Today has been mainly about getting things sorted for the week ahead. Both physically and psychologically.

I have my new desk and chair (Amazon Basics) plus an Anker USB-C hub. I dusted off the monitor and keyboard (unused in the two plus years since I left mySociety) made use of the brilliant ‘Hip Hop Saved My Life’ as a riser and even remembered I had bought a gaming headset for video conferences that I never use so found that. If only I could find a mouse! Amazon Basics incoming. I even have a little heater.

So give or take I am ready to spend a few weeks working from home.

On the mental side I tweeted –>

…and in response I took a little action. I have muted as many Coronavirus related words as I can think of from Twitter. Thanks to Libby I am testing a Chrome extension that hides those same words from the BBC News website (there isn’t much left!). I have used Blocksite to block the Guardian and a couple of other sites that I regularly check the news from. This isn’t about their content but of my lack of willpower. Constantly checking these sites is unhealthy.

To replace this I have signed up for the Guardian daily news summary email. I have also subscribed to the Athletic to get my fill of sports related content. I plan to also sign up to the Players Tribune newsletter when that is open again. I’m looking for recommendations for smart entertainment (movies and TV really) coverage – behind the scenes, features, investigations – not reviews or celeb stalking/shaming. Any ideas? I kind of feel like a lot of the interesting original content has shifted to podcasts but like radio before it that is a format I just don’t get on with. I might try again but I don’t hold out much hope.

Anyway lets see how it all goes. Bristol had its first Coronavirus fatality this weekend so that brings it closer to home than ever. I’m determined to at least try and occasionally stay positive though – thus the blogpost today and my ongoing mission for the sticker book.

Take care.