Week In Review 2026-07-25
This update covers Sunday 07-19-26 through Saturday 07-25-26 (icon Glossary, if needed).
LIFE
- 🈁 Prepping for a purge.
- 📕 L. had her first colonoscopy on Friday 07-24. I altered my schedule to support her preparation and the procedure.
- 📜 I saw a big train on Monday 07-20!
- ❤️🩹 Relatively uneventful week overall. My vein assessment came back without any worrisome reports; a follow-up appointment will happen on Monday 07-27. L. has a follow-up screening in another 3-6 months, as one of the polyps removed was deemed "precancerous."
EXPLORE
- 🎨 I wrote my last JulyReply post: “Re: Online Friends Are Real Friends” on Thursday 07-23. When my payout from the medical study comes forth, I will use the money to buy a Minolta 35mm film camera, with the model to be determined later.
- 🔬 I’m running the Public Beta 2 for iOS 27 and macOS 27 Golden Gate, as well as the HomePod 27 Public Beta. True to what I said last week, I purchased Aphera (macOS) on Sunday 07-19. Deleted a few additional apps from my iPhone: Verizon Call Filter, My Verizon, and Kayak.
- 🪟 On Monday 07-20, L. & I watched the Union Pacific 4014 “Big Boy” train steam through nearby Valley Park on its way to central Missouri. I captured a 50-second video and two photos with my film camera, as my Sony camera had its batteries die within seconds of its arrival. Beyond that event, there were usual stopovers at Living Room on Wednesday 07-22 and Side Project Cellar on Thursday 07-23. Friday 07-24 was all about L.’s colonoscopy appointment in the morning, with lots of rest and recovery to follow that day and the next.
MEDIA
- 📰 Range anxiety, The Verge. Bloomington-Normal is one of the more successful areas in Illinois that isn’t Chicago or even the St. Louis suburbs. Between two universities and an insurance headquarters, there’s a lot on offer in these two twinned cities. Rivian’s main base is located here, which is where they are drawing up plans for future models that can make or break the company. I hope Rivian can navigate the anti-EV headwinds in the US and become a successful player, but the article doesn’t shy from the overall challenges this company faces.
- 📰 Japan PM Takaichi's '0-3 hours sleep' post draws criticism across party lines, The Mainichi. Japan logs record compensation payouts for karōshi and work-related illnesses, Japan Times. Another 2-for-1 deal, and it’s easy to see how these two articles are related. Something tells me that the criticism faced by Takaichi wouldn’t really exist if her comments were said by any other (male) Prime Minister. Instead, this male PM would be praised for their dedication, then when they drop dead from overwork, they’d quietly receive the payout mentioned herein.
- 🎬 Napalm Death: Tiny Desk Concert, NPR. There’s no way I could pass up the chance to see a mosh pit form at a Tiny Desk Concert. Also, it’s hard to believe that Barney is 57, as he looks far too healthy for a man who has played in metal bands for almost 40(!) years.
- 🎬 A 21-Hour Trip on Japan’s Newest Ferry from Hokkaido to Kyoto | Kyaki Shin Nihonkai Ferry, It's Time to Travel🇯🇵 / 旅する時間. Our high-low rollers take a rare ferry trip, a venture usually covered by other Japanese tourism videographers. I appreciate how Japanese ferries cover a middle ground between basic transportation and vacation cruising, meaning that you can go as cheap or expensive as possible during a relatively short trip. A 21-hour trip is on the longer side for the ferries, so I understand why this couple went for a more luxurious cabin on the trip.
WORK
- 🏥 My boss was out on vacation this week, which he honestly deserves as he’s someone who I think of as a potential victim of karōshi. The week was relatively quiet again, though on Thursday 07-23, I started up my quarterly upgrade procedure for the Epic mobile apps, a process that’s more tedious and exacting than challenging.
OTHER
- 🗣️ The in-laws told us on Sunday 07-19 they will be seeking out a senior care home in the next couple of years. Both their condo in Florida and their summer cabin in New Hampshire will be sold as part of the moving process. The future care home will most likely be in New Hampshire, though there is a remote possibility they could find some care homes on the Maine side of the NH/ME border. Both L. & I believe this move will happen sooner rather than later, as the in-laws have a history of quickly turning thoughts into action. The logistics of these various moves, property sales, and purges of belongings are rather prominent in our minds, with the thoughts of this care home being their final(?) residence less so. More to come, definitely.
NEXT
- 🔮 By the time this post gets published, I will have all of my new camera lenses on hand. I can start preparing for the camera swap later this year.
PICTURE
- 📸 In honor of L., here’s a photo from my first colonoscopy prep in April 2017, with a then-timely reference to Kendrick Lamar.
