Yearly Themes

This page is an ongoing log of my experiences with long-term “themes”. Learn more about yearly themes here and here.

The Year of Raw 2023-2024

The fooking bass is fooking raw!

– Gordon Ramsay

Going Raw 2023.08.11

• raw foods over processed junk
• raw materials over manufactured goods
• raw emotions over filtered feelings
• raw code with minimimal dependencies
• raw textbooks over summaries

The Year of Trailblazing 2022-2023

End of the Trail 2023.08.08

I charted a wild path over the last two-ish years:

• finally started antidepressants
• became a dad
• quit booze and cigarettes after ten years of attempts
• conquered my internet addiction
• started a popularish blog
• biked from SF to LA
• failed at starting a tech conference
• botched a startup launch
• read a ton of books
• overcame chronic crippling anxiety

Things I learned:

• don’t think about yourself while others are talking
• quitting booze was a decision I needed to make years ago, but it’s never too late to start living
• track how you spend your time until you’re happy with your life
• friends and family might be overrated
• be obsessive but always come back to earth after a few weeks
• limit the number of queues and inputs into your mind
• make mayhem
• frequently finish small things
• don’t waste brainpower on impractical knowledge and world news and things you can’t control – learn things only to make things

Keeping the Path 2023.01.03

I want to explore! I want to ascend! I want to yearn and struggle and grow!

In 2023, I’ll be pursuing some lofty goals:

• publish a novella
• go on a camping trip
• become a best dad
• launch a startup
• organize a tech conference
• benchpress my own bodyweight
• continue my sobriety experiment
• release a VR “game”
• cycle from San Francisco to Los Angeles

Blazing these trails will require skills that I don’t yet possess:

• discipline
• finishing projects I’m disinterested in
• managing fear and anxiety
• consistency

Let’s go!

(Officially) Blazing the Trail 2022.10.17

When I decided to start my “year of trailblazing” earlier this year, I was speedrunning major life changes:

• purchased my first home
• moved to an unfamiliar climate
• started a new job
• changed my name
• had my first child
• quit drinking forever

For me, charting unexplored territory has been a difficult delight! My soul has been fully engaged.

But the year’s not over yet! Continuing into 2023, I’ll still be trailblazing (literally and figuratively):

• weekly hikes
• seasonal camping
• cycling from San Francisco to Los Angeles
• launching my first real startup
• starting a tech conference