My first tattoo! I got a plus sign to remind myself to always stay positive. (at Idle Hand Tattoo)
Best #cardsagainsthumanity I’ve ever seen @andershaig @taybraun1
Getting ready for pre-Grammy brunch
2013 Resolutions and 2012 Recap
These were my high priority resolutions for 2012:
- I will start investing.
Status: Success! I definitely feel like I have taken reasonable control over my personal finances. - I will not eat deep-fried food on weekdays.
Status: Success! I actually really liked doing this. It made me feel healthier and more energetic, so I’m going to elevate this from a simple New Year’s resolution to a longterm lifestyle choice. - I will learn a new skill and become proficient at it.
Status: Fail. While I did build a light installation, I wouldn’t say that I became “proficient” at electrical engineering in 2012. I also started to learn both the guitar and the bass guitar and was unable to commit to either.
These were my low priority resolutions for 2012:
- I will use swear words less often.
Status: Huge fail. I will probably have to build up my willpower in other ways before I can realistically tackle this one. - I will cook dinner at least two nights a week.
Status: Huge fail. But trust me when I say it’s for the best. - I will read a new book each month.
Status: Huge fail. I ended up reading only like, four books, and one of them was Fifty Shades of Grey…
Here are my resolutions for 2013:
- I will not eat meat on Mondays (a.k.a. “Meatless Monday”).
I’m not a nutritionist, but I’ve heard some rough stuff about eating meat. For example, I’ve heard that you lose 10 minutes of your life every time you even take a little whiff of steak. Just kidding. But seriously, meat is supposedly pretty bad for you, and the Meatless Monday movement is the perfect level of commitment for me. Having a “case of the Mondays” is going to have a whole new meaning for me now that I can’t eat meat or fried food on Mondays. - I will learn how to sew a button.
I had to ask my dad to do this for me last time a button fell off of my jacket. My dad! I should really know how to do simple garment repairs by now. - I will invite my neighbors over (or invite myself over to their places).
I feel like no one does this anymore. Plus, my neighbors are all around my age and seem pretty cool. - I will make stuff.
I will craft, code, and/or cook lots of things. So many things. And it doesn’t matter how good or bad the finished product turns out; the important part is that there is a finished product. - I will continue to give back.
In 2012, I participated in the Friends for Youth mentoring program, and I found it to be an extremely rewarding experience. Hanging out with my mentee from East Palo Alto gave me so much perspective about what’s actually important and what really matters in life. And as a young professional in Silicon Valley, I have found that it’s pretty easy to lose sight of those things and get distracted by things like the traffic on 101 or whether or not there are good snacks in the micro kitchen at work.
Some lower-priority resolutions for 2013:
- I will actually ride my longboard.
- I will join Toastmasters.
- I will learn how to use Ableton Live.
- I will try a new activity every week.
Dreams don’t work unless you do
Make misteaks
Clean Design.
It’s funny because it’s true.
My 2012 New Year’s Resolutions
After graduating college in May and starting my first job in June, it became increasingly apparent that I was transforming into a real person. For me, the transformation began when I transferred the title of a vehicle and became the official owner of my car. Then I started budgeting, paying for car insurance, not having an excuse to not buy my friends gifts for the holidays, etc.
Right now, I feel like I’m in a position in which my responsibilities to external factors are increasing and my opportunities to take risks are decreasing. I decided on the following resolutions for 2012 to take advantage of this position and improve my quality of life further down the road:
I will start investing.
I’m pretty ashamed to admit this, but I don’t know how to invest. My dad currently manages my stock portfolio. Not that he’s doing a bad job or anything, but I feel like I should (and actively want to) take control of my personal finances. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources out there (namely Quora and my friends in finance) to help me start off on the right path.
I will not eat deep-fried food on weekdays.
I’m fully aware that genetics will only get me so far if I want to be/look fit and healthy further down the road, so I chose this resolution to help me develop better eating habits. I’m also aware of the fact that I really love deep-fried food, so I’m only restricting myself on weekdays for the sake of being realistic (and deliciousness).
I will learn a new skill and become proficient at it.
I haven’t decided which skill I want to learn yet, but it will probably be something along the lines of learning a new programming language, how to play the guitar, or something to do with electrical engineering (like creating a light installation that pulses to the beat of a song). The purpose of this resolution is to help me stay sharp and expand my skill-set.
Here are some of my lower-priority resolutions:
I will use swear words less often.
I will cook dinner at least two nights a week.
I will read a new book each month.
Let me know what you think of my resolutions, and I would love to hear what you have in store for 2012. Happy Holidays!
Thoughts on the recent Facebook changes
The good:
The bad:
The meh:
Those are my (and my friend Felix’s) initial thoughts on the recent Facebook changes. Let me know if you agree or disagree!
I will probably post some additions and/or updates later tonight or tomorrow.
I received this awesome Wildfire product & engineering team care package last week! I already love these guys!! (Taken with instagram)
