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A Project Doomed to Fail

I’ve dabbled with various programming projects over the years. Building a tool to add MP3 chapters to podcast episodes, creating a website using Python, Advent of Code, and creating video games. The list goes on. Nearly all of them were left incomplete.1I’d say the MP3 tool is the only one that could be considered complete, but even then I’m pretty unhappy with it. In no way could it be considered elegant, or even particularly usable.

So, as I toy with the idea of yet another programming project, I’m faced with the reality that it is unlikely to succeed.

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    I’d say the MP3 tool is the only one that could be considered complete, but even then I’m pretty unhappy with it. In no way could it be considered elegant, or even particularly usable.
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The Spirit of Competition

Competition is a slippery idea. In both professional and casual interactions, people often walk a fine line when showing a desire to compete. It can be fun and humorous to have a friendly intensity, but there’s always a tipping point where it becomes uncomfortable for those involved. Competition is one of the most natural things in the world, but needing to play out the act of competition in society muddies the waters.

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Journaling Update

I’ve been journaling consistently for a few months, and it felt like a good time to quickly reflect on how this habit has grown.

I’ve been using the app Journey to give me a daily prompt for a gratitude statement, just a single sentence, and have handwritten in a journal each evening. I made it through a Moleskin notebook by the end of February, and have since upgraded to a Rhodia WebNotebook. It’s a huge upgrade in quality, particularly since I’m using a nice rollerball pen that bled through the Moleskin pages.

Writing each night has not been the burden I thought it might, nor have I become complacent. Even on the few nights where I was unexpectedly up late, I took the time to jot down my thoughts. It offers a consistent outlet, a place to examine the day and reinforce the parts I want to remember. It is a meditative act as well, a time of solace, where I sit down alone without any other distractions.

I don’t see myself stopping anytime soon. I’m hooked on the routine, and it has kept me accountable to myself in a way that my habit trackers and other systems never quite managed. While they are good for a quick glance at the past, they don’t provide a running narrative; they lack subtlety. I’ve already bought refills for my pen, and look forward to a few months from now when the current journal is filled.

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Mario Kart 8 Booster Pass

I adore Mario Kart. I first played Double Dash at a friend’s house in elementary school. Soon after, my older sister was gifted a Nintendo DS and I would ask to borrow it as often as I could to play Mario Kart on it.1Also, Guitar Hero DS; we bought the fancy button attachment and “pick” stylus. As a young kid, I never got the hang of five buttons, so that version of Guitar Hero really worked for me. Once I moved to San Diego, I gifted myself a Nintendo Switch and have put hundreds of hours into Mario Kart 8. The first set of Booster Pass courses came out a couple of weeks ago, and I really want to talk about them.

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    Also, Guitar Hero DS; we bought the fancy button attachment and “pick” stylus. As a young kid, I never got the hang of five buttons, so that version of Guitar Hero really worked for me.
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Trip Lengths

I just wrapped up a 5-day trip back to Minnesota, flying in Wednesday afternoon and flying out Sunday morning.1More or less. Our original flight was scheduled for 11, but ended up being delayed a little more than an hour. It’s the first trip of less than a week I’ve taken in over two years, and these shorter trips have their benefits.

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    More or less. Our original flight was scheduled for 11, but ended up being delayed a little more than an hour.
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Thinking About Hobbies

My hobbies ebb and flow. I will rekindle a strong interest in some skill, old or new, and maintain it for a few weeks, perhaps months. It’s subsequently replaced by another pursuit.

I’ve realized that most of these interests are not separate; they tend to be manifestations of the same general themes. Any specific hobby tends to involve music, writing, sports, or technology, and during any given time period I’m most likely juggling hobbies from each of those four categories. Understanding this dynamic helps comfort me if a project fizzles out: there will be another one along shortly.

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Rediscovering Guitar: The Purchase

To satiate my recovered and expanding interest in guitar, I decided to use some money from my bonus this year to purchase a nice electric guitar. While I love playing acoustic—they sound beautiful, are easy to pick up, and always feel comfortable to me—electric guitar opens up a new world of effects, sounds, and styles. Plus, with a pair of headphones, you can have the full experience without much noise for everyone around you. Not wanting to waste my money, I dove into research

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Rediscovering Guitar: The Passion

I started learning piano in 2nd grade with an unweighted 61-key digital piano, and an assortment of self-guided piano books. Putting time into piano allowed me to join the percussion section once I started 6th grade.1They didn’t want to teach you how to read music alongside the several instruments you had to learn. Armed with a reasonable knowledge of music, the free time that childhood offers, and experience learning new skills on my own, I began playing guitar in 7th grade.

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    They didn’t want to teach you how to read music alongside the several instruments you had to learn.