Now

Living

As a part-time research data scientist at The University of Birmingham.
As a part-time consultant research neuroscientist with the Kymata Research Group at UCL.
As a part-time freelance graphic designer, working with the Our Shared Cultural Heritage project. A youth-led programme exploring the shared cultures and histories of the UK and South Asia.

The Shipping News, by Annie Proulx. It’s absolutely fabulous, and I’m taking my time over it. Not looking for a link to add because I don’t want to risk accidentally getting spoiled on it.
Typeset In The Future, by Dave Addey. Exactly my kind of coffee-table book. Well-researched and funny. This one’s in paper!
Robust Python, by Patrick Viafore. As an experienced — but entirely self-taught — Python programmer who has mainly worked alone, I’m perpetually worried that I’m falling into bad habits. In my new job I’m taking on a more senior role, so it’s important to me that I’m setting a good example. Not a huge amount of new stuff for me in here, but still worth the refresher.
The Age Of Surveillance Capitalism, by Shoshana Zuboff. Like a few other books in a similar vein which I’ve read, this feels like the author did a colossal amount of research, and felt the need to include it all within the text. Dense, extremely long, somewhat overwrought, a bit repetitive, but still of interest. I read this to get to sleep, but still enjoy it.
The King In Yellow, by Robert W. Chambers. Collection of Victorian horror short stories. Fun in a Lovecraft kind of way, but more funny. Dipping into it now and then.

I know this is a lot of books to be reading all at once. But some I dip in and out of, others I save for when I can read uninterrupted.

Shadows Over Loathing (Switch), by Asymmetric Games. I enjoyed the previous game, West of Loathing, a good deal. I liked Kingdom of Loathing back in the day. This is more of the same, and as well written as always.
Vampire Survivors (Mac), by Luca “poncle” Galante. It’s as fun as they say it is.
Honourable mention to Disco Elysium (Switch), by ZA/UM, which I’ve finished, but has stayed with me ever since.

Last updated: Friday 14th July, 2023. What’s a now page?