Yearly Review 2018

2018 was an exciting year. I started a new job, traveled to Hawaii, and learned the basics of calligraphy. Here’s a list of a few of my favorite books I read this year:

• City of Saints and Madmen - Jeff VanderMeer
• The Paper Managerie and Other Stories - Ken Liu
• The Will to Keep Winning - Daigo Umehara
• Seven Surrenders - Ada Palmer

As 2018 comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on the past year as a way to determine my focus for 2019. My biggest challenge right now is finding time for several different work activities and hobbies, while being able to relax and not burn out. In 2019, I want to dial back the number of projects and activities I take on and focus on a much smaller set of goals with a clear plan. I’m writing this here because I believe a public reminder will motivate me to persist in my efforts. So, without further delay, here are my 3 goals for 2019:

Read 50 books

Before I had a Kindle, I read less than 5 books a year. Since using it, that number has increased considerably. The daily commute by bus offers me a lot of time to spend reading, and a simple math equation has helped me determine a steady reading pace to reach my goal. I will try to read a good mix of fiction and non-fiction, including some books that are more directly related to work.

Practice life drawing weekly

In my creative experiments with software and robots, I have neglected my foundation of drawing. I spend a lot of time creating things from my imagination, and I would like to move back towards drawing what I see. I hope to do still life, figure, and architecture drawing.

Be positive

I struggle with being too critical and negative in situations, so employing strategies to mitigate my frustration is a necessity. I’ve found that writing helps me process my thoughts quicker, and feel better in general. I keep a journal and follow a template for entries that helps me focus on positives, so it does’t become a venting exercise. My goal is to write in my journal weekly.