So it’s the end of another year. 737pm as I start writing this. I’m writing this because I find that I always kinda regret when I don’t do annual updates. I wish I could look back and see my reflections from all of my years. But we can’t change the past, we can only do something about now. So here I am, doing something about now.
What were the major good things about 2018 for me?
I find myself thinking about Internet stuff. I gained something like 6,000 new Twitter followers this year. Hashtag blessed! I got lucky with a viral thread that was responsible for maybe the first 3,000 – but even then, I’d like to think that those people stayed because I post quality content. (Some thoughts on going viral.)
I’ve gotten much better at doing twitter threads, which I think is something that has improved my actual thinking abilities. Think I’m going to write an article about this. I have so many threads – TV, movies, games, relationships, historical fun facts, maps, wholesome vibes, whoa, bollywood, wwe… I started doing a personal history project of sorts. I’ve also gotten a lot better at managing my notes.
I met a bunch of cool internet friends! I would have been amazed to have gotten this opportunity just a couple of years ago, but now it feels like something that is normal for me. Which is so wild, I am so grateful. I’m looking forward to making more great internet friends. This is my primary reason for being online, really.
I went on a trip to India with my parents, which taught me a lot about them and myself in relation to them. I’m still reflecting on what I’ve learned. I think I’m particularly proud of having gotten better at having a sort of slightly-distanced view of myself; it’s somehow a lot more natural for me now to say things like “it’s fun to witness my brain“.
I left my job, which was a little scary and unsettling but I think the time was right. On retrospect I think I’ll probably think that I should’ve actually left earlier. Being a feral free agent has been eye-opening.
I read a pretty decent number of books and did threads about them! I feel liberated from having the impulse to complete books – I simply do whatever I think is interesting. PS: I think the joyful thing about reading is not to collect individual bits of data (which IS fun), but to try on new ways of seeing.
I gave a couple of marketing-related talks, which was great. Going to do more for sure. I’ve also picked up a consulting gig for Q1 2019, which I am looking forward to taking very seriously and giving it my absolute best effort. Early in the year I interviewed a bunch of small businesses, which was a great experience.
I did an interview with Shopify and made a video about my t-shirt business. That was fun. Couple of other interviews here and there.
I’ve started writing essays for my book, Naughty Boy. I may have been a little too ambitious about how much time I was going to take to get it done, but I have a good feeling about it. I’m also working on a book called INTROSPECT, which I’ve admittedly been kinda procrastinating on while I figure out everything else I’m working on. Ironic, I know.
Started play-testing my card game JIBABOM! – will be finishing it and selling it in 2019
In April I got a bunch of people to show up at Hong Lim Park and scream for no reason. That was fun. (Faced an interesting dilemma dealing with latecomers.) Looking forward to doing it again next year.
I started a Patreon. I now have 8 people who are sending me money every month. It doesn’t make a significant dent in my financial situation yet, but it certainly makes a substantial and highly-welcome dent in my self-perception as a creative. I now have people who are rooting for me, with actual $$ behind it. I like to think that there’s “visa the creative” and “visa the janitor”. I’m the janitor!! There is something very liberating about this. I am not responsible for the profundity of the work, I am just responsible for making sure the work gets done. (This POV is informed by Liz Gilbert’s TED talk on genius, and Pressfield’s The War Of Art. And a bit of Amanda Palmer’s Art of Asking.)
I was featured in TIME for my skillful meme-ing, lol
Bad things?
I didn’t write as many word vomits as I would’ve liked.Yet for some reason this isn’t something that bothers me very much. I think I’m on the right track. I spent most of my creative energy on Twitter this year, and I think that was time and energy mostly well spent.
I did not travel as much as I feel like I should’ve or could’ve. Life is short. I should see more of the world, meet more people, try new things. I shouldn’t feel pressured to do those things, that’s just a new way of making yourself feel like shit for no reason. But I should gently challenge and invite myself to explore and learn for the joy of it.
I may have too many projects going on all at once. 😅 But I have made my peace with this as a function of my natural style. Getting better at managing this is a lifelong challenge, but the underlying fundamental thing is part of what makes me, me. I will sunset some projects, put others on the backburner, and generally just keep getting better at the meta-project of project management.
I did not spend as much quality time with loved ones as I would’ve liked. Myself, my wife, my family and friends. There was some here and there, sure, but I would like to continue to be more proactive about it. More mindful, deliberate, intentional.
I did not make my health a priority as much as I would’ve liked. I thought this would naturally get a lot better after I left my job and had lots of free time, but I ended up mostly just bumming around. I’ve been doing a bunch of pullups and pushups, which is great, but I haven’t been prepping my own food as much as I could’ve.
Anyway, onwards to 2019!
I have a good feeling about this year. A lot of things are lining up pretty nicely, a lot of clutter is starting to fall away, I’m developing more clarity on what I want to be doing and how I want to be doing it.