Google’s March Core update is looking like it has hit BTTR hard. I’ll wait and see how things play out, but it’s pretty exhausting.

I know it’s self-nominated, but I’m excited to see BTTR as a finalist for Best Independent Coverage at the IT Journalism Awards this year. Also happy to be a finalist for best technology reviewer.

Both are tough categories, so I’m going in with zero expectations and all fingers crossed.

I went out to take photos of some review products today in the Botanic Gardens. The local wildlife did not seem enthusiastic.

I’ve been playing through the _Mass Effect _trilogy for the past year and a bit 🎮. I’m in the end game stages of ME3, and I’m so emotional. I love these characters.

There’s a scene after one of the last missions where Tali - an alien character who has to live in a special suit to keep herself safe from infection - decides to get drunk after a mission.

It’s great, you have a nice conversation with her as she battles her demons. You only experience it if you opt to go to her after you complete that mission.

But then, after talking to Tali, I went to visit another character on the ship - the last survivor of a long-dead alien race who was in stasis for 50000 years before I saved him - and Tali was drunkenly talking to him over the ships intercom.

It was sweet, hilarious and cute at the same time.

There are so many of these little interactions between characters (and my character of course) that I really feel like I know them. It’s not something I’ve experienced in too many games.

I’m going to be sad when I finish it, that’s for sure.

Just ripped my second pair of shorts this month. You may think it’s because I’m gaining weight, but it probably has more to do with the fact I haven’t bought new shorts for about 10 years.

Aren’t 15 minute meetings that go for an hour grand? So productive!

How does a typo like this happen on a product’s box?

Published my review of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra yesterday afternoon on BTTR. It is an exceptional device, though not because of its AI functionality.

Making Beef Jerky for the first time in the Ninja Woodfire I’m pretty excited.

I am absolutely loving Lego at the moment. While I typically get most excited for the Star Wars stuff, this looks incredible!

I guess that’s the wife’s birthday present sorted…

Driving home got funnelled into an RBT. First officer did the test, asked if I had my licence and when I reached for it, said he believed me and waved me along… to the last officer, who made me get my licence out and tested me again. 😂

I have too many products to review. That isn’t a bad thing, it just means time management is important.

I suck at time management.

Finished Boba Fett today. Really love how there are subtle construction differences for similar features across the helmets.

Nothing like having Covid to give you time to get through a book.

Had to restart it. But too much politics for my liking, but overall a decent story.

Finished reading: Bloodline by Claudia Gray 📚

Last year, I started playing Good Sudoku’s daily challenges on a quest to get the yearly streak challenges.

Yesterday was day 364.

And I forgot to play…

Work

Finished the year with an Outer Rim win. First time playing with the expansion, which was a lot of fun. The great pirate, Hondo Ohnaka, could not be defeated. 🎲

Spent today with the Gerni and my mother in law’s house. Pretty knackered now, but everything looks much nicer.

We watched Days of Future Past with the kids the other night, so I was telling them about how the Quicksilver kitchen scene was created in Adelaide and how I got to go and see how it was done for this article.

And because I love me a good “year in review” roundup, here’s my Apple Music Replay 🎵