# bank holiday weekend (blogs) — RSS Amplifier Recent posts from the 2 feeds in the RSS Amplifier directory that cover bank holiday weekend. Page: Feed: --- ## [Home theatre upgrades for video](https://blog.jsweeting.me/home-theatre-upgrades-for-video) _2026-08-29 · What's up with James?_ Last week I wrote about the home theatre upgrades in the context of how it improved my videogame experience. This time I want to expand upon that to explore how it makes an even bigger difference to video (film/TV) content. When I was looking into getting a soundbar it was mostly to help improve the situation around dialogue in video content. For gaming this was less of an issue. During my visit… ## [Joanne McNally’s brand just dropped a bag you’ll love](https://www.shemazing.net/joanne-mcnallys-brand-just-dropped-a-bag-youll-love/) _2026-08-29 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Anxious Preoccupied's new Half Moon Bag is here ## [Electric Picnic is going wind-powered and it sounds amazing](https://www.shemazing.net/electric-picnic-is-going-wind-powered-and-it-sounds-amazing/) _2026-08-28 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Electric Picnic is going wind-powered this year ## [Caffè Nero Dublin has the ultimate Mean Girls pre-show spot](https://www.shemazing.net/caffe-nero-dublin-has-the-ultimate-mean-girls-pre-show-spot/) _2026-08-27 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Mean Girls fans, Caffè Nero wants you. ## [b·bold’s Milk Meets Matcha collection is your tan’s skincare era](https://www.shemazing.net/b%c2%b7bolds-milk-meets-matcha-collection-is-your-tans-skincare-era/) _2026-08-26 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Matcha, ceramides and a gradual bronze glow ## [Irish Champions Festival is bringing serious style to the races](https://www.shemazing.net/irish-champions-festival-is-bringing-serious-style-to-the-races/) _2026-08-25 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Style, racing and seriously good prizes ## [Your skin is wrecked after summer. Here’s how to fix it.](https://www.shemazing.net/your-skin-is-wrecked-after-summer-heres-how-to-fix-it/) _2026-08-23 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Your post-summer skin fix starts here ## [Relationship habits every couple needs when real life kicks back in](https://www.shemazing.net/relationship-habits-every-couple-needs-when-real-life-kicks-back-in/) _2026-08-22 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Real life's back. Here's how to handle it. ## [Joe McCarthy Is Calling on Ireland to Lace Up This October](https://www.shemazing.net/joe-mccarthy-is-calling-on-ireland-to-lace-up-this-october/) _2026-08-21 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Down Syndrome Ireland's Purple Run is back ## [CMAT’s favourite tights brand is popping up in Dublin](https://www.shemazing.net/cmats-favourite-tights-brand-is-popping-up-in-dublin/) _2026-08-21 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Free fashion pop-up hits Grafton Street in Sept ## [Find the fault before the call does (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/SnPlkNq0SOll) _2026-08-21 · **Sponsored**_ Run 24 local hardware tests in your browser or app; nothing is uploaded. ## [Home theatre upgrades for gaming](https://blog.jsweeting.me/home-theatre-upgrades-for-gaming) _2026-08-20 · What's up with James?_ After my OLED TV was returned after being repaired (LG should have just given me a new one as it would have been cheaper for them - it was still under the 5 year warranty) I decided it was time to invest in some better speakers. The TV speakers aren't terrible, despite what some will say about those on flat screens, but with so many films mastered for surround sound systems, dialogue is… ## [Charlotte Tilbury’s new blush blur is coming and it looks incredible](https://www.shemazing.net/charlotte-tilburys-new-blush-blur-is-coming-and-it-looks-incredible/) _2026-08-20 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Charlotte Tilbury's new blush just dropped ## [Guest on Over/Under](https://blog.jsweeting.me/guest-on-over-under) _2026-08-19 · What's up with James?_ Earlier this week my interview for the blog series Over/Under went live. You can find it over on Hyde's Lazybear blog . It was nice to be asked to participate in something like this for the first time. I've seen interview series on other blogs and wondered whether my blogs warrant the additional spotlight. While I hadn't heard of the Over/Under series before being asked, I immediately liked the… ## [Decathlon’s ‘No Tent Left Behind’ Pledge Is Worth Knowing About](https://www.shemazing.net/decathlons-no-tent-left-behind-pledge-is-worth-knowing-about/) _2026-08-19 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Don't leave your tent in that field this summer ## [Oatly’s New Barista Editions Are the Coffee Upgrade You Actually Need](https://www.shemazing.net/oatlys-new-barista-editions-are-the-coffee-upgrade-you-actually-need/) _2026-08-18 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Oatly's Barista range just got tastier ## [Joanne McNally adds third 3Arena date as Pinotphile goes global](https://www.shemazing.net/joanne-mcnally-adds-third-3arena-date-as-pinotphile-goes-global/) _2026-08-15 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Joanne McNally adds a third 3Arena Dublin date ## [High Tide Studios Is the Space Serious Voices Have Been Waiting For](https://www.shemazing.net/high-tide-studios-is-the-space-serious-voices-have-been-waiting-for/) _2026-08-14 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ The studio built for voices that mean it ## [August Might Actually Be a Great Month to Meet Someone – Here’s Why!](https://www.shemazing.net/august-might-actually-be-a-great-month-to-meet-someone-heres-why/) _2026-08-14 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ August dating is having a serious moment. ## [Your Hair’s Been Through Enough — Here’s How to Rescue It Post-Summer](https://www.shemazing.net/your-hairs-been-through-enough-heres-how-to-rescue-it-post-summer/) _2026-08-12 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Save your sun-fried hair now. ## [Goodbye XBOX](https://blog.jsweeting.me/goodbye-xbox) _2026-08-09 · What's up with James?_ Since early 2025 I've been reducing my reliance on "Big Tech". Unsurprisingly Microsoft is one of those firms I've been working on moving away from. Like with Google it is very difficult to truly leave, but it is very possible to greatly reduce how much you use their services. Because my work place continues its reliance on Microsoft services, it is down to my personal use that I have any real… ## [Accept your Doppler invite (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/jDLgpher253l) _2026-08-09 · **Sponsored**_ Create your Doppler account using the invite code you received. ## [The Biggest Communication Mistakes Couples Make After Holidays](https://www.shemazing.net/the-biggest-communication-mistakes-couples-make-after-holidays/) _2026-08-09 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ The post-holiday slump is real, babe. ## [My browser choices 18 months on](https://blog.jsweeting.me/my-browser-choices-18-months-on) _2026-08-03 · What's up with James?_ It's now been around 18 months since I ditched Chrome as my daily web browser, both on desktop and mobile. Not once have I missed it. Chrome has for a while been a joke when it comes to performance and that was a part of what led me to moving away from it. At the time I was still using my old Dell XPS which - according to Microsoft - was coming to end of life (EoL). Even though I do still use that… ## [Why August Is the Sign You Needed to Finally Put Your Phone Down](https://www.shemazing.net/why-august-is-the-sign-you-needed-to-finally-put-your-phone-down/) _2026-08-03 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Your screen time report is a cry for help. ## [Blogging with Pagecord for 1 year](https://blog.jsweeting.me/blogging-with-pagecord-for-1-year) _2026-08-02 · What's up with James?_ It's now been over a year since I started blogging with Pagecord (and almost as long since I started paying too). Pagecord was not my first blogging platform this decade, nor is it my only one. But, even in just the past year it has really grown as a service. It's partly why I will be allowing my paid subscription to auto-renew, the other is that it was great last year and those key parts that… ## [The Charlotte Tilbury products your festival face actually needs](https://www.shemazing.net/the-charlotte-tilbury-products-your-festival-face-actually-needs/) _2026-08-01 · Amber Saunders · SHEmazing!_ Festival makeup that won't quit on you ## [Still thinking about Sony ceasing physical discs](https://blog.jsweeting.me/still-thinking-about-sony-ceasing-physical-discs) _2026-07-07 · What's up with James?_ Last week Sony announced that from January 2028 they will no longer be producing physical discs for PlayStation games. In some ways this announcement isn't a completely unexpected surprise. Videogame consoles have become increasingly digital focused over the past decade. Partly out of players choice (digital can be convenient) and console manufacturers increasingly nudging consumption habits in… ## [The Steam Machine price has been revealed and I am sad](https://blog.jsweeting.me/the-steam-machine-price-has-been-revealed-and-i-am-sad) _2026-06-22 · What's up with James?_ Time to curl into a ball and hug my Steam Deck (I initially wrote Machine in a Freudian daze). So, the time has finally come, Valve has now announced the price of the Steam Machine, and as feared, it is expensive . Even at the low end with the 512GB version without a controller it is £879 !! (also over $1,000 in the US) Then at the other end, for the 2TB version with a controller it goes up to… ## [Growing up on the cusp of social media](https://blog.jsweeting.me/growing-up-on-the-cusp-of-social-media) _2026-06-19 · What's up with James?_ Earlier this week I wrote about the newly announced under-16 social media ban for the UK. The post has so far been one of my most read on this blog so far ( spotlight helps). This is unsurprisingly a hot topic, but has also got me thinking about my relationship with technology and the web around that age. Especially after speaking with a colleague who has a 16 year old son. I grew up in a rural… ## [UK announced social media ban](https://blog.jsweeting.me/uk-announced-social-media-ban) _2026-06-15 · What's up with James?_ Today the UK Government announced an "under-16 social media ban". Whilst I have previously complained about the Online Safety Act , largely due to its poor implementation, I'm not inherently against the idea of a social media "ban" for those under 16. Before you call me a hypocrite, the difference is that the big social media platforms are inherently toxic. They are not there for the users, or… ## [CachyOS' AUR Problem](https://blog.jsweeting.me/cachyos-aur-problem) _2026-06-12 · What's up with James?_ A couple of months ago I wrote about how I was considering moving from Bazzite to Cachy OS . I had yet to make the move in large part because Bazzite on my decade old Dell XPS 15 was working very well and was doing what I needed it to do. It's great as a companion machine for marking student work and general admin when I'm not on my work provided laptop (unmanaged thankfully). I don't like using… ## [Finnish Seedboxes — Up to 20Gbps (Sponsored)](https://crawlproof.com/a/Otks0VhBczPX) _2026-06-12 · **Sponsored**_ Private Finnish seedboxes with 1–20Gbps speeds, RAID storage and 14‑day refund ## [The Ocarina of Time Remake is real](https://blog.jsweeting.me/the-ocarina-of-time-remake-is-real) _2026-06-09 · What's up with James?_ The rumours were true, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake is a thing . Now, Nintendo absolutely despises leaks, and judging by the "footage" Nintendo showed today I wouldn't be surprised if the announcement (confirmation) today was Nintendo's hand being forced far sooner than it would have otherwise. Whilst Nintendo is often accused of remaking its games often, in practice it's not as… ## [Recent thoughts on AI use](https://blog.jsweeting.me/recent-thoughts-on-ai-use) _2026-06-04 · What's up with James?_ Yes, it's another post on AI. Whilst, I don't write too many posts on it myself (I wrote around 7,000 words on it for a journal instead) you've probably come across countless posts on it elsewhere. I was planning to write something about it following the announcement that the Steam Deck was going up by around £200! What was once the go-to suggestion for a PC handheld (" just get a Steam Deck ") is… ## [A tale of two TV to film follow-ups](https://blog.jsweeting.me/a-tale-of-two-tv-to-film-follow-ups) _2026-05-24 · What's up with James?_ This week two new films were released that followed on from two different established streaming TV shows. Although only one of these made its way to the cinema. The films I'm talking about are Jack Ryan: Ghost War (Amazon Prime) and Star Wars: Mandalorian and Grogu (Disney). These are both very different franchises not only in genre but also in what surrounds them as a media entity. Jack Ryan is… ## [Tech observations](https://blog.jsweeting.me/tech-observations) _2026-05-19 · What's up with James?_ The past couple of days I've been solving various things across devices, services, and operating systems. I spent a big chunk of yesterday evening finally fixing the HDR issue I had playing The Witcher 3 on Steam Deck via Heroic Launcher (that I got for free on GOG). The fix was very simple and it was one I was aware of, but didn't want to mess around too much in desktop mode outside of installing… ## [Testing the Obsidian Plugin](https://blog.jsweeting.me/testing-the-obsidian-plugin) _2026-05-14 · What's up with James?_ It's finally here, the plugin to enable me to post directly from Obsidian, which is now where I do most of my blog writing. As well as a lot of my research notes too. This is to see how well I get on with it. Is it easier to post directly from here, or do I prefer to just copy and paste the text from Obsidian into Pagecord? The main test for me is possibly the ease of dealing with the metadata. I… ## [May the Force Weekend](https://blog.jsweeting.me/may-the-force-weekend) _2026-05-06 · What's up with James?_ As I mentioned in my previous post I actually had nothing scheduled during the Bank Holiday Weekend. what made this one particularly good was that it also coincided with the made up holiday of May 4th, aka May the Fourth Be With You. In other words, an excuse to immerse oneself in Star Wars content over 4 days. Not only did the excellent Maul - Shadow Lord series conclude its first season but also… ## [Bank Holiday Weekend](https://blog.jsweeting.me/bank-holiday-weekend) _2026-05-02 · What's up with James?_ Finally, the Bank Holiday Weekend! I know that the Easter break wasn't that long ago, but I very much did not have a break then. Haven't had a proper break for a long time. Either had things that scheduled to do, or something has come up that needed my immediate attention. Over the past 12 months this has ranged from minor to major and everywhere in between. For the past month all sorts of issues…