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Notes from February 2025

A digital scan of the covers of the journals I used during February, 2025. The first is the Field Notes ”Snowy Evening” edition pocket notebook, dark blue paper and white lettering and a unique snowflake design. The second is the DDC x Field Notes “Leap of Faith” edition pocket notebook, featuring neon orange paper with neon green foil lettering.

A big month for books

As I wrote about last month, I’m trying to challenge myself to pick up new habits this year, and so for February I’ve been trying to get back into reading daily again. I took a Sunday to resurrect my Calibre library and load up a new Kindle. But I definitely, absolutely, positively did not download any of those books illegally. 👀

I’ve managed to replace my beloved doomscrolling with reading before bed. As noted by my guy phil got books, one of two things tends to happen:

  1. I get so tired after reading 10 pages that I give up and go to sleep.
  2. I stay up another hour (or three) and crush a few chapters of what book(s) I’m reading.

Either outcome seems like a total win in my book, and it’s been working for me thus far. I’m literally juggling 8 (not a typo) books at the moment. I had set a goal to read 25 by the year’s end, but I have a feeling I might need to up the ante here.

Holos

In getting a little more serious about my diet for the first time in my life, I’ve adopted intermittent fasting as part of my daily routine. I only eat from 2:00 pm - 8:00 pm, with nothing but black coffee and water before lunch, and that first meal can often get me to dinner on less than 600 calories.

I thought it’d be like this big adjustment I’d have to get used to but it turns out I’m kinda built for this shit? My energy levels are up, my weight is going down, and I’ve been able to stay consistent with it to date.

Soylent was my first meal of the day for a few weeks, but my body was not particularly enjoying it, so I’ve since switched to overnight oats from a brand called Holos. Gotta love a good Canadian company, eh? Meal prep literally takes 45 seconds a day, and while the monthly subscription isn’t exactly cheap, you just can’t put a price on that level of convenience.

(You can; it’s $129 per month.)

Four Nations

Looking over the fence to our south like a concerned neighour, every new executive order feels like another nail in the coffin of the United States as we know it. The side effect of this in Canada has been an unexpected wave of unity across the country. The feds announcing $155 Billion in retalitory tarriffs. American liqour coming off shelves in Ontario, Quebec, and BC. Ottawa fans booing the American national anthem, making them the only Senators to stand up to MAGA. (I stole that joke from Reddit.)

This conveniently set the stage for the Four Nations Tournament, a replacement for the NHL All-Star game involving both Canada and USA (and Sweden, and Finland). Collectively, we’ve been starved of best-on-best hockey for 9 years going into this, which I believe is most aptly described as a crime against humanity.

Play

It’s gettin chippy out here folks.

The first game against the Americans will go down in Canadian sports history. My Québécois brothers and sisters damn near booed them out of the building before puckdrop. And with 3 fights in the first 9 seconds, no one will ever remember that Canada (technically) lost that first game.

As fate would have it, both teams would meet once more in the Gold Medal game. It was a rough start, with our anthem being buried by the Boston faithful, and “The Great Once” Re-Gretzky being Canada’s representative for the puck drop. But the Hockey Gods made things whole, and Canada’s overtime win was one of the most cathartic sports experiences I’ve ever felt. Number One > 51.

Team Canada posing for a team photo during the championship celebration of the Four Nations Tournament.

After the game, our outgoing Prime Minsiter sent a simple message:

“You can’t take our country – and you can’t take our game.”

I’ll raise a glass of Alexander Keith’s to that. 🍻

Highlights

Movies

Official poster for Before Sunset

Before Sunset 2004

Watched on February 17, 2025

I think this resonated with me more than the first one did because I’m closer to the character’s age here. What started as a background movie to have on while I checked my emails and did my chores quickly turned captured my full attention, I might not have blinked once in the last hour. And furthermore, I think this made me realize how fundamentally broken I am inside, or at least, I have been. Fuck. Might be my new favourite movie.

I watched 8 movies this month:

TV

Official poster for Dark Matter, Season 1

Dark Matter, Season 1 2024

Finished on February 2, 2025

I started watching this on a whim and ended up binging the whole season in like 3 days. What a mindfuck of a concept. Jamie really liked this one too.

Favourite Episode: S02E08, “Jupiter”

I've been watching 8 shows this month:

Music

Cover of “Thee Sacred Souls” by Thee Sacred Souls

“Thee Sacred Souls” by Thee Sacred Souls 2022

Released on August 26, 2022

Favourite Song: “Can I Call You Rose?”

I've listened to these 12 albums the most this month:

Books

Cover of “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir

“Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir 2021

Finished on February 18, 2025

“Once again I’m struck by melancholy. I want to spend the rest of my life studying Eridian biology! But I have to save humanity first. Stupid humanity. Getting in the way of my hobbies.”

I've been reading 13 books this month:

YouTube

Play

A good day for Canada, and therefore, the World.

I enjoyed these other videos, and you might too:

Purchases

A stock photo of a Sakura Pigma Holder, in black.

The pen is mightier than the sword. No word on pen holders, though.

In the sisyphean task of trying to find the perfect writing instrument, I’d previously landed on the Sakura Pigma Micron fineliner. However, I wanted a more luxurious feel and look than the standard beige plastic design. Enter the Sakura Pigma Holder, a machined aluminum sheathe that adds a little weight and a lot of style. I liked it so much that I might have ordered one in every available colour. 😅

A list of the other impulsive purchases I made this month that I don’t totally regret: