I gave up on Project Hail Mary for now (as I said, I generally don’t like sci-fi and when aliens appeared, I gave up altogether), and went back to fantasy. Finally got to readingThe Grace of Kings by Ken Liu. Am about a quarter in, and can’t believe it took me so long to recognize that the story is based on Liu Bang and XiangYu!

I’m currently using the DeLonghi EC860 which I bought when I didn’t know that much about making espresso. Now I realise that pressure is not great and the steaming wand doesn’t do great foam for express and the so-called automatic cappuccino system is superfluous. In the last year or soi got myself a grinder, replaced the ports filter with a bottomless non-pressurised one, and got myself a separate milk frother, and my coffee has been awesome.

Seems that the machine is acting up quite a bit lately and it may be time for a replacement. Any suggestions for a somewhat entry level machine with some additional options? I don’t want to have to figure out pressure and so on each time, and it doesn’t need to have a built in grinder. A good steaming wand would be nice. Most mornings I make a 3shot cappuccino for myself, but on weekends make another cup for my wife, and occasionally my parents if they come over for a visit (my current one seems to overheat after the 3rd shot nowadays).

Preferably not to pricey, around the same-ish price range?

I’ve made the full transition to ebooks maybe 10 years ago and have barely bought physical books ever since. I’m a prolific reader, I read maybe at least 1 book a week, and I guess one of the advantages of ebooks is that I can quickly jump to the next book once I’ve finished the one I’m reading.

Recently my wife and I were at Pavillion Bukit Jalil and were thinking of checking out that famous bookshop there, and I realised I no longer have the excitement to visit a bookstore. I recall I’d visit Borders so often back when I younger and we always on the lookout for my next book, or for newly released books by my favourite authors, and was so excited when the next book I. The series’s was available. Nowadays, though, most of them are already in my preorder list on Google Play Books, so the thrill of the hunt is no longer there.

A few months ago I dug out some of my old physical books to read downstairs so that my toddler can see me reading an actual book instead of staring at my iPad or phone (reading, but it looks like I’m just staring at a screen) because I want to encourage her to get into reading too. I’ve found, though, somehow it was a lot harder to continue. I’d keep wanting to switch to the ebook version so that I can read in bed when the lights are dimmer.

How about you guys? What are your thoughts or experiences about the switch to ebooks? Do you still read physical books? Do you miss it?

I’m looking for a bunch of people to add to my team, and we are a tech-advertising-social media-agency open door amused-to-be-a+startup kinda place. The last time I posted on Jobstreet I guess the candidates really do fit our kind of environment and mindset. Where’s a good place to post for a younger hungry more cosmopolitan crowd? Don’t mind paying premium but would rather not use headhunters.

What are you guys currently reading?

I just finished Sebastian De Castell's The Malevolent Seven and damn it was good, although in the first quarter I wondered if I really wanted to be reading it. Wish the next was already out, but thankfully the author is quite prolific.

About to start Andy Weir's Project Hail Mary based on a blind recommendation. Never read The Martian, I'm not so much into scifi usually, mostly into fantasy and historical fiction but there are exceptions so I'm gonna give it a go.