Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky

~ Veselin ~ 3 Comments

The battle with this giant book was real. I started it months ago, then restarted it around New Year and completed over 10 books in between. The third attempt this month finally ended in victory.

Two storylines alternate with slightly different characters each time. One follows a community of intelligent spiders. The other follows the last surviving humans, flying mostly frozen in a thousand-year-old spaceship called Gilgamesh.

It’s no secret they’re heading for a crash. The deus ex machina pulls the strings toward a carefully arranged finale we can see from the orbit.

I liked the spiders. I didn’t like much else. From what I’ve heard, the second part is easier to read.

3/5.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4

~ Veselin ~ 8 Comments

Apart from buying books, I like getting myself little gadgets on occasion. Over 2025, that was mostly audio equipment. I got two closed-back headphones – the wireless SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 and the wired FiiO FT1. I also purchased an external microphone, which is waiting for the right moment be featured in a post. My last addition for 2025 was the lovely Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4.

The original intent for getting earbuds was to use them as a backup. Maybe try using them for calls, replacing the FiiO FT1, because they offer better isolation.

In the first days of use, I attempted taking calls with the earbuds. Many of my colleagues use earbuds and I assumed that would improve my setup. However, it didn’t work as well as I hoped.

  • They’re Bluetooth and have a very slight delay, which I can sense and it bothers me
  • I need to manually select the mic to ensure I use the right one is in use before each call
  • I experienced setup anxiety

So, although I could use them for calls, I quickly rolled back to using wired headphones with no mic and enjoy an axiety-free setup. Despite that, they’re still the headphones I’ve been using the most over the last 2 months.

  • They’re really pleasant-looking and a real joy to keep, hold, and carry
  • Fit well in my ears
  • The active noise-cancelling is so good that it makes me disappear into my own bubble. Particularly useful when watching my kids play with friends – the ANC allows me to read a book
  • The case is light and I can carry it everywhere, even when going for a walk
  • They charge quickly, drain slowly, and don’t make any unwanted sounds

Most of that can be said for any good quality earbuds. However, I own an earlier version of the Apple Airpods they were never anything more than a device I don’t want to touch, use, or carry. The Sennheiser exceeded my expectations and became part of my life. I’m not a typical user. I don’t use them outdoors, like most young people I see on the subway. So my recommendation should be taken with a grain of salt.

For my use case, they’re lovely. 5/5.