Matisyahu's Blog

"When the people are being beaten with a stick, they are not much happier if it is called 'the People's Stick'"

recent posts

  • Two days to go till the weekend.

    One show I’ve really gotten into is Severance – I love a show that is a slow burn, gradually revealing what is happening rather than there being a rush to some sort of conclusion. There are a few new seasons coming this year so hopefully with the pandemic out of the way that we’ll see more original series being invested in. As much as it is trendy to hate on some of the big names such as Amazon, Netflix and Apple, I doubt we would get interesting new shows without someone from outside the entertainment industry coming in and funding original series. The media landscape in the US changing rapidly particularly when you look at the legacy players getting very little or no viewership from younger demographics under 45 – you can see it in the sort of ads that are played on Fox News or MSNBC. When it comes to MSNBC it has been spun off into its own division and I’ve noticed that some of the key personalities are trying to adopt a more casual style – recording shorts from home, more ‘off the cuff’ opinions, it’ll be interesting to see how well it works out but I’d say there are so good talent at MSNBC hat if they were given the room then they would flourish rather than having to tow the corporate line.

    New Zealand is now going through it’s own FAFO moment – New Zealanders collectively deciding to vote for centre right parties off the myth that they’re ‘good economic managers’ (even though all evidence points to the opposite) are now finding the hard way as the economic climate goes from bad to worse as factories close. When you vote based on vibes rather than actual policy then it shouldn’t be surprising that the consequences in many cases are negative. The current government stumble from one crisis to the next, incompetent ministers particularly the minister of finance who has no idea regarding procurement and long term planning when it comes to infrastructure as demonstrated by the complete debacle around the IREX ferry by misrepresenting what the actual costing breakdown was. Unfortunately I think things will have to get worse before they get better – is the centre left perfect? far from it but at least they have some sort of coherent vision and plan vs the centre right who seem to be hell bent on resurrecting the 1980s with all the mistakes of the past.

  • Thank goodness I work from home.

    On Tuesday I went for a 14km power walk, I was sore all over, I could barely move by the time I got home – I rested on the sofa but I was still sore so I decided to go to bed and sleep it off. After having a good night sleep I felt so much better so I started the day with some blueberries and unsweetened low fat yoghurt along with some sardines with some sriracha sauce on top. For dinner I had some chicken chowder which was filling – I’ve decided that I need to expand my repertoire of food beyond just salads and proteins.

    Conservatives are throwing their toys out of their cott because the half time show at the Super Bowl 2025 isn’t their type of music. I hate to break it to you but the world doesn’t revolve around your every wish, whim and personal taste no matter now much you’d like to convince yourself that you’re the most important person. Was the music at the Super Bowl 2025 half time show the kind of music I listen to? nope but I have the maturity not to grizzle and whine on Tiktok with the sort of reaction one would expect if someone had just had their mother slapped. On a side note, I did like the metal group at the Olympics – the sort of music I listen to isn’t mainstream so people in my position accept that the mainstream doesn’t cater for our tastes and we move along in life.

    Unfortunately there is a generation of people who are unable to accept the fact that what they like used to be the mainstream but as society changed what is considered mainstream changed. There is nothing wrong with having a preference, preferring a certain style of music, food, clothing etc. but part of being an adult is accepting that society changes, the US has become more diverse and through the melting pot process what is mainstream society is a reflecting of that diversity, a coming together of different music styles, food, clothing etc. to create something new and unique.

  • Relaxing weekend so far.

    Went for a walk tonight down to the local Pak ‘n Save – I think I’ll turn it into a regular thing rather than taking the bus so then I can squeeze into the day some exercise while also doing something. I picked up some fresh blueberries as well as some frozen berries to go with the unsweetened De Winkel Yoghurt – I sprinkle some monk fruit sugar substitute to add some sweetness but the combination of the sweet berries with the tartness of the yogurt really go well together. The lifestyle change has been tough at times but it’s the old story of ‘keep your eye on the prize’ and pushing through knowing that long term there are big benefits that come from these tough moments where it is tempting to fall back into old habits but you resist the urge and feel all the better for it.

    I think the biggest insight has been look at food labels and seeing what I put into my body – not just counting calories but also seeing how much fibre, sugar (and where the sugar comes from) etc. The days of “eat first, ask questions later” are gone and these days I’m focusing on making sure that when I do eat that the food is actually filling and satisfying for the amount of calories I allow for myself each day. Part of that has been getting rid of refined carbs such as pasta and traditional bread as well as giving up starchy vegetables such as potatoes along with rice. For me it isn’t about conforming to some sort of new trendy eating lifestyle but more the fact that the calories are high, the carbs are high and afterwards I still felt hungry which begs the question “why eat something that only results in me feeling hungry after”. The weight is coming off gradually – I’ve had to add new notched on my belt so I can tighten it, a jumper that didn’t fit me that I bought back from my Europe trip actually fits.

    How are things going with my move to Google? I’m very happy so far. I’ve moved back to using Skinny for my mobile phone provider on the $40 per month plan and the experience is really good with the Pixel 9 XL. Many people have asked me whether the Pixel 9 XL is supported in NZ – yes, on all the main carriers including VoLTE, VoWIFI and other features not to mention 5G is perfect, right up there in terms of the quality one gets with an iPhone running on Skinny. As for Google Workspace, I’m a very happy lad and along with the improvements being made to Chrome and MV3 gradually (I use AdGuard browser extension) has made it a better experience than using Safari.

  • Tomorrow is hump day.

    My working week is Wednesday to Sunday which makes Friday my ‘hump day’ – that mid point in my week that I can almost see the end of the week. I’ve done my grocery order tonight for deliver on Monday because I really couldn’t be bothered doing that on my day off – I’m in a bit of a soup vibe so I bought some fresh soup that’ll pair with my low carb bread or I’ll just have the soup by themselves since they’re pretty filling. My favourite soup is mushroom soup made by ‘Naked Locals’, they make a pretty good range of soup – the calories are good, the carbs are perfect and they’re super tasty. I’ve been getting bored of just having salads and protein all the time so I thought I may as well mix it up and get some variety in my diet. Oh, and on a side note, I’ve got some sardines so I can have them on low carb toast with some Sriracha on top – breakfast of champions.

    Part of this journey has been undoing bad habits – moving away from this idea of using food as not only punishment but also reward, feeling guilty like some sort of puritan who sees ones body as an unruly entity that needs to be disciplined and bough to heel. I think that along with the idea of eating everything on the plate rather than stopping when I am hungry has led to a dysfunctional relationship with food and I’m hoping that gradually I get to a point where I no longer use food as a crutch while simultaneously coming to terms with the fact that if I want an ice cream or a piece of chocolate that I shouldn’t feel guilty about which then results in a spiral downwards.

  • Things are progressing nicely.

    Monday night I upped my walking from 5.8km to 8km and I didn’t feel too bad afterwards – weight loess plus an improvement in my fitness resulting in more energy during the day. As noted in a video I was watching, “exercising gives you energy” and I’m stoked that I have a lot more energy these day – not just for work but being able to get up and enjoy my day off rather than moping around the house. I went to my doctor as a follow up on the blood tests – he could see that I was losing weight however I really need to focus on getting that weight off in a timely manner, more walking on my day off, making sure I stick to the diet plan.

  • The weekend has finally arrived.

    The weekend has finally arrived – on Monday I’ll be meeting my doctor to check my progress in terms of losing weight and getting myself healthy. I’ve already noticed that clothes that were fitting are loser, I’ve had to put extra holes in my belt, there were a pair of tracksuit pants that I couldn’t fit now are loose, I tend to avoid weight because I find clothing a good indicator of whether I’m getting closer to my goal. I’ve got a whole lot of clothes that I no longer fit and my big goal is getting to the point that I can wear them because once I get to that point I probably won’t need to buy any new clothes (other than undies and socks) for several years).

    After visiting the doctor I’ll visit mum for dinner and then afterwards pick up some groceries. I think after being on this revamp for almost 2 months I think I’ve got my shopping list nailed down particularly in the area of planning meals. The good thing about planning meals is not only the fact that you end up saving money because you only buy what you need but it also means the temptation to order takeaway delivery is elimated – if I know that a good meal can be put together in a few minutes without too much hassle, it tastes great and is filling. I’m also having a look at more food to diversify my food options so that I don’t get bored with what I have, being able to liven it up so that having a meal doesn’t feel like a death march.

    I’ve been following the politics in the United States, chaos is unfolding and ultimately this is what the American voter voted for including those who decided that it required too much effort to get off the couch and vote – happy to wait in line at the local Apple store for the latest iPhone or Supreme store for the latest overpriced t-shirt but turning up to a polling station with a bag containing a bottle of water and food incase it takes a while is all too much. Who I do feel sorry for are those who didn’t vote for this disaster, they tried to educate friends and family but ultimately it all fell on deaf ears. Is this the collapse of the United States, the last desperate attempt to revive the United States where if there is a collapse it’ll occur as a giant spectacle rather than a gradual decline of the United States exiting the world stage with it’s dignity intact.

  • One more day to go.

    Just a short blog post tonight, I came back from my nightly power walk and sat down to watch ‘Real Time with Bill Maher’, I understand he isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but as my old man would say to me that it is important to listen to people that you don’t agree with – to hear the other side. This is the reason why I have books by Ayn Rand where I complete disagree with her whole Objectivist philosophy but given the number of people who subscribe to it from the right it is important to understand what sits under their world view, what shapes it and ultimately why they create the policies they do.

  • Getting things sorted.

    Working through getting ACC sorted out – long story short, on my time off injured my work was still paying me and I assumed that what was happening was that ACC was paying my employer and then my employer was paying me (I have never been on ACC before so this was the first time I have ever encountered it). Well, I find out that wasn’t the case so I’ve been having to sort out why ACC hadn’t paid out and then getting things sorted out with my employer. It would be nice if there was some sort of explaination regarding the process because I assumed, as noted, that the claim would be processed, ACC would pay my employer then my employer would top it up then pay me.

    Went for a walk tonight, it was great to get out of the house and have some fresh air. I’m going to make the most of it because winter will come in around June and that is when things will get a bit nasty in terms of the weather. I’ll still go for a walk each night but I’ll have to hear a rain coat but for me any calories burnt is an icing on the cake where as the main purpose is to at least move at some point during the day since my work is sitting at a desk all day.

    I was reading on Reddit an interesting post about how to do outreach to guys who have been turned off by because not just the media but the way in which some people conduct themselves online. I’ll talk about it more in depth tomorrow or maybe Sunday since it is something I want to explore. The thing is, if we want to push back against the rise of the far right/reactionary right we need to do more than just making a lot of noise with little or no outreach. Are there people who are too far gone? sure there are and ultimately those people will need to have an ‘a-ah’ moment when they realise their position is no longer tenable but I’d argue there are many people out there who are reachable, who are looking for a positive vision of the future without the empty virtue signalling or performative politics that is so prevalent these days.

  • Almost the end to another week.

    End of a another day of work, went for for my daily 5.8km walk using the running shoes that I didn’t think I had and afterwards I felt so good. I was watching a video how exercising gives you more energy and that is what I’ve found with going for a walk every day – yeah, I know, I’d sooner relax at home but damn it feels so good after going for a walk where I’m pouring sweat but after I drink some water, sit down and relax I feel so much better afterwards. It’s one of those things when you’ve done something and you feel good that you did it – oh, and it allows me to have a much better sleep each night.

    On Monday I’m looking at getting a few things – at the top of the list is some scales for the kitchen so it is easier to weigh things out and control portion sizes. I’m also going to pick up some groceries as well – going to add more variety rather than havint the same food as well as looking at low carb alternatives such as these low carb noodles with the benefit of being high in fibre. I’m also going to stock up my cupboard with spices and some stevia because as much as I like the idea of having spaghetti the problem is that the number of calories in a jar of pasta sauce is so much higher than if I bought canned tomatoes, spices and some stevia to add a little extra sweetness which will enable me to indulge in something tasty without the extra calories.

    Dell appears to doing a rebrand and refreshing their product line up to simplify it rather than the sprawling array of products that overlap in many areas – much the same way that Steve Jobs when he returned went through their whole product portfolio and slimed it down to a few core areas so that the company can focus on those limit number of areas rather than spreading their attention too thinly resulting in the loss focus in the process. They’ve updated the CPUs to the new Intel second generation and a lot of noise has been made by the benching obsessed tech dude bros on YouTube but at the end of the day the whole furora has been nothing more than internet drama for clicks.

    As I’ve said in the past, this is a new generation of CPU architecture and packaging, there are going to be firmware and operating system optimisations that will need to take place in much the same way that we saw Apple making optimisations. Apple migrated from one platform to another, when they moved completely to PowerPC from the 68K they removed the last of the 68K code and made it 100% PowerPC optimised. When they moved to MacOS X there were many optimisations made in terms of the compiler getting it to produce better quality code not to mention improving how executables were linked to dynamic libraries. It’ll be the same sort of thing with this new crop of Intel based CPUs, they’ll be released, BIOS updates will be released and then Intel and Microsoft will work together to improve Windows to get the most out of these new Intel CPUs.

    One thing to keep in mind, the tech bro YouTubers don’t make up a significant portion of the buying public, the average person goes into a big box store or goes online to the computer manufacturers website, looks around, finds something they like, buy it then takes it home/wait for it’s delivery. I don’t hear the average person having long winded debates about whether Intel’s second generation is good or bad – they just buy what is available and move on with life.

  • First day back at work, everything went well.

    Back at work today and everything went well – I’m finding that the regular exercise of walking 5.8km each night has really improved not just my health but also my mental health as well. I’ve been having a look around for a healthy substitute for soft drink so I’ve ordered a 24 pack of Remedy Switchel ACV Blood Orange and a 24 pack of Remedy Sodaly Lemon Lime Bitters – both are sweetened with stevia and I can order them online with free delivery which works out cheaper than buying them at the store. The other thing I found was looking for iced coffee – most iced coffee is all milk which is a problem when you’re trying to cut calories and carbs however I have found the Boss iced coffee are mainly water with a splash of milk which cuts the calories down to something close to 50 calories. On a side note, the good thing about work is the coffee is good enough to drink without milk so I guess everything little thing helps in the end.

    Tomorrow I’m back to work again and for dinner I’ll have the salad I’ve got although I’m tempted to have chicken with it – I’ve got some sliced up tandoori chicken which will go nice with the salad. On Friday/Saturday/Sunday are my calorie restricted days where I have two up and go meal replacement, work out and make those additional fat burning gains then back on Monday I’ll be all set for another week. On Monday I’ll be heading into see my doctor to talk about my blood work and hopefully with the work having been done over the last couple of weeks there will be progress shown towards making myself healthier by shedding the kilos built up when I was working in the hospitality industry. Also this Monday I’ll do some grocery shopping, I think I need to expand beyond just having salads although it is nice to eat during summer particularly on a hot day.

    I did watch a video which sparked interest in comparing a can of tomatoes, seasoning and some stevia for some sweetness vs getting a jar of pasta sauce – I was surprised at just how much sugar is in jarred pasta sauce to the point that the calories are almost half if you simply used canned tomatoes with a few extras. Makes me surprised at just how much added sugar there is in products to make them more addictive.