Blog: Books Read in 2018

Squirrels!

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Looking Back at 2018 New Year’s Resolutions

Doing a resolutions post was a new thing for me, and I think the exercise was generally a good idea. I thought I’d take a moment to look back at my resolutions for this year.

via GIPHY

General Goals

1. Monotask - Mixed results on this one. It’s something I’m going to have to keep working on. I find especially as I get tired and overwhelmed by the stuff that needs to be done that it’s easy to lose focus and so I do more stuff, less well. I keep a pocket moleskin and write out my todos each day and as often as not I tend to fill a whole page with stuff that needs doing. Ideally I think i’d do fewer things but focus on them to get them done. (Also I’m editing two posts right now, so clearly Monotasking hasn’t quite taken yet.) 
2. Hold Fewer Opinions - I … think I succeeded? This feels like a thing that I’m going to work on for the rest of my life. 
3. Act more - Again I feel like this is a bit of a lifetime project. Generally I don’t think I did as well as I did at holding fewer opinions, but I have been trying to break stuff down into smaller pieces so that it’s easier to get them done. 

Specific Goals

1. Finish my Thesis - Goddamint. I am closer though. 
2. Be More Engaged on Twitter - This didn’t really take. I still stand by my feelings last year, that the only way to actually improve Twitter is be be good on Twitter (or whichever social network). I found it hard to engage partly due to stress about all the other stuff I hadn’t got done and I think a bit because the community I want isn’t really there any more. 
3. Read More - I did that. 
4. Make More Stuff - I didn’t do that. 
5. See More Stuff - Another mixed result. I certainly didn’t take advantage of my flexibility as much as I’d hoped, but I did do a little. I also feel like I’ve managed to organize myself so that in the future I will be able to see more stuff.

My 2018 wasn't great, I wanted my thesis done, but teaching got in the way (sort of) and I got in my own way. That being said, I'm pretty close to being done, and, more importantly, I think I'm getting more comfortable being a person who has things to do.

via GIPHY

I have no idea who this cat is, but lets dance anyway.

Blog: Games of November 2018

I'm not super happy with how I spent my play time this month, especially because I found myself playing more out of frustration / burnout than relaxation or fun.

My top five games (by play time) for November were:

1. Civilization VI - Well, this is the game I play when I'm avoiding getting the stuff that needs to get done, done. I'm feeling behind on practically everything, and, embarrassingly, it's been much easier to pick this up "for a minute" rather than work. The problem is, that minute often expands out to be a lot more than a minute.  So my goal for December is to, a) relax, b) focus, c) get stuff done, and d) feel good when I do play.
   
   

   

   It has been created. Next Turn!

   
   On the not of the actual game, side I actually feel like I'm finally figuring the game out a little. I even caved and picked up the Rise and Fall Expansion. I'm not sure I'm actually getting good, but I have learned. Further I've accepted that not every game is going to be a game I enjoy playing until the end and it's okay to go back to the early game part where I was having fun. I also really the aesthetic of the game, the same thing I thought the first time I played is that it still calls back the things I loved from Civ I and II.
   


2. Ogre Battle 64 - While I'm accepting things, I'm accepting that I can love this game for the feeling it gives me even when a huge portion of it makes no sense.
   
   

   

   Happy Place.

   
   


3. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - I still haven't beaten the Master Sword challenge. I have been trying to pick up some better techniques and skills and I feel like, except for the part I can't do, I'm getting good.
   
   

   

   Little Silver Jerks. 

   
   


4. Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival - As part of a routine of relaxing this game just keeps giving. It also has an incredibly slow reward system - costumes for the amiibo characters - which might just keep us playing for another year. Animal Crossing for life!
   
   

   

   Animal Crossing is mostly Animal Capitalism.

   
   


5. Pokémon Go - Between being behind and it being colder out, I've been playing a little bit less the last month.
   
   

   

   We're slow and that's ok.

   
   

Here's my total play time chart for November:

And here's a chart of how much I've played over the month:

Blog: Books Read in 2018

Endings

Good Reads