Q2 Updates: More Stuff Actually Done
Another quarter down, and looking at this list makes me realize I kept busy with the usual mix of productive work and random life maintenance.
Gardening Got Serious
The plant game stepped up this quarter. Got the glycine growing fast, planted sunflowers that actually grew, got non-food asparagus, and bottled my first two cider batches. We added a new jasmine and tried to add a eucalyptus baby blue to the collection, but.. this one did not want to join. Added sunflowers too. Made another batch of kvas and a third cider lot using organic supplies.
A couple of magpies nested in front of the kitchen - and we’re getting them to like cat kibble (?).
Travel and Conferences
Hit London for BSI meetings and Edinburgh for the OSHWA conference. Both trips were worth it - the Edinburgh one especially since I got to present the hardware work to people who actually cared about open source hardware. And of course, it’s been a great first time in Scotland, going as far as the Isle of Skye!
Flats maintenance
Finally got the apartment stuff moving - did the DPE redo, launched other diagnostics, and signed the compromis. Also helped with two different moving situations and some état des lieux. Real estate paperwork is still terrible, but it’s done. Soon close. One is already busy.
Hardware and Technical Work
Fixed the hardware code issues (v3 finally works properly), refreshed the website, and got the 16-element version request in. Did client presentations including one for John Farrow on edge sound detection that went well. Invoiced properly and kept the technical documentation updated.
Pro Bono and Standards Work
Got the ISO standards mapping finished, published the social media post, and submitted the Fresk paper (finally got it approved). Added Zisis data to the pbnbot and connected it to the new ISO37100 series standards. The knowledge graph is in its final version now.
Entertainment Overload
Watched way too many movies - highlights include Civil War, The Menu, Total Recall, and a bunch of terrible ones that were fun anyway. Read Adrian Tchaikovsky’s “Children of Memory” which was excellent. Caught up on Love Death + Robots 2025. Ashamed to say I’ve just closed Croque’s book, but hey, it was good!
And a bit of fun with hacking the ‘Invaders’ game.
Social Life Maintenance
Kept up with friends through dinners, drinks, and random hangouts. Did the Deep Sea Adventure with work colleagues, attended birthday parties, helped with moving, and made time for the usual MTG sessions with Filip (the gobs are done, slivers back, cats are OK, a nice blue one too, and we have now toxic and poison added - plus some combo deck).
Some lasergame sessions too! A nice complement to the CSGO sessions, and cheering racing colleagues at the Paris 10k.
And good restaurants, like at the Ogata (was delayed but finally, we did it!), saw la Zaz with SBO, Jiji, Féfé too, bday with Nes, went to see FabCaro.
What Worked
Breaking big projects into weekly chunks actually works. The apartment sale moved forward because I did one piece each week instead of procrastinating on the whole thing. Same with the hardware - steady progress beat bursts of frantic coding. The gardening stuff taught me patience again. You plant things, wait, and sometimes they grow. Sometimes they don’t. Either way, you learn something.
