2022 in review

A few months ago, I discovered Mike Crittenden blog, and on it, this notion of the 12-week year (see my take on it here), I’ve decided to adopt it as a framework for establishing and reviewing goals and life objectives.

As a first step, I’m using it to review this year, which will die in a few hours.

Physical

This is clearly the area where I have failed most miserably. Not only this year but for the last 4-5 years. I’m obese and hypertense; I must use a CPAP for sleeping, I’ve got a permanent high risk of detached retina (I have had surgery four times in the same eye), and in general, when it comes to physical me I feel like shit.

For months I managed to do an early morning -7 am- one-hour walk that kept me stable and even lost some weight, but I just lost the habit due to work pressure, and I’ve been in free fall for months.

So an epic FAIL in this area.

Business

I’ve kept working with longtime customers (Devengo, Verkami) and doing some consultancy on the side, so I’m pretty happy with that part. However, work keeps stealing an unjustifiable HUGE part of me every day, and I can see how it erodes every other area of my life.

So general evaluation: meh, this must change.

Family

The year started awfully with my dad getting another surgery related to his Gallbladder cancer, and it only got worse when, after the surgery, doctors confirmed the cancer was now Stage 4. He has gone through many cycles of chemo, and now he is getting immunotherapy, and it seems to be working at containing cancer. I couldn’t be more grateful. This is the thing I feel more thankful for in 2022 by far.

This year I started creating an email vault for 5yo son. I write as often as possible -I’ve failed in this topic too- to an address I’ve created for him. I talk to him about how I’m feeling about being a parent, how he is doing, funny things he says, just about anything that comes to my mind that may be helpful in the future. If I’m lucky to be still alive, I’ll give him the account credentials when he turns eighteen. We will see.

We enjoyed some perfect summer holidays visiting Ordesa National Park, A Coruña, Donostia and Iruña. It took a few weeks for Atlas to get “out” of the schooling rhythm, but I think he loved every minute of it.

I attended Digipen Open House with my nephew. They are the only school in Spain that offers a BS in Video Game Development. I doubt my nephew will finally enrol, but the syllabus is so fucking fantastic that I would love to enrol myself.

Evaluation of this area: fuck cancer and glory to science and public healthcare.

Community

This year I have been able to do some communal activities:

I’m happy with this area. I want to do more again and already have some ideas for next year.

Personal

We finally repaid our family home mortgage! It was such a delight to see the balance come to zero. It has been the most extended project I’ve been part of. I should have written about it in detail but suffice it to say I signed a 25-years mortgage when I was 20 years old and have repaid it in 22 years. As a worker, I feel stupidly proud of this and furious when reflecting on such a basic need taking so long to fulfil.

We got the visit of many friends from many countries (USA, Iceland, Germany…) this year. I love to get visits and enjoy being a cicerone to the Basque Country for our friends.

April marked one year since I went back to Linux full-time. As a good nerd, this deserves its own post, but here are a few quick takeaways:

  • I invested in building an overpowered monster and couldn’t be more happy with it. Everything is instant. A refreshing change from the last years as an Apple power user.
  • No single glitch with the computer since day 1 (just some minor Gnome 3 issues).
  • It is EXPANDABLE. Not only will this last me a few good 4-5 years. When it runs out of juice, I can change parts, repair myself and upgrade anything inside. Again, another huge difference from my last decade as an Apple user. I’ve fallen in love with PCs again.

Spouse

I’ve to improve as a spouse. Being a preschool child’s parent is a very taxing period for a couple, but there is no excuse. My awesome wife has been one more time infinitely patient with me and has endured my many defects during 2022.

Another area where I’ll focus in 2023.

Aaaand… tha’t wrap!

Hope all the best for the New Year to everybody reading these lines.