Vicissitudes

wrapping up 2024

Since the new year is right around the corner, I thought I'd write a post going over some of the highlights I've had throughout the year.

Started learning Japanese

I started learning Japanese on 26th January 2024 and have not skipped a day since then. My comprehension has reached a point where I can consume and understand about 65% of native content at a reasonably comfortable level, which is really good compared to when I was starting out. According to my Anki stats, I've learnt 6756 Japanese words at the time of writing this post, which I am super happy about as well.

I've enjoyed learning the language and getting a deeper look into another language and the culture associated with it. At times, I feel accomplished when I manage to grasp the subtle nuance of a sentence that might have been lost in the English translation. Being able to gain a deeper understanding of a different language is one of the reasons why I enjoy languages so much.

All in all, I have no plans on stopping anytime soon and might even take the JLPT (Japanese Language Proficiency Test) sometime in 2025.

Started this blog

For the longest time, I've always wanted a way to express myself and my thoughts in an easy and accessible way. I eventually settled on blogging because it seemed like it had the lowest barrier to entry and was made further accessible by blogging platforms such as Bear Blog.

So I created this blog in hopes of achieving just that and have written 36 posts since then. Most of the posts were written as part of the Blaugust blogging challenge, where I wrote a post for each day of August. To be honest, I probably burnt myself out by forcing myself to write so many posts so soon after I had started this blog.

Although it was tough at times, I had fun interacting with fellow bloggers in the Blaugust Discord about various topics, with some conversations inspiring me to write a post about said topics. I've since come to prefer a relaxed approach to writing where I don't have any external pressure to write.

I still enjoy writing as a form of self-expression and intend to continue writing, but it's been hard to find the motivation for writing when I have so many other things to focus on.

Completed reading goal

I've made it my goal to read more this year, and I'm glad to report that I've read 12 books to completion! I'm aiming to read at least 15 books in 2025.

  1. The Stranger by Albert Camus
  2. Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
  3. The Almanack of Naval Ravikant by Eric Jorgensen
  4. Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
  5. Deep Work by Cal Newport
  6. Die with Zero by Bill Perkins
  7. Same as Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes by Morgan Housel
  8. Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker
  9. Outlive: The Science & Art of Longevity by Peter Attia
  10. Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
  11. Nuclear War: A Scenario by Annie Jacobsen
  12. On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction by William Zinsser

As we approach another year, I just want to express my gratitude for everything and everyone. It's been a great year, and I'm looking forward to the next.

#life