# Twtxt is an open, distributed microblogging platform that
# uses human-readable text files, common transport protocols,
# and free software.
#
# Learn more about twtxt at https://github.com/buckket/twtxt
#
# This is an automated Yarn.social feed running feeds v0.1.0@72e53a9
# Learn more about Yarn.social at https://yarn.social
#
# nick = kev-quirk
# url = https://feeds.twtxt.net/kev-quirk/twtxt.txt
# type = rss
# source = https://qrk.social/feed.xml
# avatar =
# description =
# updated_at = 2023-10-18T09:26:41Z
#
2023-03-29T06:29:39Z ****
I’ve just been looking at the Apple passwords feature, since lots of people are talking about it at the moment (I’m a Bitwarden user) and it looks very good. I don’t think I’d use it though. I like the idea of having something like my passwords on its own service. Apple already have enough of my data, they don’t need passwords too. ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/29/ive-just-been.html)
2023-03-26T11:34:03Z ****
Something a bit different today - a book 📚 recommendation for those parents out there.
Astrosaurs is a great series of book by Steve Cole.
[kevquirk.com/astrosaur…](https://kevquirk.com/astrosaurs/) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/26/something-a-bit.html)
2023-03-26T11:08:07Z ****
You know what the worst thing is about collecting watches? The 2x a year when the clocks change. Changing the time by 1hr on 50 watch is **NOT** fun. 😂 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/26/you-know-what.html)
2023-03-25T10:38:13Z ****
Does anyone else have an entire box of watch straps, like this?
…no? Just me then. 😳
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/25/does-anyone-else.html)
2023-03-24T15:46:54Z ****
Some won’t like, but I’ve decided to re-join Twitter.
[kevquirk.com/rejoined-…](https://kevquirk.com/rejoined-twitter/) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/24/some-wont-like.html)
2023-03-24T08:35:52Z ****
I’ve started wearing a fitness tracker (a Garmin Vivosmart 5, to be more accurate), but I already wear a traditional watch. So I have a watch on one wrist and the tracker on the other. It’s weird, but I’m getting used to it. ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/24/ive-started-wearing.html)
2023-03-21T23:36:29Z ****
Some really interesting calculations from Manu here in response to [@tdarb@fosstodon.org](https://micro.blog/tdarb@fosstodon.org) post. It’s a **very** compelling argument and now I’m thinking about removing my custom font…
[manuelmoreale.com/bandwidth…](https://manuelmoreale.com/bandwidth-consumption) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/21/some-really-interesting.html)
2023-03-21T18:53:12Z ****
Are all the timelines etc. blank for anyone else on the Micro.blog app? ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/21/are-all-the.html)
2023-03-19T22:47:30Z ****
I don’t get it; what’s the difference between a digital garden and a blog? 🤷♂️ ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/19/i-dont-get.html)
2023-03-19T22:29:44Z ****
Anyone know how I go about discovering a new fediverse account here on Micro.blog please? I’m trying to follow [@torvalds@social.kernel.org](https://micro.blog/torvalds@social.kernel.org) but he’s not appearing in any results.
Hey, Linus! ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/19/anyone-know-how.html)
2023-03-19T11:43:57Z ****
One of my favourite things to do on a Sunday…spannering on the bikes. Today is a wheel bearing change.
🔧 \+ 🏍️ = 👍
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/19/one-of-my.html)
2023-03-18T20:25:11Z ****
Since moving house back in October, it feels like all we’ve been doing is haemorrhaging money…around £40,000 so far to be exact!
We’re starting to see some progress now though, and I have to say, I’m very glad we moved. 😊 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/18/since-moving-house.html)
2023-03-16T22:41:57Z ****
[Analytics Discourage Creativity](https://bookishnoelle.linefeed.app/analytics-discourage-creativity-27cc8b) by [@noellemitchell@mstdn.social](https://mstdn.social/@noellemitchell)
I really feel this post and have [been down this rabbit hole myself](https://kevquirk.com/revisiting-the-web-analytics-rabbit-hole/).
BTW, I’m reading your blog, Noelle…hi! 👋 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/16/analytics-discourage-creativity.html)
2023-03-15T22:39:24Z ****
[Jason Kottke celebrated 25 years of blogging yesterday](https://kottke.org/23/03/kottke-is-25-years-old-today) that’s just incredible to me.
Incidentally, I celebrated [10 years of blogging](https://kevquirk.com/ten-years-of-blogging/) myself recently.
Hurray for the personal blog! 🎉 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/15/jason-kottke-celebrated.html)
2023-03-14T22:44:44Z ****
[bt.ht](https://bt.ht/webfonts)
> Stop Using Custom Web Fonts
I’m not sure I agree with Brad here. Well, for the most part I do, but I have a font on my site, and I use it because I really like how it looks. That all, that’s the reason. 😊
I’ve also had a few people comment about the font, so _some_ people clearly do appreciate custom fonts. Agree though, performance still needs to be a key factor. ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/14/btht-stop-using.html)
2023-03-13T07:18:43Z ****
I hear a lot of Americans saying “I went for a hike today…” in posts that are accompanied by often beautiful pictures of the US vast and varied landscape.
But what is “a hike” to your average American? Because to me (British), a hike is a 20 mile hike up a large hill/mountain. Is it the same? ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/13/i-hear-a.html)
2023-03-12T13:52:53Z ****
Sledging with the kids…that sky! 🛷
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/12/sledging-with-the.html)
2023-03-12T07:04:35Z ****
This makes me sad and very worried.
[m.youtube.com/watch](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LFGbWGMsuVY) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/12/this-makes-me.html)
2023-03-11T17:01:50Z ****
So I did an [SKXMOD](https://www.skxmod.com) on my #Casio AE1200. Metal case, sapphire crystal and a silicone strap. Really happy with it! ⌚️
(Bronze is before, black/silver is after)
2023-03-11T16:30:27Z ****
I think I’m good, thanks, Zoho.
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/11/i-think-im.html)
2023-03-11T09:35:34Z ****
So there’s a parody website that I came across a while back that is a demonstration of how bad the web in terms of popups, ads, modals etc. but I can’t find the link right now. Would any of you fine people happen to know what it is please?
Thanks! ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/11/so-theres-a.html)
2023-03-10T14:13:05Z ****
How is it that things can go from heavy snow to me practically getting sunburn in the space of a few hours??
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/10/how-is-it.html)
2023-03-09T21:56:09Z ****
Really enjoyed this post about a Minimal Viable Blog. I think it can be improved slightly though, so I’m gonna give it a go.
[manuelmoreale.com/minimum-v…](https://manuelmoreale.com/minimum-viable-blog) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/09/really-enjoyed-this.html)
2023-03-09T10:32:05Z ****
Spring has sprung…apparently. 😳
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/09/spring-has-sprungapparently.html)
2023-03-09T06:48:11Z ****
Daily challenge day 9 - **“together”**
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/09/daily-challenge-day.html)
2023-03-30T19:03:22Z ****
> For hobbyists or **students** learning to code.
Yup, because students have $100/month to spare! 😂
[twittercommunity.com/t/announc…](https://twittercommunity.com/t/announcing-new-access-tiers-for-the-twitter-api/188728) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/30/for-hobbyists-or.html)
2023-03-31T10:02:53Z ****
Treated myself to a new watch. This is my first Swiss automatic and I’m really thrilled with it. It’s a beautiful thing.
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/31/treated-myself-to.html)
2023-03-31T16:13:34Z ****
I’ve been making some changes to my site over the last couple days, and I just published them. I’ve added some splashes of colour around the joint, and I’ve also made the about page a little more fun.
Check it out if you’re interested: [https://kevquirk.com/about](https://kevquirk.com/about/) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/03/31/ive-been-making.html)
2023-04-01T21:16:39Z ****
[onemanandhisblog.com](https://onemanandhisblog.com/2023/03/does-it-matter-is-substack-is-in-trouble/)
> Does it matter if Substack is in financial trouble?
Really interesting post by [@adders](https://micro.blog/adders) about the potential demise of Substack. I know a couple of people who have made Substack their home on the web. It might be time to start looking for alternatives, folks. 😞 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/01/onemanandhisblogcom-does-it.html)
2023-04-01T21:29:33Z ****
Are there any other people here who manage their blog and microblog separately? I’m still trying to work out what that’s gonna look like long term, but I have no plans to fold my main blog into Micro.blog.
If you keep them separate, what’s that workflow look like for you? ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/01/are-there-any.html)
2023-04-02T09:22:52Z ****
One of my sons really enjoys drawing, and he decided he wanted to draw one of my watches. He chose the cheapest watch in my collection, one of my Casio F-91W.
He drew that, then asked to draw another, of course he chose the most expensive watch in my collection. 😳
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/02/one-of-my.html)
2023-04-03T10:53:41Z ****
testing image compression…
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/03/testing-image-compression.html)
2023-04-03T14:56:23Z ****
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/03/155623.html)
2023-04-08T19:09:38Z ****
[Let people contact you](https://manuelmoreale.com/let-people-contact-you) by Manu
I really enjoy Manu’s blog and this post is no exception. Yep. If you have a blog, give readers a way of contacting you that isn’t social media. Please. ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/08/let-people-contact.html)
2023-04-06T21:43:00Z ****
🔗 [Let people contact you](https://manuelmoreale.com/let-people-contact-you) by Manu
I really enjoy Manu’s blog and this post is no exception. Yep. If you have a blog, give readers a way of contacting you that isn’t social media. Please. ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/06/let-people-contact.html)
2023-04-08T19:19:30Z ****
Lovely walk in the wood behind our house this evening.
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/08/lovely-walk-in.html)
2023-04-08T20:56:27Z ****
Has the colour of the text in dark mode on the Microblog iOS app changed? It’s seems less harsh on my eyes. If it has, thanks, [@manton](https://micro.blog/manton). ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/08/has-the-colour.html)
2023-04-09T06:36:21Z ****
Unfortunately, [@davatron5000@mastodon.social](https://micro.blog/davatron5000@mastodon.social) sadly lost his dog, [Rudy](https://daverupert.com/2023/04/goodbye-rudy/). This post brought a tear to my eye, especially since I’m a fellow dog owner with an old girl too.
I’m so so sorry for your loss, Dave. ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/09/unfortunately-davatronmastodonsocial-sadly.html)
2023-04-09T09:04:57Z ****
Test
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/09/test.html)
2023-04-10T07:21:21Z ****
After my brief foray into self-hosting a Microblog (via Wordpress) I decided it would be easier to let [@manton](https://micro.blog/manton) and the team worry about plugging the **many** parts together, so I can just enjoy the community.
So, I’m very happy to be back here on Micro.blog. 😊 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/10/after-my-brief.html)
2023-04-10T11:25:53Z ****
Nice family walk today. We did a little over 7km in the Welsh (hilly) countryside. Particularly impressed with my 5 year old. We got home just as the heavens opened too, so didn’t get too wet.
Now it’s time for cups of tea and bacon bagels! 🥯 👨👩👦👦 🐾 📸
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/10/nice-family-walk.html)
2023-04-10T14:44:54Z ****
Took the cover off one of my Motorbikes to do some maintenance on it (haven’t ridden it for around a month) and this is what I found. 😳
I really think I need to do some work on insulating the garage this summer!
🏍️
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/10/took-the-cover.html)
2023-04-10T16:24:55Z ****
🔗 [Is Good Enough…Good Enough?](https://kevquirk.com/is-good-enough-good-enough/)
This is something I’ve been ruminating on recently, whilst going down the familiar “is my current blog platform the right one?” rabbit hole. ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/10/is-good-enoughgood.html)
2023-04-10T21:52:18Z ****
Wife and I just finished watching Tetris. It was really good - highly recommended. ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/10/wife-and-i.html)
2023-04-11T21:51:45Z ****
Had the day off work today, so managed to spend a couple hours playing with [Blot](https://blot.im). There’s still a lot to do if I’m actually going to use this thing, but I’m surprised at how easy it is to pickup.
My dev site on Blot already looks similar to my Jekyll site:
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/11/had-the-day.html)
2023-04-11T22:05:54Z ****
⁉️ Here’s a question for you fine people…
If you’re visiting someone’s blog, do you ever check out the categories/tags of their posts, or don’t you care?
I don’t think I can recall a single time that I’ve used cats/tags one someone’s blog, especially if they have a search box.
Is that just me? ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/11/heres-a-question.html)
2023-04-13T16:10:36Z ****
So far I’m **incredibly** impressed with [Blot](https://blot.im) the service has all the advantages of an SSG with none of the hassle. The support by the creator, David, is also superbly good.
99.9% sure I’m gonna migrate from Jekyll at this point. ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/13/so-far-im.html)
2023-04-14T21:23:12Z ****
High praise indeed when blogging royalty links to your post, ey [@manton](https://micro.blog/manton) 😊
> Perhaps it’s helpful to think of Elon Musk as an accelerant for all the bad stuff that was slowly happening at Twitter before he got there. “In the long run we will be thankful that Elon is effectively putting the company out of its misery.”
[https://kottke.org/quick-links/](https://kottke.org/quick-links/) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/14/high-praise-indeed.html)
2023-04-14T21:31:54Z ****
**I miss likes/favourites/whatevers**
I know Micro.blog purposely doesn’t have “likes” but I miss them. Not because I want to be silently praised by internet peeps, but because I want to _give_ likes. I see them as a kind of silent feedback. Like if you’re in a pub talking and someone gives a knowing nod, or a smile.
I want to be able to give the virtual equivalent of that silent nod. That passive appreciation for what I just read.
Likes are silent communication and I miss them. Not everything req ... ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/14/i-miss-likesfavouriteswhatevers.html)
2023-04-15T09:35:51Z ****
I’ve heard lots of people saying good thing about [omg.lol](https://omg.lol), so I thought I’d sign up and see what it’s all about. Plus, you know, it’s supporting indie developers.
It’s a fun project, you should check it out. Here’s my profile - [https://kq.omg.lol](https://kq.omg.lol) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/15/ive-heard-lots.html)
2023-04-15T18:22:58Z ****
The old girl is 20 years old, but blimey she still scrubs up well! 🏍️
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/15/the-old-girl.html)
2023-04-17T06:11:11Z ****
🔗 **[The Darktheme Club](https://darktheme.club/)** by [@garritfra@fosstodon.org](https://micro.blog/garritfra@fosstodon.org) is a really cool project.
> With the internet being ever present and screens surrounding us all the time, personal preference is becoming more and more critical for a good user experience. Particularly when it comes to dark mode in order not to burn out the readers sight at night. ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/17/the-darktheme-club.html)
2023-04-17T06:18:36Z ****
Over the last few months I seem to have forgone podcasts in favour of audiobooks. I even flipped my eReader from Kobo to Kindle, just so I could use WhisperSync to flip between audiobooks and ebooks.
I do miss some of the regular podcasts I listened to. I should make more of an effort… ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/17/over-the-last.html)
2023-04-17T15:44:41Z ****
Took the dogs out for a walk on our land at lunch. Spring has definitely sprung - there’s so much colour about! 📸
Oh, and Sidney says hi! 🐾
2023-04-17T16:10:54Z ****
Just finished reading [The Way Of Kings](https://kevquirk.com/the-way-of-kings) by Brandon Sanderson. 📚
Throughly enjoyed this book. I can’t recommend it highly enough. ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/17/just-finished-reading.html)
2023-04-18T19:15:52Z ****
I need these. All of these. In my life. ⌚️
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/18/i-need-these.html)
2023-04-18T22:21:07Z ****
Ted Lasso is absolutely brilliant.
That’s it. That’s the post. ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/18/ted-lasso-is.html)
2023-04-19T18:11:13Z ****
I’ve finally made the switch from #Jekyll to #Blot. This post talks about some of the technical challenges of that process, but overall, I’m _very_ happy! 📝
[kevquirk.com/moving-fr…](https://kevquirk.com/moving-from-jekyll-to-blot) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/19/ive-finally-made.html)
2023-04-20T06:02:41Z ****
Renewed my Miniflux subscription for another year. Best RSS feeder out there. 👌
[miniflux.app](https://miniflux.app/) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/20/renewed-my-miniflux.html)
2023-04-21T21:44:26Z ****
Just reading [this post](https://chriscoyier.net/2023/04/21/the-secret-list-of-websites/) @chriscoyier@front-end.social, which is about the websites used to train Google’s AI. Was really surprised to see my little site listed there! 😳
Was nice to be asked…
> Google should be encouraging and fighting for the open web. But now they’re like, actually we’re just going to suck up your website, put it in a blender with all other websites, and spit out word smoothies for people instead of sending them to your website.
... ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/21/just-reading-this.html)
2023-04-22T18:29:33Z ****
I serviced one of the motorbikes today. The previous owner assured me that a thorough service has been done last year. I’m struggling to believe him now. 😂
🏍️
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/22/i-serviced-one.html)
2023-04-23T09:37:29Z ****
I’ve felt a bit… _meh_ about social media recently so wanted to jot down some thoughts about it all. Something has to change WRT the way I use social media. I just don’t know **what**. Any ideas, folks?
[kevquirk.com/anti-soci…](https://kevquirk.com/anti-social-media) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/23/ive-felt-a.html)
2023-04-23T18:24:38Z ****
Lovely walk in the hills with the pooches today. Needed some time on my own…
🐾
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/23/lovely-walk-in.html)
2023-04-24T12:32:23Z ****
I bought myself a Remarkable 2 a couple months ago. Here’s some of my initial thoughts on how it’s been going.
[kevquirk.com/my-though…](https://kevquirk.com/my-thoughts-on-the-remarkable-2) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/24/i-bought-myself.html)
2023-04-24T19:15:12Z ****
Hope so you folks discover new people to follow here on Micro.blog?
Is it a natural thing that just evolved over time? Do you go hunting for people? Or I’d it something else entirely? I’d love to know how you guys have grown your network here, as I’m sure there’s a load more interesting people here that I’m missing out on. ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/24/hope-so-you.html)
2023-04-24T21:45:18Z ****
I know I’m bias, but c’mon. The little fella really is a handsome little grey thing. 😊
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/24/i-know-im.html)
2023-04-25T18:02:14Z ****
As a co-admin of a large Mastodon instance, this is very close to the bone, and accurate, I’m sad to say…
[https://justingarrison.com/blog/2023-04-24-mastodon-is-doomed/](https://justingarrison.com/blog/2023-04-24-mastodon-is-doomed/) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/25/as-a-coadmin.html)
2023-04-27T17:18:54Z ****
This is why I really dislike Ghost. Nearly half a MB of JavaScript is just ridiculous.
No site needs that much JS, IMO.
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/27/this-is-why.html)
2023-04-28T20:50:34Z ****
I told my wife I wouldn’t buy anymore watches, and to prove it, all my cases are full and I won’t buy another case…
Do you think she’ll notice that extra watch squirrelled away at the back there? 😳 ⌚️
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/28/i-told-my.html)
2023-04-30T21:18:20Z ****
I honestly don’t understand how anyone can wear Crocs without socks. They rub my toe nails and it makes me feel physically sick. 🤮
Modern day philosophy right here, people! ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/04/30/i-honestly-dont.html)
2023-05-01T12:25:40Z ****
Some thoughts on the subscription culture that we find ourselves in when it comes to online services.
[kevquirk.com/it-only-c…](https://kevquirk.com/it-only-costs-a-coffee-per-month) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/05/01/some-thoughts-on.html)
2023-05-03T08:40:15Z ****
Saw [this post by Chris Coyier](https://email-is-good.com/2023/05/02/email-pen-pals/). I’d love an email Pen Pal - I think it’s a great idea. 📨 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/05/03/saw-this-post.html)
2023-05-14T23:00:00Z ** Underline Your Links **
## Colored vs. underlined links
by Jatan Mehta
Jatan talks about why you should have underlined links to make things discoverable and accessible for your readers.
[Read Post →](https://thoughts.jatan.space/p/colored-vs-underlined-links)
[I’ve talked about this myself in the past](https://kevquirk.com/whats-in-a-font-researching-website-typography) and I wholeheartedly agree with Jatan on this. While perusing the internet I’ve seen links that are formatted in all kinds of ways, even ones that don’t s ... ⌘ [Read more](https://kevquirk.com/underline-your-links)
2023-05-09T23:00:00Z ** Anti-Social Update **
Following [my last post](https://kevquirk.com/anti-social-media), I’ve made some changes to the way in which I consume social media.
I was feeling a bit shitty about social media. Honestly, I wasn’t getting a lot from it, so I decided to make some changes to the way I do things. In my last post on the topic I said:
> I don’t think I could follow in the footsteps of Nicolas and Manu [removing social media completely], as I do enjoy my time on the Fedi…sometimes. But something _has_ to change.
Well, someth ... ⌘ [Read more](https://kevquirk.com/anti-social-update)
2023-05-29T23:00:00Z ** Words of Radiance **
✍️ **Written by:** Brandon Sanderson
🏷 **Genre:** Sci-fi / fantasy
🗓 **Published:** 04 March 2014
📄 **Pages:** 1088
🧐 **My rating:** ★★★★★ / 5 stars
Expected by his enemies to die the miserable death of a military slave, Kaladin survived to be given command of the royal bodyguards, a controversial first for a low-status“darkeyes.” Now he must protect the king and D ... ⌘ [Read more](https://kevquirk.com/words-of-radiance)
2023-06-02T23:00:00Z ** AutoTrader Scammers **
I was nearly scammed while selling a car on AutoTrader. Here’s how the whole thing went…
Owning cars is a pain in the arse; they’re money pits and I hate dealing with them. My wife and I need a car each, so the problem is compounded by running 2 cars in the household.
Anyway, a few days ago I booked my wife’s car in for it’s annual service, as well as it’s MOT (an annual safety test that all cars older than 3 years on UK roads need to pass).
Her car is an old, 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe - it’s a big old tan ... ⌘ [Read more](https://kevquirk.com/autotrader-scammers)
2023-06-05T23:00:00Z ** Apple WWDC 2023 - My Thoughts **
Yesterday was the Apple 2023 WWDC conference. There were some big announcements, here’s my thoughts…
I caught up on the Apple event last night, and for the most part, I thought it was all a bit _meh_.
If you want to see the whole event, you can [check it out here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYkq9Rgoj8E), but if you already know what happened, here’s the parts I found interesting.
## iPadOS
Not much to say here really, just a bunch of incremental updates. I liked the PDF manageme ... ⌘ [Read more](https://kevquirk.com/apple-wwdc-2023-my-thoughts)
2023-06-11T23:00:00Z ** The Blank Box **
I’ve been staring at a blank box for a little bit now, trying to work out what to write. This has never happened to me before. I think I know why…
I do enjoy the process of writing. I fire up my text editor of choice, [Typora](https://typora.io) and away I go. Most of the time I have a topic in my grey matter that I want to write about, and if I don’t, something usually comes to me pretty quickly. Which topics to cover aren’t something I usually dwell on.
Today I feel like writing, but I have nothing to write about ... ⌘ [Read more](https://kevquirk.com/the-blank-box)
2023-06-17T23:00:00Z ** Cows! 🐮 **
We now have 4 cows grazing in one of our fields, and it’s brilliant.
We have a couple of fields on our 2.5 acre smallholding, but one of the fields is too steep for me to mow on my Husqvarna 4x4 mower, so it’s grown pretty long with all the sun and rain we’ve had recently.
I got in touch with one of our local farmers to see if he could top the grass with his tractor. He said he could, but the grass is pretty good apparently, so he would prefer to put 4 of his cows on the field to graze instead.
We obviously agreed as we thought ... ⌘ [Read more](https://kevquirk.com/cows)
2023-06-21T23:00:00Z ** Getting Ready for Winter **
Even though it’s currently summer, we’re already preparing ourselves for the long Welsh winter ahead.
Even though it’s the middle of summer, we had 2 tonnes of fire wood delivered yesterday. We’re obviously not using our fire at the moment, but when it comes to the long, harsh Welsh winters, you need all the firewood you can get.
When I was in the Army, we had a saying called“ _the 7 P’s_”. Which where:
> Prior planning and preparation prevents piss poor performance.
>
> The 7 P’s
We recentl ... ⌘ [Read more](https://kevquirk.com/getting-ready-for-winter)
2023-07-01T23:00:00Z ** I’d Love a Dumb Phone, But… **
I’d love to replace my iPhone with a dumb phone, but I don’t think it would ever work in reality.
I was recently perusing Youtube (as I sometimes do) and I came across a video about the [Punkt MP02](https://www.punkt.ch/en/products/mp02-4g-mobile-phone/), which is effectively a dumb phone that supports [Signal](https://signal.org).
[As a Signal user myself](https://kevquirk.com/leave-whatsapp-messenger-nomad/), this immediately engaged my grey matter and got me thinking about whet ... ⌘ [Read more](https://kevquirk.com/i-d-love-a-dumb-phone-but%E2%80%A6)
2023-07-08T22:33:37Z ****
I’m back! micro.blog subscription renewed - I just can’t stay away. 😂 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/08/im-back-microblog.html)
2023-07-09T23:00:00Z ****
There’s some automation on this site that posts to various places, all via RSS. Here’s how it works.
[https://kevquirk.com/how-it-all-connects](https://kevquirk.com/how-it-all-connects) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/10/theres-some-automation.html)
2023-07-16T07:10:01Z ****
Plan of attack for today:
- Park Run with the kids
- Fix guttering on front of house
- Walk dogs
- Empty garage so I can start renovating it
- Mow one of the fields
- Water change and filter clean on 2x fish tanks
I thought Sundays were supposed to be relaxing? 😳 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/16/plan-of-attack.html)
2023-07-16T09:22:55Z ****
Park Run ✅
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/16/park-run.html)
2023-07-16T12:32:01Z ****
Mow one of the fields ✅
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/16/mow-one-of.html)
2023-07-16T13:34:29Z ****
Clean fish tanks. ✅
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/16/clean-fish-tanks.html)
2023-07-16T17:08:38Z ****
Walk dogs ✅
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/16/walk-dogs.html)
2023-07-16T18:04:15Z ****
Fix guttering ✅
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/16/fix-guttering.html)
2023-07-16T18:12:45Z ****
Aaaaaand relax. Cheers! 🍻
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/16/aaaaaand-relax-cheers.html)
2023-07-16T18:11:05Z ****
Tidy garage ✅ (kind of)
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/16/tidy-garage-kind.html)
2023-07-17T09:27:00Z ****
I love my Crocs. I have 3 pairs, and in this post I’m going to convince you that they’re the best shoes on earth.
[https://kevquirk.com/fact-crocs-are-the-best-shoes-on-earth](https://kevquirk.com/fact-crocs-are-the-best-shoes-on-earth) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/17/i-love-my.html)
2023-07-17T16:00:32Z ****
I know I’m bias, but he’s a handsome little thing…
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/17/i-know-im.html)
2023-07-20T06:03:56Z ****
My wife will be cutting her hair off for charity today - the charity use the donated hair to make wigs for young cancer survivors and alopecia sufferers.
If you’re interested in donating, that would be cool and very much appreciated. 👍
[www.justgiving.com/page/jenn…](https://www.justgiving.com/page/jenny-quirk-1689314091635) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/20/my-wife-will.html)
2023-07-21T10:27:45Z ****
To everyone here on Micro.blog who knows or recognises me, hello! I’d like to know you as well, even if we have interacted before. I’m Kev - I ♥️ technology, writing, watch collecting, motorbikes and spending time with my family & animals.
**What about you?**
(thanks [@moonmehta](https://micro.blog/moonmehta) for the idea) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/21/to-everyone-here.html)
2023-07-24T13:15:48Z ****
Made some changes to [the website](https://kevquirk.com) over the weekend. Slightly improved header that takes up less vertical space on the page. I never really liked the centralised logo and nav menu.
I think this works much better, although I might make it a little wider than the main content. 🤷♂️
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/24/made-some-changes.html)
2023-07-25T18:38:47Z ****
Today I learned that the Tesla range of cars are named as such so that they spell out the word “sexy”.
Model S
Model 3
Model X
Model Y
What an utter fucking man child that man is. ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/25/today-i-learned.html)
2023-07-26T09:47:00Z ****
Social media is fucking us all up. I’d love to go back to the days of forums, where there was no popularity contests, or “influencers”.
[https://kevquirk.com/bring-back-the-humble-forum](https://kevquirk.com/bring-back-the-humble-forum) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/07/26/social-media-is.html)
2023-08-01T19:06:53Z ****
Hooman, I’m ready come up on the sofa now…
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/01/hooman-im-ready.html)
2023-08-01T19:12:43Z ****
Hooman, I’m ready come up on the sofa now…
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/01/hooman-im-ready.html)
2023-08-01T19:23:46Z ****
Why does cross-posting not work when a picture is attached? ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/01/why-does-crossposting.html)
2023-08-02T14:53:00Z ****
As co-admin of one of the largest tech instances on the Fediverse, it’s ironic that I struggle with social platforms so much.
[https://kevquirk.com/running-a-social-platform-as-someone-who-dislikes-them](https://kevquirk.com/running-a-social-platform-as-someone-who-dislikes-them) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/02/as-coadmin-of.html)
2023-08-03T17:10:00Z ****
Rhythm of War - the 4th book in Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive
[https://kevquirk.com/rhythm-of-war](https://kevquirk.com/rhythm-of-war) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/03/rhythm-of-war.html)
2023-08-07T13:26:22Z ****
…and this is why I don’t post pictures (or details) of my kids on social media. Very powerful video.
[www.youtube.com/watch](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4WZ_k0vUDM) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/07/and-this-is.html)
2023-08-07T16:18:04Z ****
I can certainly think of worse places to walk the dogs…
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/07/i-can-certainly.html)
2023-08-10T16:08:17Z ****
Best day I’ve taken off work for a while… 🏍️
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/10/best-day-ive.html)
2023-08-11T08:43:17Z ****
Took the day off work. Kids are in holiday club, wife is off work too. Weather supposed to be lovely, so we planned a nice day together, just the 2 of us.
Youngest woke up with a vomiting bug this morning. Typical. 😂 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/11/took-the-day.html)
2023-08-15T18:39:48Z ****
Been working on a page on my website for my watch collection. Goddam I have a lot of watches. 🥵⌚️ ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/15/been-working-on.html)
2023-08-16T22:26:51Z ****
Wife and I finished watching Schitts Creek this evening. Absolutely loved it - well worth a watch if you want some lighthearted humour.
[www.imdb.com/title/tt3…](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3526078) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/16/wife-and-i.html)
2023-08-17T08:37:52Z ****
Gah. I **HATE** that Micro.blog only mentions a single person when replying to multiple people. It seems like such a stupid approach.
Conversations, especially in an open forum like this, often involve multiple parties. ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/17/gah-i-hate.html)
2023-08-18T17:08:18Z ****
This took a VERY long time, but I finally finished putting together my entire watch collection on my site.
[kevquirk.com/watches](https://kevquirk.com/watches) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/18/this-took-a.html)
2023-08-19T12:21:30Z ****
Wife’s 40th birthday today, and we’re having a party. So I’ve been running around all morning and thus wearing my Mudman G-SHOCK.
However, now I’m ready for the party, today’s #Wristcheck is this exquisite Baltany field watch. 👌
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/19/wifes-th-birthday.html)
2023-08-22T16:03:00Z ****
I decided to mow the larger of our 2 fields yesterday, but our plucky little mower couldn’t handle it.
[https://kevquirk.com/mower-failure](https://kevquirk.com/mower-failure) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/22/i-decided-to.html)
2023-08-26T21:14:10Z ****
Youngest son’s birthday tomorrow. He really wants a trampoline, but I \* **HATE** them. Guess who won that battle, and guess who’s been building a trampoline this evening…🤦♂️
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/26/youngest-sons-birthday.html)
2023-08-29T16:42:00Z ****
I recently turned 39 and I’m vowing to NOT be a fat boy by the time I turn 40.
[https://kevquirk.com/fat-boy-at-40](https://kevquirk.com/fat-boy-at-40) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/08/29/i-recently-turned.html)
2023-09-01T14:52:00Z ****
So many people have reached out with messages of support following my “Fat Boy” post. I’m thinking maybe we should start a little mailing list?
[https://kevquirk.com/lets-be-accountable-together](https://kevquirk.com/lets-be-accountable-together) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/01/so-many-people.html)
2023-09-02T08:46:56Z ****
Little bit late, but day 1 of the Micro.blog photo blogging challenge is **Abstract**
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/02/little-bit-late.html)
2023-09-02T08:52:32Z ****
For day 2 of the photo blogging challenge, I’ve been trying to wade through this **buildup** of grass. 🤦♂️
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/02/for-day-of.html)
2023-09-03T07:55:31Z ****
MB challenge day 3: My dogs are very **precious** to me. So much so that my wife thinks I love them more than the kids.
No comment… 😂
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/03/mb-challenge-day.html)
2023-09-04T06:40:29Z ****
For day 4 of the challenge, here is my **orange** dog.
(Yes, I am going to try and make the entire month about my dogs 😂)
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/04/for-day-of.html)
2023-09-04T10:50:00Z ****
Since the last post, I’ve had a lot of interest in the mailing list idea, so I’ve set one up.
[https://kevquirk.com/fat-boy-mailing-list](https://kevquirk.com/fat-boy-mailing-list) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/04/since-the-last.html)
2023-09-05T18:33:13Z ****
Day 5 of the photoblogging challenge is **Forest** and of course, my entry features the dogs. 😂
 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/05/day-of-the.html)
2023-09-06T11:55:57Z ****
Went for a walk during my lunch, it’s around 27c today. To say that I’m sweaty would be an understatement!
Only an entire afternoon in the office to go… 😳 ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/06/went-for-a.html)
2023-09-09T12:26:00Z ****
The next step in developing our smallholding is to get some chickens. The coop is built and we picked up our 6 little feathered friends recently.
[https://kevquirk.com/clucking-good-fun](https://kevquirk.com/clucking-good-fun) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/09/the-next-step.html)
2023-09-12T09:12:00Z ****
Finished reading Metro 2033 by Dmitry Glukhovsky. Enjoyable book - well worth a read.
[https://kevquirk.com/metro-2033](https://kevquirk.com/metro-2033) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/12/finished-reading-metro.html)
2023-09-13T19:04:19Z ****
Thinking I’m gonna cancel my subscription here, so this may well be my last post. 🤷♂️
You can find me on Mastodon, if you’re interested in my waffle - [https://fosstodon.org/@kev](https://fosstodon.org/@kev) ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/13/thinking-im-gonna.html)
2023-10-03T15:10:00Z **Fat Boy at 40 - Update 01**
It's been a little over a month since I mentioned the [Fat Boy at 40](https://kevquirk.com/fat-boy-at-40) thing (me wanting to lose some weight), so I thought it was hide time provided an update...
So I've been tracking my weight, [BMI](https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/bmi-calculator/) and blood pressure over the last 6 weeks. The good news is that my weight has gone down, as has my BMI and my blood pressure, but I think I could have done better.
I've been keeping a week-by-week log ... ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/10/03/fat-boy-at.html)
2023-09-30T15:40:00Z **Migrating This Blog to Kirby**
Yes, that's right dear reader, this site has gone through yet another change - it's now based on [Kirby](https://getkirby.com) and I think I've finally found [my blogging utopia](https://kevquirk.com/my-blogging-utopia).
Most regular readers will know that I struggle to stick with a single blogging platform. This is because I'm always on the hunt for something better, and I really enjoy learning new tools.
This time around, I've flipped from [Blot](https://blot.im) to [Kirby](https: ... ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/30/migrating-this-blog.html)
2023-09-28T18:55:00Z **Stuck in the Chicken Coop 😂**
This evening, while my wife was putting the kids to bed, she asked me if I'd go and check on the chickens as it was getting dark. Being the dutiful husband that I am, I trotted off up the field to make sure they were all settled down for the evening and that they were safe.
While I was checking on them, the door to the coop blew shut and inadvertently dropped one of the bolts that locks the door...those bolts are on the _outside_ of the coop. I was on the _inside_ of it.
Luckily for me, I h ... ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/28/stuck-in-the.html)
2023-09-27T16:55:00Z **“Thing” Is the Worst Word in the English Language**
I absolutely hate the word "thing". Like, seriously, what value does that word have? It adds nothing to a conversation and should be erased from the dictionary.
Picture the scene, dear reader; I'm in one room, and my kids are in another. Then, out of nowhere, one of them shouts:
> Daaaaaaaaad, what's this thing here?
To which I usually respond with something like _"what thing? use your bloody words!"_ And to my great annoyance, their response is usually so ... ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/27/thing-is-the.html)
2023-09-26T09:15:00Z **Outland**
✍️ **Written by:** Dennis E Taylor
🏷 **Genre:** Sci-fi / fantasy
🗓 **Published:** 01 January 2015
📄 **Pages:** 360
🧐 **My rating:** ★★★★★ / 5 stars
When an experiment to study quantum uncertainty goes spectacularly wrong, physics student Richard and his friends find that they have accidentally created an inter-dimensional portal. They connect to an alternate Earth with identical geology, but where human ... ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/26/outland.html)
2023-09-25T12:30:00Z **Metro 2034**
✍️ **Written by:** Dmitry Glukhovsky
🏷 **Genre:** Sci-fi / fantasy
🗓 **Published:** 16 March 2009
📄 **Pages:** 526
🧐 **My rating:** ★☆☆☆☆ / 1 star
The basis of two bestselling computer games Metro 2033 and Metro Last Light, the Metro books have put Dmitry Glukhovsky in the vanguard of Russian speculative fiction alongside the creator of Night Watch, Sergei Lukyanenko.
A year after the events of MET ... ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/09/25/metro.html)
2023-10-08T16:25:00Z **Absolutely Do Not Change Your Blogging Platform**
A couple of days ago, I was reading Manu's latest edition of People and Blog, in which he interviewed [Andrea Contino](https://manuelmoreale.com/pb-andrea-contino).
During the interview, Andrea linked to this post by Matt (who owns another blog that I regularly read and recommend you do too). Anyway, Matt's post is about not changing your blogging platform, which I do on the regular; the most recent of which was just [a couple weeks ago](https://kevquirk.com/migratin ... ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/10/08/absolutely-do-not.html)
2023-10-11T12:40:00Z **Having a Microblog on a Traditional Blog**
I was recently talking to [Jatan Mehta](https://jatan.space) about microblogging vs traditional blogging, and what should go where. I thought it was an interesting conversation, so decided to share my opinions here too.
I've written about [my love/hate relationship with social media](https://kevquirk.com/anti-social-media) in the past, and how [I've changed my habits](https://kevquirk.com/anti-social-update) to manage it better. I then toyed with [Micro.blog](https://kevqu ... ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/10/11/having-a-microblog.html)
2023-10-09T15:45:00Z **CMS Filesize Comparison**
## CMS Filesize Comparison
by Eddie Dale
People probably disagree with the usefulness of a blunt size-comparison between CMS'es. But I find it a great indication of complexity vs simplicity, tendencies of bloat, load times.
**[Read Post →](https://www.eddiedale.com/blog/cms-filesize-comparisons/)**
```
I thought this post was really interesting, and telling about the amount of bloat that a lot of CMS's have.
```
I was expecting WordPress to be heavy ... ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/10/09/cms-filesize-comparison.html)
2023-10-17T13:00:00Z **Blogging for the Hell of it**
## Blogging for the Hell of it
by Whiona
We don't need blogging niches, or "thought leaders"; we need more people just to blog for the hell of it.
[Read Post →](https://blog.whiona.me/what-happened-to-blogging-for-the-hell-of-it/)
```
I think Whiona hits the nail squarely on the head with this one. Writing a blog post just for the fun of it is exactly why I blog. All that ProBlogger crap - find a niche, double down, colle ... ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/10/17/blogging-for-the.html)
2023-10-13T13:55:00Z **Friends from Blogging**
I've been lucky enough to make a number of friends off the back of this blog (and also their blogs). This is a bit of a feel good post about how social media isn't the only way to meet new people.
I've talked at length about [my challenges with social media](https://kevquirk.com/anti-social-media)/microblogging vs traditional blogging, to which I generally get responses similar to this:
> But Kev, social media is great way of meeting new people.
>
> \-\- Social media person
I agree, soc ... ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/10/13/friends-from-blogging.html)
2023-10-18T09:15:00Z **A Year at the Smallholding**
Today marks the 1st anniversary of us moving into our 2.5 acre smallholding in Wales, but how has the first year gone? Here's a retrospective...
I can't believe it's been a year already - it's gone so quick, but I do feed like we've achieved a lot. Pretty much all of our savings have gone at this point, but I think it's been worth it overall.
## The first few months
These were by far the hardest part of the year. The previous owner was elderly and hadn't looked after the house properly for qui ... ⌘ [Read more](https://qrk.social/2023/10/18/a-year-at.html)