(Early) Eid Mubarak !

It's the last day of Ramadan already! As always it flies by and here we are at the last day of fasting for me. Are you celebrating Eid this year? Or have you got any celebrations coming up? Let me know.

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In this week's email...

• Week in the Life - read on the blog
• Creative Update - Ramadan & Fried Chicken
• Gadgets/Tech - Galaxy Watch4
• Read - Least crowded destinations in Australia
• Watch - World's best drone shot?
• Quote - “Be kind, for whenever kindness becomes part of something, it beautifies it. Whenever it is taken from something, it leaves it tarnished.”

Week in the life

Melbourne is slowly moving through Autumn and getting cooler, which means the cats are very much enjoying sitting on my lap. The major thing this week has been the arrival of some of my family from New York. Since my brother is also visiting from London, it's shaping up to be an Eid that's much more festive than usual. After 2 years of mosques being closed, it's a much needed celebration.

Also for the first time possibly ever, I'm taking some time off to play tour guide with those visiting. Last time my aunt visited, I think I managed to take 1 day off and she didn't really get to see much of Melbourne at all, but plans for what we're going to do will be over on the blog...

Creative update

Ramadan & Fried Chicken

They've been slow coming out but the next video in the Ramadan 22 series is out now! Because this was filmed mainly around the time I was a bit unwell, a lot of it features me recuperating with my cats!

They have been wonderful to have around and are especially great at keeping me warm. Also, we're past $500 in the fundraising for this year with about 1 week to go! Thank you to those who have donated and if you'd like to, you can still do so.

Gadget/Tech

Galaxy Watch4

I try to not share devices that are not universal and maybe the Apple Watch already has all this but I was mighty damn impressed with the Galaxy Watch4 this week. I finally actually did the calibrations and have to say, the inbuilt blood pressure measurement is pretty darn accurate!

The body composition function also seems close to what my scales measure too! Initially I was hesitant to recommend the watch since the battery life isn't the best, but there's been a software update recently and I tweaked some of the settings and even with the display always on, now I'm managing to get through the day with it!

Other tech & gadgets:

• Floately levitating plants - Had guests over and guess what they noticed the most around the apartment?
• DJI Mini2 - Until the Mini3 comes out, this will be my most recommended drone. Tiny but awesome!

Read/Listen

Least crowded destinations in Australia

Nothing heavy this week to read, but I did find this article a little while ago going over some of the most remote places in Australia to have a holiday in. As someone that doesn't really like the crowds, I'll be using this as an inspiration for the next few holidays.

Currently reading:

• Three body problem - My swing back into fiction is proving quite addictive!

Watch

World's best drone shot?

The production value of so many things we watch is so good that I sometimes forget just how much skill and effort goes into making something tiny look as amazing as it does.

This short video looks at a downhill extreme bike ride competition but from the perspective of an FPV drone. The pilot must have the reflexes of those in the air force to be able to navigate following a bike at speed as it goes through the obstacles. The final shot is pretty epic!

Quote I'm pondering

“Be kind, for whenever kindness becomes part of something, it beautifies it. Whenever it is taken from something, it leaves it tarnished.”

– Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)

Given that it's the end of Ramadan and the Ramdan22 project for me, this quote was on my mind. If you watched this weeks Youtube video, one of the things I wanted to share was just how certain events change how people react to others. It was 9/11 to focus on the negatives of Islam. The Covid-19 pandemic gave rise to Asian hate crimes and currently the Ukrainian conflict has meant all things Russian (including the majority of the population who want no part in this) are seen in a negative light.

So for me, this quote serves as a reminder of sorts. In any action, chose the kinder option...

On that note, I'll leave to reflect for another week. Hope you enjoyed this week's newsletter! Eid Mubarak to those who are celebrating!

- Raffy

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