Zdravo !

That's "hello" in Macedonian! Writing this in between cases at work is always an interesting experience and feels much more disjointed for me. I wonder if you can tell on which emails I've done piecemeal and hence there appears to be less of a "theme" than normal?

Before I go on, a small ask (as always!). If you have a friend who you think would enjoy the this email, maybe forward it on? It helps A LOT! You can even use your own referral link:

Week in the life

This week had some news on a few different areas. The puzzle is FINALLY getting printed (more on that below). Friends from Sydney were visiting for the weekend and hence I got to take some snaps from a gorgeous apartment with views of the city and Southbank.

Did some timelapses on the phone as well which I'll put up on Instagram at some point, but here are some photos for now.

Since I get so many responses for more Luna photos, here's how cute she was this week...

In other news, I sent in my custom measurements for the Superstrata e-bike! Should be getting it in the next few months which I'm quite excited about. I also may or may not have ordered some DJI products recently...

PxR & Kickstarter update

PxR Store

https://www.photosbyraffy.com/shop

After weeks of emails and unreturned missed calls, the local printers FINALLY responded and will be printing the puzzles in the upcoming week!

It's been a bit of an ordeal! In the mean time, I'll be getting the prints...printed and sent hopefully by the end of this week.

Now comes the hard part of organising the logitistics of delivery. In order to speed it up, I'll be driving to Ballarat later in the week after work to pick up the physical puzzles so that I can start packing and shipping ASAP so there's some chance of a pre-Xmas delivery.

I've sent off a few of the calendars recently. There's a handful left for 2021 and available on the online PxR store.

Gadgets & tech

Giga Pump 2

https://igg.me/at/gigapump2/x/24167110#/

This is something that randomly popped up on my feed and caught my eye: a tiny air pump/vacuum that is useful for deflating vacuum pack bags or inflating things. Since I bought the inflatable kayak, this would actually be pretty useful in getting it inflated and deflated when out and about.

Also has a little LED torch and recharges via USB-C!

SEE ALSO

Some people keep asking about previous recommendations etc so I'm going to link a few that have come up in conversation in the last week below:

• Bolt heated coffee mug- Like the Ember mug, but without needing an app and also dishwasher safe!
• Floately floating planter - This is still awesome! Very much still enjoying my plants spin around weightlessly.
• Zens Wireless charging pad - My current wireless charging pad of choice. Works with iPhones and most Android devices and it's GREAT to not have to line up the charging coils!

Read

Genome - Matt Ridley

https://amzn.to/2VI3Px5

I'm on a bit of a Matt Ridley binge at the moment. After reading "How Innovation Works" and "The Rational Optimist," this one has been my latest non-fiction book about the discovery of the genome and how natural selection shaped us as a species.

I really like Matt Ridley's perspective and am about 30% of the way through the book. Listening now, it is a bit out of date since this was written about a decade ago in the pre-CRISPr era, but it's been good to get up to scratch on the basics again.

Listen

Things that matter - Tomas Barford

https://open.spotify.com/track/21ULVQNvnh2tEcjAtqTV8O?si=95raQqmnRDOVzzvaLXiNFw

Since everyone is doing the Spotify summary thing, I'd share my most played track of 2020. This one took me by surprise since I thought it'd be one of the many other tracks.

This is a very chilled track that I always hum along to and is constantly stuck in my head with its infectetiousness. Maybe that's why it's been the most played of 2020...

Quote I'm pondering

– Steven Bartlett

I don't think of Twitter as a font of knowledge, but this guy posts some genuinely insightful ideas. Also, this is the first time I'm putting the image instead of the text. Better/worse?

Truly random

How are you finding the random section? Would love feedback if you liked this.

• Why NASA needed a space pen - With SpaceX launching rockets and make space more accessible, this article was an interesting reminder of how even the most every items can be far more complicated in zero G.

Thanks again for joining me on yet another week of randomness. What was your favourite bit? Email me and let me know!

Stay safe and stay random!

- Raffy

Is anyone else missing the lack of traffic during lockdown? Or any other part of it? What do you strangely miss about being in lock down? Let me know!

Sunday Surprise uses affiliate/referral links in the newsletter. While this does not influence the product recommendations or verdict, if there are any that are likely to lead to Photos by Raffy receiving any sort of compensation from, they will be marked in orange. Non affiliate links will appear as blue.