Weeknote 2025-W42: Magical and terrifying

Work

  • Wrote this weeknote on an airplane flying to Delhi. Magical and terrifying.
  • Zero progress on the novel this week. Instead, I spent most of my time rushing to doctors’ appointments, preparing for my Delhi trip, and collapsed facedown on my bed after driving across the city for three hours straight.
  • Next week is likely to be a wash, too.
  • I should probably check my calendar before I set writing goals.
  • I’m hoping to at least get some reading done. Looking forward to finishing Fingersmith and moving on to Close to the Machine: Technophilia and Its Discontents.

Not work

  • I’m mildly allergic to eucalyptus and English plantain. The allergies clog my nose when I’m outdoors, which makes me susceptible to upper respiratory infections. On my allergist’s recommendation, I’ve been taking supplements, regularly washing out my nose with a saline nasal spray, and using a nasal decongestant at night. Thanks to these treatments, I haven’t been sick as sick this year as I usually get. Last month, the allergist recommended that I start immunotherapy, which could fix my upper respiratory issues once and for all. So for the past few days, I’ve been putting a tiny drop of custom-made medication under my tongue right after I wake up. I can’t tell if it’s doing anything, because it feels like nothing.
  • To scratch my programming itch, I’ve started learning Clojure. I’m treating it the same way people treat Wordle or the daily crossword: an entertaining way to give my brain a vigorous workout. I’m not expecting to use it for production projects, at least not in the immediate future.
  • I wasted too many hours reading tech news last week, which is something I only do when I’m trying to hide from negative emotions. It’s not surprising. I’ve had a tumultuous few months. But thankfully I’m doing better this weekend, and I’ve set up an appointment with a therapist for when I get back home to Bangalore.
  • I don’t like being in Delhi. It’ve never felt at home there. But I’m looking forward to seeing my brother and parents after a while, and probably some cousins I haven’t seen in over a decade.