A week of yet more exam preparation while embracing the whiteboard life. Time to get organised!

VanMoof-ing Nowhere?

That subtitle is a little bit of an exaggeration, although it serves to illustrate the continuing issues with my VanMoof S3. It has completely changed the way I get to work for the better, and saved me time and preserved my sanity while the traffic has ground to a halt in the vicinity of Derriford Hospital. It effortlessly tows the Burley Honey Bee with Evie and her stuff inside, albeit with no gear changes.

I received the replacement e-shifter from VanMoof which I fitted the other night, but I’m still getting an error 44 (bad communication between the bike and the e-shifter). This was a concern of mine before buying the bike but I hoped I would be one of the lucky ones with no major setbacks. A second replacement is on its way, although I doubt that’s the real problem. I suspect it needs a proper look over by a technician, but that’s a faff and they’re trying to eliminate the easily addressed causes of the problem.

The Whiteboard Life

Following on from the whiteboard quest, we hung the board in the conservatory in a prominent location. It’s hard to get away from the to-do list but at least something is holding me to account. I’ve already started to work my way down the list. The next one will be fitting the stair gate, followed by passing the exam. Once I’m post-exam I’ll be working through the list more intensely.

Part of getting organised means getting the booze organised as well. We’ve got quite a collection of spirits and liqueurs now which should probably be hidden away from sunlight and small hands. I’ve been thinking about making a spirit rack to go with the wine glass rack in the alcove, or making a little covered area in the neighbouring bookcase. A booze-case? Post-exam I’m also going to fit a wine rack under the stairs to keep the bottles at a better temperature.

Bioshock to the System…shock?

I’ve hit a stumbling block with a difficult section in Hollow Knight and it’s not exactly chill escapism if you get obliterated every few minutes. I needed something else to take my mind off academic matters, and after a discussion with Sarah, we started a new game in Bioshock on the PS4. We’re only a few minutes in, but my memories of playing the game back when it was launched rushed back.

The opening sequence is one of the best in the history of gaming and still looks great over a decade later. Granted this is the remastered version, but I vividly remember thinking I was still in a cutscene when the prompt to move popped up. The story takes on a completely different feel when you know who the key players are and how things shake out. I’m looking forward to rediscovering this classic, and if you’re never picked it up, I urge you to give it a try. And if you’re wondering what the subtitle is about, Bioshock is a spiritual successor to System Shock 2, another interesting game.