Wednesday 24th September 2025

This particular Wednesday, the 24th of September, began in a rather unglamorous way: with the sound of little crinklings and rustlings that I couldn’t quite place. Having only just crawled out of bed, I was still half in that dreamy state where the mind drifts between thoughts.

And, for the record, I’m now using my second microphone of the day—the first one apparently melted under the force of my morning breath. Thankfully, I brushed my teeth before continuing, so we’re safe for now.

Revisiting EastEnders

After years of ignoring it, I’ve started dipping back into EastEnders. Not just a one-off catch-up, but properly watching a few episodes in a row as they air on television. Normally I’d just jump on BBC iPlayer, which, now that I think of it, has always puzzled me. Why “iPlayer”? It has nothing to do with iPhones or Apple. Funny how no one seems to question that.

Sometimes I’ll binge-watch episodes back-to-back on iPlayer, but this week I’ve been catching them live again. A small shift in my routine, but somehow it feels notable.

News Browsing: Love, Storms, and Superheroes

Scrolling through the news, I stumbled across Richard Osman’s declaration that meeting his wife, Ingrid Oliver, was the best thing that had ever happened to him. Sweet, yes, but I did find myself wondering why that qualifies as national news. A human falls in love with another human—surely that’s as old as time itself?

What was interesting was the report from Hong Kong, which is currently facing Typhoon Regessa, the most powerful tropical cyclone of the year. This got me wondering: what exactly is a cyclone?

What is a Cyclone?

A cyclone is a large air mass that rotates around a strong centre of low atmospheric pressure, characterised by spiralling winds. They spin counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern. Depending on where you are, they’re called by different names:

• Hurricanes in the North Atlantic

• Typhoons in the North and West Pacific

• Cyclones in other regions

So essentially, a cyclone is just another name for a hurricane, which makes sense once you read the science.

But all these names reminded me of The Walking Dead. In the show, every community has its own word for zombies—“Munchers,” “Sleepers,” “Brain Gobblers.” Oddly enough, not one group actually calls them zombies, despite how perfectly fitting the term would be. It’s a little like cyclones and typhoons: everyone insists on a different name for the same thing.

And while we’re on typhoons, let’s not forget the UK’s own Typhoo—though that one’s best served hot with three sugars.

Superheroes and the Multiverse

The news also covered Chris Evans, best known as Captain America. Apparently, he’s turned up on the red carpet with a noticeably bulked-up physique, sparking speculation that he might be returning to the Marvel franchise.

The beauty of the Marvel multiverse is that it leaves the door wide open for such returns. After all, if there are infinite versions of reality, there’s bound to be one where Captain America works at McDonald’s or sells insurance, right? It’s a storytelling playground with endless possibilities.

Reflections on Weight and Skin

Another headline touched on rapid weight loss and loose skin—something I’ve thought about myself. Personally, I’ve never experienced that problem, perhaps because my own weight fluctuations have been more moderate. At my heaviest I was around 16 stone (about 100 kilos), which is still a far cry from the 300 pounds some people lose from.

In my experience, the key is simple: lose weight slowly. It’s less drastic, more sustainable, and easier on the skin.

A Strange Sleep Apnea Solution

One story that caught my attention was about a supposed Japanese trick for sleep apnea. After some digging, it turned out to be nothing more than a sales pitch for the “Dorilla Ergo Pillow.”

The ad was predictably dramatic: expensive CPAP machines cost hundreds, specialists are pricey, but this pillow? It could solve it all. Cue a glowing testimonial about snoring vanishing overnight.

Then came the urgency tactic—“70% off if you buy within 14 minutes and 36 seconds!” The prices?

• One pillow: £59.99

• Two pillows: £99.98

• Three pillows: £137.97

• Four pillows: £159.96

The kicker? Fake purchase alerts flashing up on the screen: “Emily from Shropshire just bought one. Ian from Milton Keynes bought three. Rodgette from Exeter just purchased a pillow.” Rodgette? Really? I’m fairly certain no one has ever been called Rodgette.

Playing the Sales Game

The pop-ups kept coming: “Hannah from Enfield has bought three.” “John from Gateshead just made a purchase.” And strangely, everyone seemed to be buying three pillows at once. Was it because three came in at the oddly precise price of £137.97?

What stood out, though, was that all these supposed buyers came from Great Britain. Not one from France, Germany, or the US—just the UK. Which sparked a thought: perhaps it’s because, as the name insists, Britain is already great.

We don’t need to make it great again—we’ve always been great. Still are, in fact. Though it is a bit funny when you think about it. Imagine calling yourself “great” out loud. Now that would be something.