Happy New Year!
Looking back through this blog, I’m struck by how much the year was about making deliberate choices, about the tools I use, the content I consume, and the quality I produce.
Breaking Free
Early in the year, I left the algorithm behind and rediscovered independent blogs, RSS feeds, and mindful content consumption. It was a small change that had an outsized impact on my headspace. Turns out, you don’t need an algorithm to find interesting things. I have mostly kept with this, with most social media blocked on my phone. Quite a bit of intentionallity has been bought back with the Xteink - review coming soon.
Building, Not Just Using
This year I wrote 22 blog posts, many documenting the custom Emacs functions I built to streamline my workflows. From recruitment tracking to catch-up notes to blog post templates, I leaned into the idea that foundational tools compound over time.
And after five years with Emacs, I’m still learning. Discovering yas-expand in May was a reminder that mastery is never finished - it’s an ongoing conversation with the tools you’ve chosen to invest in.
Quality Over Slop
As AI-generated content flooded the internet, I doubled down on something simple: care and quality. Yes, I use AI tools - to refine, to check, to enhance. But the ideas, the structure, the voice? That’s mine. In a world drowning in slop, the antidote is simple: give a damn about what you make.
Looking Forward
2026? More of the same, but sharper. More writing, more building, more learning. I’ve got drafts queued up, functions half-written, and a workflow that’s finally clicking.
Thanks for reading, commenting, and sharing your own insights this year. Here’s to another year of intentional work, thoughtful tools, and writing that matters.
Happy New Year!