2025 in Review

It's been a year. Actually that undersells it I think. It's definitely not been my favorite year actually. I can really only recall one worse: 2022. Two standout moments drive a lot of that personal struggle:

• The year started with a fascist government coming into power bent on destroying the USA internally (and our reputation externally), much of it done through targeted dehumanization of people I care deeply about.
• My wife got fired from a job and had to find a new one.

I bend towards being cynical so it's easy to lose myself in the bad and ugly but 2025 wasn't all "worst case scenario". It's kind of like the dumpster in the lead picture - it's a dumpster but there's lots of beautiful flowers there.

some highlights from 2025

• In June I went on a work trip to Kenya. That was refreshing as it was a place I lived for 5 years. I got to see some close friends, make some new ones and revisit old stomping grounds to see how they changed.
• We also took a (mostly) fun family vacation to Hilton Head and Savannah in July. The Savannah portion was amazing. The Hilton Head portion left me thinking that it was a nice place to visit but not one I feel the need to return to.
• My wife got a new job that she's loving. It's bigger and better than anything she could have imagined I think and she seems to be really thriving in it - I'm so happy for her in that! It's hybrid too so we will still get to co-work at least a couple of days a week.
• I went to my first (non-bar) concert in quite some time in November seeing Chris Staples with Verity Den. It made me realize how much I miss the days of going to lots of shows.
• Along side of that, I feel like I was really able to in some ways rediscover my love of music this year. For me music tends to be an important part of self-care in the way that it helps me regulate so this is something definitely worth highlighting.

some finds in 2025

• Pangea in Evansville. They have some of the best gluten free pizza. It's Detroit style and the stuff of dreams (for a gluten free person).
• West Salem Public House in Winston. It's a fantastic place to go and work for a few hours. Their coffee is some of the best in Winston and it's inexpensive.
• I got my first mechanical keyboard and really enjoy how it feels. It's a Keychron and really completes my home office setup.

consumed in 2025

books

I didn't do much reading. I did get through some graphic novels though:

movies

In the theaters I saw:

Notable Streams:

shows

and some re-watches:

• Office re-watch
• Parks and Rec re-watch
• The Great Pottery Throw Down re-watch

music

video games

• Completed:
  • Trails Through Daybreak
• In Progress
  • Xenoblade Chronicles X
  • Star Wars Outlaws
• Mobile
  • Puffies
  • GoGoMuffin

top posts of 2025 (according to me, not stats)

• some thoughts on self hosting ente
• forming communities
• church as...
• the ugly side of thoughts & prayers
• don't just be a fire fighter be a fire marshal
• what In the world is going on culture and religion
• The Sermon on the Mount and Resisting Fascism
• On Gaslighting Ourselves into Oblivion
• Speak While You Still Can
• Navigating Power and Privilege
• On dehumanization
• Navigating Power and Privilege, Addendum

To note: I don't keep and pay attention to stats that closely. That's why this is a list of my favorites personally and not by views.

stand out apps

• Journelly (review here): This app is fantastic at quick text entry on a phone. It's so easy to use and so good.
• Tana (review here): The best PKM I've used so far. I really appreciate it's power (and that power isn't dependent on AI no matter what marketing might advertise).
• Ente (setup here): A great photo library that can be self hosted or used as a service.
• delta.chat: My new secure messenger of choice. They make setting up relays pretty easy.

some stats from 2025

• I managed to mostly hit my work out goals of at least 3 times a week if you take averages. I missed a few weeks (Vacations, etc) and the start of my wife's new job has been more chaotic but I'm getting them in!
• From the blog: Total Actual Posts (as opposed to micro-posts): 62
• Total blog subscribers (via email): 1
• Countries Visited: 2
• Cities Visited: 8 (if I'm counting right)

hopes for 2026

for the blog

• 2 Posts a week! It's a long shot but I'd love to make it! Writing helps me process myself and the world I find myself in.
• Restart the omglol interview series - there's lots of potential fun to be had there!

personal

• Play through Cyberpunk 2077 & Trails Through Daybreak 2. Also planning a FFVII replay.
• Learn to rest well. This seems a perpetual challenge and something I need to pay extra attention to help manage stress.
• Find some irl friends. This is definitely lacking in life - would love some folks to grab a drink with or play a board game with.

community

• Resist and use any power to protect others as I'm able to. It's a trying time and anything I can do to help make it less trying for others is worth it.