Omar's Blog

Who we are

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 20:40:39 +0800

I’ve been consciously trying to write more and was getting in the habit recently writing a page a day in my notebook but as with all things it kind of fell by the wayside. But when I did do it, I think, maybe that I definitely felt better for it. So, I am starting again and trying to put some ink down on the page the last few days.

I was aware today as well that I want to not get caught up in always feeling like there’s a thousand things to do and that if I don’t do them right now then catastrophe is inevitable. Especially in my job as a classroom teacher, there’s always that feeling of there being things I could be doing, in addition to the things I should be doing. That these joint pressures mean that I never stop. And that this is not necessarily for the best. That it would be better to talk to people, or to spend some time writing instead of being busy. As always, some things are easier said than done.

Exercising scratching the itch.

Sun, 06 Sep 2026 13:46:47 +0800

I like doing CrossFit as a means to being fit. Just this week I sat on the Assault Bike for 45 minutes, did 45 strict pull ups alongside some skipping and box jumps and did some heavy squat cleans. I like the variety and believe it’s important to growing old healthily.
But… in some ways it doesn’t scratch the itch. It’s just going to the gym really. Which is why I’m happy to that I’ve been bouldering regularly recently. This definitely scratches the itch. I like the challenge of it, the high of completing a route and it’s exercising still even if it doesn’t feel like it.

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 12:56:32 +0800

I think I give up. Trying to buy Minecraft for my daughter’s MacBook but my card keeps getting declined. Struggling to understand the alternatives honestly. :(

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 06:38:33 +0800

A couple of coffee related pictures from yesterday. The first was funny and the second is… umm interesting.

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 20:16:47 +0800

Rüfüs Du Sol - Innerbloom (DELTA HEAVY Remix) - FULL VERSION - YouTube

If you want me
If you need me
I’m yours

❤️

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 21:00:51 +0800

The KFC-Oreo burger currently available in China was disappointing in its plainness. I like the (brown) mashed potato well enough with the chicken. I was just expecting something weirder in taste.

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 19:44:51 +0800

I always think I’ll be annoyed forever and then I just don’t have time to. I just realised I’ve thought that three times today.

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 11:28:43 +0800

Why Ages 2-7 Matter So Much for Brain Development | Edutopia

Yes, we want children to read well and learn the fundamentals of math. But we should not disregard emotional intelligence. The advantages of learning during this first critical period of brain development should extend to interpersonal skills such as kindness, empathy, and teamwork.

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 10:39:37 +0800

Week 2

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 19:03:10 +0800

What neuroscience tells us about teaching early years | Tes

So your advice to EYFS teachers is to slow down, exaggerate and repeat? Yes, don’t feel this pressure to always be doing something new. Lots of people still have this idea of stimulating the young brain - that the more stimulation we give to a child, the faster their brain will develop. Every day has to be different, and they want parents to see that when they’re picking their children up or via the photos they post on the school app. In fact, from a neuroscientist’s perspective, the more we understand about how brains learn, the more we understand that less content repeated more times equals better learning. So rather than feeling a lot of pressure to do something new every day, teachers should appreciate that what children need is to be doing exactly the same thing, preferably with exactly the same language and exactly the same learning resources, at exactly the same time each day.

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 19:43:45 +0800

Playing beyond my level today. Which I guess is good but I keep making mistakes. Which I get is good but it’s not the best feeling.

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 21:15:40 +0800

First day back at school. A week of meetings, getting ready and trying to feel excitement and not worry about the year ahead. Remembering the things that I think in this situation after being outside of it for 6 weeks or so. But also happy to see colleagues again.

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 18:34:31 +0800

1 min as hard as possible. 3 minutes rest. 10 times. Horrible. Disgusting. Difficult. Effective.

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 12:36:43 +0800

I think it’s that I keep telling myself that I actually do use Instagram to keep in touch with a few friends I wouldn’t otherwise and that, sometimes, some of the things I see are informative. I just wish I could only see the useful stuff.

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 23:48:02 +0800

I occasionally play majiang with colleagues. I know the basics of the game and am able to play, but there’s so much more going on that I’m not aware of. My colleagues are able to play and chat while I just do one! Still, gotta be good for the brain.

Sat, 01 Aug 2026 09:38:45 +0800

I underestimated how hilly the run around the compound is. I was planning to do 5km but stopped (gave up) at 3.4km which was 3 loops. It’s already 30 degrees too (86F) in my defense. Plan for next time is to go slower…

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 17:34:08 +0800

📺 Widow’s Bay (Apple TV+) - I don’t normally do scary but this has enough comedy that I’ve stuck through it. L and I are nothing really enjoying it. 📖 Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff. I am currently scrolling IG too much… BUT one of the book recommendations was this. Interested to see how it goes. 🎵Psyence Fiction - UNKLE. 1998! Still great.

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 08:54:19 +0800

If your answer is more than an hour a day, you’re in Track 3 and you’ll be focusing on choosing books that are hard enough for your intellectual level as well as improving your ability to sit and focus.

I like this idea, particularly as a means to think about my focus. One of the bonus challenges is to watch a film without a second screen…

let’s do a ‘couch to 5k’ for reading - by Naomi Alderman

Tuesday 23rd June

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 09:32:32 +0800

We talk about the Sandlot.

Transcript

S03 E05

Sat, 20 Jun 2026 21:07:53 +0800

We tried recording on the bed. Talked about somethings.

Transcript

Season 3 Episode 4

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 06:08:35 +0800

A quick chat to keep the ball rolling.

Transcript

Day 3 - Yumo joins us to chat some things.

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 20:33:00 +0800

Transcript

Day 2

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 19:32:41 +0800

National treasure. Awards. World Cup. End of the Year.

Trying to keep in the habit…

Transcript

Summer is coming

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 08:49:16 +0800

Summer is coming, a time for children and teachers to finally be happy(?). Elise and Dad talk a little about what’s been happening and begin our film reviews. Dad agrees to a bet if England win…

Transcript

Breaking the habit

Sun, 29 Mar 2026 10:50:57 +0800

Maybe today is the day.

Is today the day I break the habit of doing 10000 steps. It’s currently standing at 154 days. 22 weeks. What started as trying to get over 10000 steps more regularly, became a challenge with a friend for 10 days in a row became getting up at 5am almost every day to walk or go to the gym. Which is where I am today.

Except today I’m sick. So, I’ve not been getting up at 5am and getting in the steps is proving more difficult when you spend all day indoors. I hate being sick, not being 100% and so not being able to get up early to work or go to the gym. While also having family and work expectations and not really being sick enough to avoid them.

We will see, L and the kids are going to go out later and maybe I’ll take a stroll then…