The Answer’s 42

So almost exactly last year I wrote here about starting over a new leaf, and I said that it was the perfect time to revive an old project: i.e. this blog. How did that work out? Well, I ended up changing jobs, and everything about this went down the pan as I concentrated on the new job and well… promptly forgot about here.

But really, I shouldn’t have done that. I loved blogging, although many of my former blog posts here turned out to be whiny student-esque blog posts (many from when I was a student) trying to set the world to rights, and they just came off as amateurish and boring. At the end of the day, I’m not a politician, or a peacemaker (and indeed, if I could do something such as bring peace to the Middle East I would go ahead and do it – think of the book and public appearance fees!), and to be quite frank, writing about things like Brexit or Scottish independence just bored me, and killed my blog in the end.

What I do want to write about, however, is my life and my thoughts on things like software engineering, as that’s what I do to eat, and that’s what I’m passionate about. And other things, occasionally, too. And we’re going to talk about another thing today…

I’m Jewish, and this time of year is quite a special time for Jews – it’s Rosh Hashanah, the beginning of the Jewish year and like many other new year’s celebrations, a time to take stock of the past year and figure out what you did right, what you did wrong, and what you’d like to do in the next year. So, what better way to start off a new year by writing a blog about it? Specifically, the things I’m aiming to do next year. I figure writing about them might provide the motivation for me to do them…

• Blog more – the obvious one that I’m going for here, as I’ve got a blog and a domain name that are currently sitting down not doing anything. It’s time to change that! I think I’m going to try and write a blog twice a week now, as that’s enough time to do other things (which I can write blogs about!) and also enough time to not get blog fatigue, and think up at least semi-interesting posting material.
• Code (for fun) again – an odd one, perhaps, as I write code all the time but hear me out: I spend most of the day coding, but that’s for a living. When I was younger I’d go and work on things that interested me, mainly games stuff but it was always something I was doing purely out of interest rather than any financial motive. Now I code for a living, and when I come home sometimes when I fire up the terminal, it feels far too much like work. I’d like that to go back to the way it used to be somewhat. I’m going to have to carve out the time in the week, and that brings me to…
• Manage my time better – I come home from work, and I’m usually worn out. From then it’s food, and then onto listening to Spotify and usually watching crap Youtube. It’s a habit I seem to have sunken into recently, and it sucks. I want to do more with my life, and this is taking up far too much time. It’s time down the drain, really, and so I think I’m going to sit down and work out how I can use it more productively – find more time to code recreationally, and more time to get on with other things I want to do.
• Get fitter – now here’s a big one. When I was at university, I enjoyed running. It helped me take my mind off exams and all the other pressures I had, and it made me fit. Now… not so much. Sadly, software development is a somewhat lethargic pastime, and involves perhaps thinking intensively, but not doing much physical. I’d like to take up running again at least, if not joining a gym.
• Cook more – again, another thing I used to do but now for “convenience’s sake” don’t do. I used to cook meals for friends and family, and got rather good at it. Yet another thing sacrificed on the altar for perceived efficient time use, but it’s both expensive (yes, I buy a lot of ready meals) to not cook for myself, and also it just sucks as I happen to enjoy cooking things. Something else I’d like to do more of, and another one of my ambitions for this new year.
• Other things – there will be inevitably be things I’ve left out. I’m going to add them to my mental list as I remember…

So that’s my list of things I’d like to work on for the year 5777! G’mar chatimah tovah (may you be sealed for a good year) to any Jewish readers, and happy Monday to everyone else!