do that will assist with your writing, such as picking the best time to write and doing so in an optimal environment. But essentially, I think your motivation to write to the level and schedule that suits you, is either there or it isn’t. A subconscious choice that has already been made. Hence, do or do not. There is no try.
Star Trek Online: Max Level Boost
In January this year, Star Trek Online ran the Klingon Recruitment Event to celebrate the streamlining and revision of all KDF content in the MMO. I created a Klingon Engineer and over the following weeks progressed to level cap. Let it suffice to say that the Klingon story arc is now greatly improved and has the sense of grandeur and melodrama that one expects. I then decided to buy the Legendary Klingon Defense Force Captain Bundle, mainly because I wanted a Tier 6 D7 Battlecruiser. I had tried to get by with an upgraded Tier 5 fleet version of this iconic ship but it was somewhat underpowered. So I purchased the bundle, unlocked the ship and went about the business of equipping it with the best gear I had at my disposal. The bundle also came with a Max Level Boost but as my existing Klingon character was already at level cap, I left this item unclaimed.
In January this year, Star Trek Online ran the Klingon Recruitment Event to celebrate the streamlining and revision of all KDF content in the MMO. I created a Klingon Engineer and over the following weeks progressed to level cap. Let it suffice to say that the Klingon story arc is now greatly improved and has the sense of grandeur and melodrama that one expects. I then decided to buy the Legendary Klingon Defense Force Captain Bundle, mainly because I wanted a Tier 6 D7 Battlecruiser. I had tried to get by with an upgraded Tier 5 fleet version of this iconic ship but it was somewhat underpowered. So I purchased the bundle, unlocked the ship and went about the business of equipping it with the best gear I had at my disposal. The bundle also came with a Max Level Boost but as my existing Klingon character was already at level cap, I left this item unclaimed.
Roll on April and Cryptic decided to re-run The Delta Recruitment Event. This time round you could create Federation, Romulan Republic and Klingon Defense Force characters and receive perks and benefits while levelling. So I rolled new alts from each faction and really enjoyed playing through the entirety of both the Federation and Romulan storylines. I managed to get both of these alts to level cap but ran out of “enthusiasm” when it came to the Klingon character, as I had already done something similar with this faction only three months previously. So poor old Lieutenant Rigah was left in the Vlugta Asteroid Field to mine Dilithium and function solely as a resource management alt. Until yesterday when I remembered that I had an unused Max Level Boost. So I relocated this Gorn character to Genalda Space Station, unequipped all items and utilised the boost.
The Good: The boost promptly takes you to the current level cap with minimal onscreen hassle. You don’t have to sit around waiting an eternity as confirmation messages fly across the screen (I’m looking at you LOTRO). Once the boost has completed its task you get a nice splash screen that summarises everything that you’ve been granted. This includes 36 x Inventory Slots, 12 x Bank Slots, 6 x Bridge Officer Slots and 2 x Starship Slots as well as 46 Skills Points and 15 Specialisation Points.
The Bad: The Ground Kit and Modules, along with the Space Weapons, Consoles and Ship Equipment are all decidedly lacklustre (as is the ground gear). They are all “very rare” quality, Mark XIV level and are of the kind you usually buy from a vendor. Frankly it would have been preferable if Cryptic had given you a larger quantity of Energy Credits (you get 1,000,000) and let you see what you could buy on The Exchange.
The Adequate: I was surprised to see that you get six bridge officers all pre-promoted to the rank of Commander, pre-equipped with Mk XIV Very Rare equipment and Very Rare-quality traits. This is actually quite useful, although you may wish to tinker with their individual builds before you’re content. The Projected Stasis Beam Universal Console is an acceptable “slot filler” until you find something more bespoke for your ship build. It’s a nice Star Trek TAS reference.
Overall, this Max Level Boost has proven okay and a convenient means to an end. It came with a bundle and was not something I specifically sought out. I’m not sure if I’d buy this if it was sold separately. Knowing how Cryptic tends to price things, it may not offer sufficient value for money. But in this specific situation it has served its purpose. At level 65 I can now access Task Force Operations, Red Alerts and Patrols, providing me with an alternative to just progressing through the story mission arcs once again. The equipment supplied is sufficient to keep me going until I can acquire superior reputation crafted gear. The account unlocks from previous events is also a good source of additional weapons, consoles and devices. And once this character has been played for 20 hours (they’re at 13 at present) I can claim the Tier 6 Bird of Prey that was made available for all alts during the Klingon Recruitment Event.
The Problem with “Adaptable” Recipes
It’s curious how some things that you think are simple and mundane, can turn into complex and time consuming problems. They go on to haunt you for years to come. In many ways such a scenario is a variation of the old idiom that “no good deed goes unpunished. So let me begin this story back in 2001 around Easter. A chance conversation arose about how people tend to buy cakes from the supermarket as opposed to making their own. This was just before baking shows became popular on TV. I subsequently referenced how my Mother used to make bread pudding back in the seventies. Needless to say, no sooner had I uttered those words, then I immediately desired the aforementioned dessert and it has been an albatross around my neck ever since. The problem isn’t that bread pudding is as rare as Tanzanite or rocking horse droppings. There are plenty of recipes available. Therein lies the rub. There are numerous regional and international variations. Too many in fact.
It’s curious how some things that you think are simple and mundane, can turn into complex and time consuming problems. They go on to haunt you for years to come. In many ways such a scenario is a variation of the old idiom that “no good deed goes unpunished. So let me begin this story back in 2001 around Easter. A chance conversation arose about how people tend to buy cakes from the supermarket as opposed to making their own. This was just before baking shows became popular on TV. I subsequently referenced how my Mother used to make Bread Pudding back in the seventies. Needless to say, no sooner had I uttered those words, then I immediately desired the aforementioned dessert and it has been an albatross around my neck ever since. The problem isn’t that Bread Pudding is as rare as Tanzanite or rocking horse droppings. There are plenty of recipes available. Therein lies the rub. There are numerous regional and international variations. Too many in fact.
So for those who are not familiar with the aforementioned “delicacy”, Wikipedia describes it thus. “Bread Pudding is a bread-based dessert popular in many countries' cuisines, made with stale bread and milk or cream, generally containing eggs, a form of fat such as oil, butter or suet, and depending on whether the pudding is sweet or savory, a variety of other ingredients. Sweet bread puddings may use sugar, syrup, honey, dried fruit, nuts, as well as spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, or vanilla. The bread is soaked in the liquids, mixed with the other ingredients, and baked”. They go on to mention a savoury version but that’s just crazy talk and the spawn of Beelzebub. So now that everyone’s au fait with bread pudding, I have spent the last twenty years trying to find a recipe that is close to how my Mother used to make it. Obviously, I asked her back in 2001 but she had mislaid the recipe. Subsequently interrogations have yielded less data as she is now in her nineties.
Now you may well be asking yourself, what exactly is the point I am trying to make here. Am I advocating that all family recipes should be committed to text and filed away for future reference. Well yes, but that is not my primary concern. I find that the sort of recipes that lend themselves to be “adapted” can be both a boon and a bane. Being able to easily expunge an ingredient that you don’t like and replace it with one that you do, without radically altering the dish, is a godsend. But some recipes have a tendency to be too flexible. Even nebulous. For example, Spaghetti Bolognese has many permutations. Chicken Tikka Masala is another. You could theoretically dine at a different Indian restaurant every day of the year, ordering the aforementioned dish and potentially have 365 meals of incredible diversity. Some may vary greatly from your expectations rendering them unpalatable. Conversely, a dish such as Beef Wellington is quite specific and doesn’t lend itself to radical augmentations.
Often one gains a liking for a particular meal either through dining together as a family or via a specific restaurant. Thus your perception and preferences for that meal are determined by the unique recipe of a family member or local chef. It can be confusing and sometimes even awkward, when you encounter somebody else’s version, especially if you don’t like their culinary interpretation. They might have removed the mushrooms or used shallots instead of regular onions. People can’t even agree as to the best way to make an omelette or even poach an egg. This is one of the reasons why fast food chains are so popular because they offer a homogeneous experience. A quarter pounder with cheese is virtually identical irrespective of whether you buy it from a McDonald’s in Kent or Aberdeenshire. It is comforting to know that you are going to have the same experience as last time, free from any “surprises”.
And so we return to the subject of Bread Pudding. I am finally reconciled to the fact that I shall never be able to recreate this dessert exactly as I experienced it in my youth. My Mother’s recipe has gone and so is my Mother in-law’s which came a very close second. I have however, discovered several variations that I do find quite palatable and the local Baker’s does one that is quite passable. I have even gone so far as to experiment myself and feel that using brown sugar and nutmeg are essential. As for the wider issues regarding “adaptable” recipes, I do tend to ask a lot more questions before ordering a meal in a restaurant. Most of the time, staff are happy to discuss what makes their version of a classic dish “different”. This often proves invaluable. Like many other things in life it’s best not to assume anything. Certainly don’t think, “I’ll order the Shepherd’s Pie. They can’t get that wrong”, because you’ll be surprised how they can.
Thoughts on Blogging Part 15
At the time of writing we are halfway through the Blaugust 2021 Festival of Blogging event. Whenever the subject of personal blogging is raised, there are those who immediately declare that “blogging is dead”. According to Google, out of 1.7 billion websites that currently exist worldwide, 500 million or so of those are blogs of some kind. These generate over 2 million blog posts daily. So I wouldn’t say that blogging per se is done and dusted. However it certainly has evolved considerably over the last 15 years. At the start of the current century blogging was a novel activity providing the means of keeping a personal journal online. Inevitably, popularity and ubiquity led to commercialisation and a necessity to monetise. There was a period of time when clicks, traffic and advertising could generate popularity as well as an income. But other forms of social media offering greater immediacy eventually usurped this potential. Now blogging is seen as more of a niche market activity or corporate tool.
Blogging is dead: At the time of writing we are halfway through the Blaugust 2021 Festival of Blogging event. Whenever the subject of personal blogging is raised, there are those who immediately declare that “blogging is dead”. According to Google, out of 1.7 billion websites that currently exist worldwide, 500 million or so of those are blogs of some kind. These generate over 2 million blog posts daily. So I wouldn’t say that blogging per se is done and dusted. However it certainly has evolved considerably over the last 15 years. At the start of the current century blogging was a novel activity providing the means of keeping a personal journal online. Inevitably, popularity and ubiquity led to commercialisation and a necessity to monetise. There was a period of time when clicks, traffic and advertising could generate popularity as well as an income. But other forms of social media offering greater immediacy eventually usurped this potential. Now blogging is seen as more of a niche market activity or corporate tool.
Blogging for pleasure: At present it is the microblogging site Tumblr that dominates the bloggersphere, hosting over 400 million blogs (WordPress hosts 60 million). However, this is not really a platform for in-depth, longform writing. Perhaps that is the main reason for blogging becoming less popular. Writing competently does require both skill and time. Modern social media platforms are the opposite, offering immediacy and brevity. Plus there is far more of a focus upon monetisation and building an audience these days. Hence many bloggers are choosing to write not so much about personal subjects but are pursuing material that is marketable, such as Lifestyle and Travel blogs. Product reviews are another popular subject. Yet despite the fact that there are many commercial prospects available, current data from Google indicates that only about 10% of all bloggers generate any income. Broadly speaking the primary motivation for personal blogging is passion, fandom and pleasure.
Amending existing posts: I wrote a blog post back in May of this year about how the RPG The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was fast approaching ten years old. At that time there was a lot of speculation but no definitive answer as to whether the game developer Bethesda were going to do anything formal to celebrate this anniversary. This has now changed and a Skyrim Anniversary Edition has now been announced. So I updated the post with an additional paragraph and added a date reflecting the amendment. I think that this is a valid policy, providing value for your readers and also maintaining your credibility as a writer. I think it’s especially important if you are writing about a news story and the facts are constantly being updated and possibly corrected. Updating or appending a post is also a useful form of self-promotion.
Changes in traffic sources: Squarespace has an integral analytical service which provides statistics and data for Contains Moderate Peril. I even have an app on my phone that I can check if I see fit. I also have the website linked to Google Analytics which generates and emails to me very useful monthly summary of website traffic. Over the last decade, due to the success of smartphones and tablets, there has been a major shift in how people browse the internet and consume content. Over 46% of those who visit Contains Moderate Peril, do so from a mobile device. Hence it is important as a blogger to ensure that the template you use for your blog is “responsive” and adapts and optimises your content for mobile platforms. There are various sites available that can test your template and provide a preview of what your blog looks like on a mobile device. I would recommend that that all new bloggers look into this to ensure that their site is responsive, so they do not unintentionally exclude potential readers.
The LOTROCommunity Forums to Close
One 1st June 2011, Turbine officially took back control of the European service of the MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online. Prior to this it was operated by Codemasters Online Gaming. There were several unique distinctions between the two services. Codemasters were far more proactive in running community events and they also maintained a totally separate set of forums, catering to their European customers. When LOTRO was consolidated in the US under the auspices of Turbine, the European forums faced closure and the loss of all the valuable game related data that they held. However, a private, fan maintained forum was quickly established by MueR and the old Codemaster data was archived. Over the next ten years the LOTROCommunity, as it was known, grew in membership and overtime found itself to be an independent alternative to the official LOTRO forums run by Turbine and later Standing Stone Games.
The LOTROCommunity Forums
One 1st June 2011, Turbine officially took back control of the European service of the MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online. Prior to this it was operated by Codemasters Online Gaming. There were several unique distinctions between the two services. Codemasters were far more proactive in running community events and they also maintained a totally separate set of forums, catering to their European customers. When LOTRO was consolidated in the US under the auspices of Turbine, the European forums faced closure and the loss of all the valuable game related data that they held. However, a private, fan maintained forum was quickly established by MueR and the old Codemaster data was archived. Over the next ten years the LOTROCommunity, as it was known, grew in membership and overtime found itself to be an independent alternative to the official LOTRO forums run by Turbine and later Standing Stone Games.
There was a point when there was a great deal of rivalry between the two communities. The official LOTRO forums were frequently moderated with a heavy hand and frankly any criticism, regardless of its validity, was quashed. The forums subsequently became dominated by a small cadre of bombastic LOTRO fanboys who hailed from the “if you’re not playing it the same as me, then you’re playing it wrong” school of thought. Hence the unofficial LOTROCommunity forums saw an influx of new members and became increasingly vocal in the way the MMO was run and how the official forums were moderated. Matters reached a head in mid 2013 when the Helm’s Deep expansion was being beta tested and it became clear that Mounted Combat, Epic Battles and the changes to the class "trait tree" system were far from good. Turbine circled the wagons and effectively stifled any relevant debate on these subjects and so the LOTROCommunity forums became a beacon of dissent and anger towards Turbine.
The Official LOTRO Forums
Gamers are a passionate bunch. MMO players may be more so, due to the long term investment required. Hence there were times when members of the LOTROCommunity were inflammatory and went out of its way to pick fights not only with Turbine but with specific players on the official forums that they saw as “shills” and “lick spittles”. There were occasions when members of one forum would surreptitiously create an account on the rival platform and indulge in some untrammeled trolling. Yet despite the sniping and the unpleasantries perpetuated by a handful of members, the LOTROCommunity was often a source of invaluable news, analysis and game related data. There was also some important information leaked by beta testers breaking NDAs. Turbine has always had a propensity for being unduly tight-lipped yet the LOTROCommunity was always there to fill in the blanks. Plus for a lot of the time, I enjoyed actively posting and participating there. I took a break when it got too partisan but there was always more good there than bad.
In recent years the LOTROCommunity has fallen into decline. Mainly because a lot of the core members simply stopped playing LOTRO and moved on to other games. There was a brief resurgence when Standing Stone Games extracted themselves from Turbine in December 2016. A further spike occurred during mid 2020 when the pandemic kept a lot of people at home and SSG made a lot of LOTRO content free. Overall it would appear that the LOTROCommunity has followed the lifecycle of LOTRO itself and has waxed and waned accordingly. There is now a core of dedicated players who keep the MMO ticking over but the general buzz around the game has declined. The official forums are now a lot quieter and the willingness for a flame war has long since diminished. Hence MueR has decided that its time to call it a day for the LOTROCommunity forums and it will close on 1st October 2021.
The Archived Codemasters LOTRO Forums
I don’t know what will happen to the archived data from Codemasters that is still preserved there, nor do I know how long the forums themselves will stay online. But it does smack of the end of an era, although this may seem trivial to those who have not been active LOTRO players or immersed at any point in the games wider community. I can recollect a time when I would sit up late burning the midnight oil, trawling through threads on the LOTROCommunity forums, investing possibly a little too much time into heated debates. LOTRO was my first MMO and it has played a major part in my personal gaming experience. I’ve blogged frequently about the game and got into podcasting because of it as well. The LOTROCommunity forums have also contributed greatly to this overall experience. So thank you MueR for running the site for so long. Good luck with your future endeavours. It feels odd for an MMO to outlive its fan related forum but that’s the way it is. Nothing lasts forever.
Would You Rather? - The Gaming Edition
Ah, there’s nothing like an internet questionnaire to help you out when you’re scratching your head, desperately trying to think of something to write about. I don’t consider Blaugust to be complete unless there’s at least one of these “question and answer” style blog posts doing the rounds. This one is courtesy of Krikket over at Nerd Girl Thoughts. Do go and have a look at their unique take on the various questions. Naithin has also tackled this line of enquiry and you can find his answers at Time to Loot. As ever I tend to deviate from the somewhat binary nature of the questions but that’s the whole point, isn’t it? To open up the scope of the discussion and potentially encourage others to join in. This is why I like these sorts of internet questionnaires and think they contribute much to Blaugust.
Ah, there’s nothing like an internet questionnaire to help you out when you’re scratching your head, desperately trying to think of something to write about. I don’t consider Blaugust to be complete unless there’s at least one of these “question and answer” style blog posts doing the rounds. This one is courtesy of Krikket over at Nerd Girl Thoughts. Do go and have a look at their unique take on the various questions. Naithin has also tackled this line of enquiry and you can find his answers at Time to Loot. As ever I tend to deviate from the somewhat binary nature of the questions but that’s the whole point, isn’t it? To open up the scope of the discussion and potentially encourage others to join in. This is why I like these sorts of internet questionnaires and think they contribute much to Blaugust.
Q: Would you rather play games only on console? OR Would you rather play games only on PC?
A: It very much depends upon the game. I recently bought a Nintendo Switch to be able to have access to games such as Mario Kart 8. Playing games of this variety with a controller is ideal. However, I find that playing some game franchises on a PC is preferable, such as Assassin’s Creed. Both platforms serve specific purposes and occupy a particular niche. As I’ve written previously, I made the change from console to PC gaming roundabout 1995, although for a few years I used both platforms equally. I do find console exclusive titles a little frustrating although from a business perspective I see the sense of them. This is why I was both surprised and pleased when Days Gone was unexpectedly ported from the PS5 to the PC. However, all things considered PC gaming is my platform of choice and the majority of the games that I own are for this format.
Q: Would you rather play only singleplayer games? OR Would you rather only play multiplayer games?
A: I am predominantly disposed towards singleplayer games, as your enjoyment and progress are not in any way dependent on other people. However, I have spent many a happy hour in the company of friends in an MMORPG. Out of all the varieties of multiplayer games, that is the genre I enjoy the most. Mainly because your interaction is with established colleagues who are a known quantity and there is less scope for drama and shenanigans. Although I will play games such as Call of Duty: Warzone, it is a lottery as to whether you’re going to have an enjoyable and productive time, due to the random grouping that occurs and the overall nature of pickup groups. I think that multiplayer games, where possible, should always have an AI bot option.
Q: Would you rather play only games you already own? OR Would you rather play only games you would need to still acquire?
A: The grass is always greener, especially with regard to games you do not own and that everyone else is playing. I have numerous game libraries spanning multiple platforms filled with games that I haven’t yet played. And then there is the Epic Game Store which regularly gives away premium titles. Do I really need them? No. Do I still acquire them? Yes. I suppose what this ultimately highlights is the ephemeral nature of video games. A game is the talk of the internet one day and then six months later, very much yesterday’s news. However, if you’re content to play titles that others may consider “old hat”, then you’ll have plenty of good and reasonably priced games to play through.
Q: Would you rather play only games that challenge you mentally? OR Would you rather play only games that challenge you physically?
A: I primarily play games for entertainment. That may include a degree of both mental and physical challenge. However, I tend to avoid games that are based exclusively upon either of these two options. I no longer play complex platformer games where rhythm and coordination are paramount as I find them frustrating. I don’t like games that are rife with puzzles or require you to manage numerous resources because to me that simply isn’t fun, it’s a job. I don’t mind a challenge in a game but I don’t actively seek those titles that are comparable to the labours of Hercules. I don’t seek or require personal validation through success in a video game. I have, however, fallen off my chair playing Mortal Kombat.
Q: Would you rather play only long / endless games? OR Would you rather play only games that are less than 20 hours long?
A: Again both types of games have their virtues. I like MMOs as they do grow in content over time and their longevity offers the illusion of stability and routine, which is very comforting. However, I like games that can be completed in 20 or thirty hours. Some RPGs can outstay their welcome, narratively speaking. As ever with video games, what I play is very much dependent upon my frame of mind.
Q: Would you rather play only games released in the last 10 years? OR Would you rather play only games released more than 10 years ago?
A: ’m not overly enamoured with the binary nature of this question, as I play both old and new games. Furthermore, there are numerous games from a decade ago that still hold up incredibly well. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Mass Effect 2 and L.A. Noire for example. However, from a logical perspective, sticking with newer games is by far the better option. Older games get reboots or remasters and there is always a continuous output of new material. Hence, this choice is the best of both worlds.
Sleep
A cursory Google search on the subject of sleep will instantly regale you with a wealth of trivia on the subject. 12% of people dream entirely in black and white. Two thirds of a cat's life is spent asleep. A giraffe only needs 1.9 hours of sleep a day, whereas a brown bat needs 19.9 hours a day. Humans spend 1/3 of their life sleeping. The record for the longest period without sleep is 11 days. Trivia aside, sleep is an important function for both the mind and body. It has multiple restorative benefits and is essential to a person’s wellbeing. Furthermore, most people’s relationship with sleep changes over the course of their life. Often as children, we resent sleep. I still do to a degree. It does seem a waste of valuable time. Conversely, as we get older the virtue of a good night’s sleep becomes something to embrace and even enjoy. And by the time we reach our dotage sleep often becomes a leading factor in life, bordering on a default position. However, whatever your thoughts on sleep, the moment you have difficulties with it, you have a serious problem.
A cursory Google search on the subject of sleep will instantly regale you with a wealth of trivia on the subject. 12% of people dream entirely in black and white. Two thirds of a cat's life is spent asleep. A giraffe only needs 1.9 hours of sleep a day, whereas a brown bat needs 19.9 hours a day. Humans spend 1/3 of their life sleeping. The record for the longest period without sleep is 11 days. Trivia aside, sleep is an important function for both the mind and body. It has multiple restorative benefits and is essential to a person’s wellbeing. Furthermore, most people’s relationship with sleep changes over the course of their life. Often as children, we resent sleep. I still do to a degree. It does seem a waste of valuable time. Conversely, as we get older the virtue of a good night’s sleep becomes something to embrace and even enjoy. And by the time we reach our dotage sleep often becomes a leading factor in life, bordering on a default position. However, whatever your thoughts on sleep, the moment you have difficulties with it, you have a serious problem.
Until fairly recently, I’ve had increasingly poor-quality periods of sleep. There were multiple reasons for this, including me staying up too late, too much light coming into the bedroom and the fact that the bed was over a decade old. The mattress was far from comfortable. I would go to bed between 1:00 and 2:00 AM and then struggle to settle and sleep. Outside activity in the street, such as people leaving for work would further disturb me. I live in a bungalow and the bedrooms are in the front of the property. So back in January 2019, a new bed was bought during the sales. As both the bed frame and mattress from Hypnos were made to order, we had to wait a month before they were delivered. However, upon arrival, the new mattress and base had a transformative effect upon the quality of my sleep. Also the curtains in the bedroom were replaced with ones with a heavier blackout lining, which not only cut out ambient light but reduced noise.
Hence over the last two years the quality of my sleep has improved greatly. I now own a Huawei Smartband which monitors a wealth of bodily metrics including sleep. I can’t vouch for the veracity of the number it assigns as a sleep rating but it shows a consistently high number within its own scale. I broadly take this to be a good sign. Certainly, until I caught COVID-19, my sleep patterns have proven stable and refreshing. Now I have a tendency to still awake feeling tired. However, this is more to do with my wider health which is currently being investigated and not in any way a reflection upon my sleep pattern. I have also started going to bed a little earlier, usually about midnight and aim for a solid 7 hours sleep. I find that making an early start at around 7:30 AM is good for my productivity. I certainly find writing first thing in the morning a lot easier than late at night.
Although the importance of a suitable bed for a good night’s sleep should not be understated, there are other factors that also should be considered. Light and noise levels, I’ve mentioned already. Ventilation and temperature are two others. Hydration is a consideration as well. Though you should not drink too much beforehand for obvious reasons. Going to bed when one is ready is another point to consider. Sometimes it is important to unwind and decompress before turning in, especially if you’ve been mentally engaged prior to this. A little light reading helps some or a phone game. All these factors can be controlled to a degree and you need to find what is right for you. However, there are some aspects that you cannot manage as well. The biggest being sharing a bed with another person. Differing sleep habits and patterns can be a major bone of contention but that is a completely separate blog post. For a good night’s sleep, focus upon what you can change and then do so. You won’t regret it.
Guild Wars 2: Once Bitten, Twice Shy
When Guild Wars 2 launched in the summer of 2012, I was very enthusiastic about the game on the Contains Moderate Peril podcast. I had participated in the beta and was impressed by many of the game's mechanics and its overall accessibility. Although I did not expect the game to be the focal point of my gaming activities, I (and many others I suspect) felt that this casual MMO had a lot to offer and would become a firm favourite. And that was pretty much the case up until 2015 when the first expansion, Heat of Thorns, was released. I have written in the past about how this new content changed the nature of Guild Wars 2 and contradicted its existing laissez-faire approach to solo game play. I didn’t want content gated behind skills I didn’t enjoy earning, Nor did I want my access to zones subject to player unlocks and thus making my gaming activities dependent on others. Hence I parted company with the MMO and have not returned.
When Guild Wars 2 launched in the summer of 2012, I was very enthusiastic about the game on the Contains Moderate Peril podcast. I had participated in the beta and was impressed by many of the game's mechanics and its overall accessibility. Although I did not expect the game to be the focal point of my gaming activities, I (and many others I suspect) felt that this casual MMO had a lot to offer and would become a firm favourite. And that was pretty much the case up until 2015 when the first expansion, Heat of Thorns, was released. I have written in the past about how this new content changed the nature of Guild Wars 2 and contradicted its existing laissez-faire approach to solo game play. I didn’t want content gated behind skills I didn’t enjoy earning, Nor did I want my access to zones subject to player unlocks and thus making my gaming activities dependent on others. Hence I parted company with the MMO and have not returned.
Since then, there has been a second expansion, Path of Fire, which added mounts to the game as well as new content. I believe that this expansion was more equitable than the previous and friends and colleagues have assured me that I can return to the game and bypass the material I didn’t previously like. However, this still did not prove sufficient to tempt me back to the game in 2017 as I felt that Guild Wars 2 was simply one of those games that just wasn’t applicable to me any longer. All too often when I return to an MMO that I have previously left, I enjoy a few hours of excitement mainly due to all the things that have been added to the game in my absence. Then after a while, I find that all the things I didn’t like are still there, or that there is a massive progression gap to be overcome before I can join my friends at the endgame. I believe we as gamers, have an inherent blind spot where we substitute the reality of a situation with what we would “like” a game to be.
There is now a third expansion for Guild Wars 2 on the horizon. Provocatively called End of Dragons. Despite my past experience and the fact that the MMO genre has evolved greatly since the launch of this game, I have a worrying urge to re-install the game and see what is “going on”. The rational part of my mind predicts that I’ll spend an evening downloading the game client, log in to my primary character in Divinity’s Reach and then spend some time riding around on my flying carpet. I’ll quickly establish that the game is not really that different than before and then promptly log out. I did exactly the same with The Secret World: Legends, Star Wars: The Old Republic and Neverwinter. But the irrational part of my mind is adamant that I’m missing out on “the best MMO around” and that “it’s way better than last time” and I really do need to check things out. I’m curious to see which point of view wins, although common sense urges that it should be the former.
Job Hierarchies and Thoughts on Employment
I appreciate that this is a somewhat ponderous blog title but I’m trying to consolidate several ideas and streams of thoughts into one post. So to begin with it is the third week of the Blaugust 2021 Festival of Blogging event. Specifically it’s “Developer Appreciation Week”. At first glance a laudable undertaking. An opportunity to praise the developers of a game that’s close to your heart. However, given the current debacle with Blizzard Entertainment, I think there’s a conversation to be had about how fans virtual deification of specific developers of World of Warcraft and how treating them like rock stars, may well have had some bearing on their subsequent misdemeanours. I would in fact go further and say that the video game industry is another sector of work, like film, TV, music and sport that is perceived to be glamorous, aspirational and generally put on a pedestal. Fans lose sight of the fact that these companies have a lot of staff who don’t get any kudos and endure tough working conditions. Just like more conventional jobs.
I appreciate that this is a somewhat ponderous blog title but I’m trying to consolidate several ideas and streams of thoughts into one post. So to begin with it is the third week of the Blaugust 2021 Festival of Blogging event. Specifically it’s “Developer Appreciation Week”. At first glance a laudable undertaking. An opportunity to praise the developers of a game that’s close to your heart. However, given the current debacle with Blizzard Entertainment, I think there’s a conversation to be had about how fans virtual deification of specific developers of World of Warcraft and how treating them like rock stars, may well have had some bearing on their subsequent misdemeanours. I would in fact go further and say that the video game industry is another sector of work, like film, TV, music and sport that is perceived to be glamorous, aspirational and generally put on a pedestal. Fans lose sight of the fact that these companies have a lot of staff who don’t get any kudos and endure tough working conditions. Just like more conventional jobs.
There has always been a hierarchy of jobs in the public consciousness, although logically all forms of employment are essentially the same in principle. People providing a service in return for money. But life doesn’t exclusively operate within logical parameters. Hence vocational and professional jobs come with a lot of cultural baggage. Rightly or wrongly, the moment you declare to someone what you do for a living, they will instantly make assumptions and judgments about you. Often these will be erroneous or spurious but this sadly is the prevailing trend. Cleaners, carers, shop workers all do essential and invaluable work (as 2020 clearly highlighted). Yet such work is often frowned upon by certain parts of the population. Despite the fact that many who work in such sectors do so out of necessity and may well be overqualified. In fact there are stereotypes associated with jobs of all spectrum. Academia, working in the law and banking being seen as the prerogative of the rich. Estate agency (real estate) being seen as “barrow boys” and chancers. Oh and IT is exclusively populated by the socially dysfunctional.
During the course of my lifetime, the job market has evolved and changed rapidly. Applying for jobs in the eighties was a very formal process. Hand written applications and questionnaires were used to filter candidates, prior to interview by panel. Vacancies were predominantly advertised in newspapers, recruitment agencies or the government run “Job Centres”. Qualifications gated many positions, even for the most entry level administrative roles. When I started working for the DWP in 1990 on the first rung of the ladder, you still needed to have 3 GCE “O” level exams with passing grades. Nowadays, the job market is far more fast paced and like so many things, now predominantly handled online. Having a customisable curriculum vitae (or resume), that can be tailored to specific applications is essential. Sadly, the new job market has little room for feedback. Most applications never garner any sort of response. Keyword searches eliminate those who are not relevant and such automated services do not generate a polite “sorry you weren’t successful” letter.
However, these major changes to the overall employment landscape has led to an increasing amount of job homogenisation. Especially here in the UK where traditional industries have been replaced with service ones. Hence we have seen an increase in employment dissatisfaction and the rise of so-called “bullshit jobs”. I am currently reading a book on the subject by American anthropologist David Graeber. He contends that “over half of societal work is pointless and becomes psychologically destructive when paired with a work ethic that associates work with self-worth”. Graeber describes five types of meaningless jobs, in which workers pretend their role is not as pointless or harmful as they know it to be: flunkies, goons, duct tapers, box tickers, and taskmasters. He argues that the association of labour with virtuous suffering is recent in human history, and proposes universal basic income as a potential solution. I certainly wouldn’t argue against these things having had such positions in my career.
Hence we return to the jobs that are perceived as aspirational or a means to bypass the rat race, or at the very least, manage it on your own terms. Many young people look to social media as a means of escaping the fate of their parents. Because the social contract that has existed in most western societies in the post World War II era has been proven false. If you study, work hard and live within your means you’ll be able to raise a family, afford a home and the state will assist you in your autumn years. Young people know first hand that this is a lie. Many modern jobs have no formal working hours, no employee protection or rights and pay insufficient to keep an individual, let alone a family. Bullshit jobs are rife and work is a treadmill. Which is why the allure of being an “influencer” is so strong. And why a rock star game developer who gets to write really cool games and hangout at conventions and trade shows is infinitely preferable to toiling in a call centre and having to ask your 30 year old, sociopath boss if you can go to the bathroom.
There’s a good chance that I may have to return to the workplace when my caring duties end. Let it suffice to say that such a prospect does not fill me with glee. It is highly unlikely that I will seamlessly resume a career in IT and at comparable rates to what I was earning in 2016. Although the law is supposed to prevent discrimination, I’m certain my age will work against me as will no doubt my health. Furthermore, I’m not sure if my personality is cut out for the modern workplace which has become a much more complicated socio-political environment. Hence working from home and the gig economy is an obvious solution, although many creative forms of work have been devalued by internet culture. Writing for money is certainly not an immediate path to fortune and glory. People expect “all that” for free nowadays.
Therefore, if you are one of the minority of people who are actively employed in a job you actually enjoy, then count yourself very fortunate. The rest of society either just tolerates their employment and employer or actively hates them. Condemned to carry out arbitrary and pointless tasks, for people who just see them as an asset or a resource. The modern day workplace is often an endless grind and in some examples a form of indentured slavery. Oh and with regard to Blaugust, rather than thinking about those high profile game developers, who love to preen themselves on stage at E3, spare a thought for all the other staff that do the nuts and bolts work and never get a name check. It would appear they get put upon, ripped off and abused, just as much as the guy who delivers your pizza or the lady who works the checkout at your local store.