I feel tired this week but I also feel good. I had some good news on Tuesday when I found out that I passed my apprenticeship. Not only that but I got a distinction! Part of me is sure this has something to do with the fact that I’m about twice as old as the typical apprentice and have made it through an Undergraduate and Postgraduate degree. However, I’m choosing not to focus on that and, instead, am focusing on my achievement. Something my boss isn’t doing. I’ve only heard from one person I work with since I got my grade, which really sums up their whole attitude towards the whole thing. I’m not letting it get me down. I feel great about what I achieved and how I achieved it. Now I just need to start thinking about the next chapter. It’s a shame that Covid-19 has made that more difficult than I’d have liked.

Weekly Blog Posts

• BOOK REVIEW – Black Klansman by Ron Stallworth

This was my virtual book club’s pick for this month. The book club is intended to be about reading books that are less than 200 pages so everyone can fit it in their schedule. I normally do okay at keeping on track but I struggled with this one. In fact, we all did. This was the first time that the meeting had to be postponed so we could finish. It’s not that the story isn’t good. After all, I bloody loved the film. The book just didn’t grip as much as I had hoped. Check out my review to find out why.

• TUESDAY REVIEW – Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)

I had mixed thoughts about this film going in. On the one hand, it’s Will Ferrell who manages to make even the weakest narrative funny. On the other, it was a Netflix comedy. Would it be another in a long line of forgettable Netflix Original film content? Or would Will Ferrell be able to make this as funny as some of his classics? Read my review to find out.

• BOOK REVIEW – The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend

Are there any books that you’ve heard numerous great things about but never read? I think Adrian Mole is somewhat iconic in terms of coming-of-age literature. At least in the UK. When Sue Townsend died in 2014, there were so many people talking about much the writer and the eponymous character meant to them. I don’t know how it happened ut I missed Adrian Mole. I just never had a desire to read it. At least until I realised I would never finish another book in time for this review. Then I got the audiobook and started listening. Head over to my review to see if I’ve been missing something great.

• TBT REVIEW – This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

After watching a terrible comedy about a band this week, I decided that I needed to counter it by watching a great comedy about a band. When you talk about comedy films, there isn’t always a great deal of overlap in people’s tastes. However, there are a handful of funny movies that everyone agrees on. This Is Spinal Tap is one of them. It’s been a while since I watched it, so I had to find out if it still lived up. If you’re feeling nostalgic then check out my review.

Just Read

• Black Klansman by Ron Stallworth

I finally finished this book just in time for my book club meeting on Monday. Thankfully, I wasn’t the only one who had been disappointed. We all agreed that the story was good but that Ron Stallworth wasn’t really a natural writer. I guess spending years writing police reports didn’t prepare him for a literary career.

• Fortunately, the Milk by Neil Gaiman

I was one book behind my normal schedule this week because of Ron Stallworth’s memoir, so I wanted to find a quick read to get my numbers back up. I know it’s a really superficial reason to pick up a book but I enjoyed this short little read. It’s weird and crazy. Basically, classic Gaiman. It would definitely be a great book for a young reader.

Currently Reading

• The Spectrum of Sex by Hida Viloria and Maria Nieto

After the whole JK Rowling stuff, I wanted to read more of the science about sex and gender. I mean, the only way that I was going to be able to argue my point of view was having cold hard facts to back it up. I decided to start with this one. For one thing, it’s fairly short, which is good. For another, it was written by one of the world’s leading intersex activists and a highly respected scholar in biological sciences. I figured this would mean the book would find a good balance between science and a more personal view. It’s an interesting book but is taking me a bit of time to get into. I’m always like this with non-fiction.

• Slay by Brittney Morris

I’ve been exhausted this week and it’s been difficult to get the energy to read of an evening. So, I decided to start this book accompanied by the audiobook. I wanted something more lightweight and silly to read alongside my non-fiction pick. I’m not entirely sure where the Back Panther links are coming from but it’s not a terrible book. At least so far.

Recently Purchased

I’m fairly sure I’ve not bought anything this week. Okay, I did buy the audiobook of Slay because I’ve been too tired to read.

Recently Watched

• TV:
  • Black Books – I’ve been rewatching the first series of this fantastic show. Although, watching it now makes me a bit sad that Graham Linehan has come out as a massive transphobe. I’m glad that Twitter kicked him off. The world doesn’t need his toxic and vicious anti-trans rhetoric.
  • Ink Masters – I haven’t watched much TV this week but I have started another series of this ridiculous show. I don’t know what it is but I love these shows. Take an ordinary profession, make it competitive, and I’m hooked.