It's been a while since I've written a proper year in review. The last one I wrote was in 2016. This gap bums me out a bit, as I really like going back through my yearly reviews and reflecting on them.

I can't go back and change the past, but I can do a better job moving forward, so let's get into it!

Accomplishments

• Got married! In January I married the most amazing woman, and I couldn't be happier. Marriage has been quite the adventure so far, but I wouldn't want it any other way. It's hard to express just how thankful I am for Heather. It's so reassuring to have someone who I know will stick with me through thick and thin and will always have my back, just like I have hers.

• Visited Japan. This was something that has been on my bucket list for a while, and earlier this month Heather and I spent a little over a week in Tokyo. Japan is a magical place and I can't wait until I can return there (hopefully with some significantly-improved Japanese language skills).

• Finally got around to installing NixOS. NixOS has been on my radar for a long time, but I never had the courage to pull the trigger on it. Now that I have, I can confidently say that it is the best Linux environment I have ever had. Full stop.

• Received the Gravic Core Award. This award is the highest honor that my employer bestows upon one employee each year who embodies the company's core values. Ever since I started working at Gravic I have wanted to receive it, and this year my wish was granted. This came as a complete surprise to me and when my name was announced I was absolutely stunned.

• Launched my own newsletter. I write about software development, self improvement, and lots of other assorted things. I'm using Buttondown to run it, and it's been a pleasure to use so far.

• Wrote a handful of blog posts. I've been consistently terrible at writing blog posts year after year, and this year I've written a whopping nine (including the one you are reading right now). This is a marked improvement, one that I hope to continue in the coming year.

Failures

• Stressed too much over work
• Not great work/life balance
• Didn't keep up with friends enough
• A bunch of books are still sitting unread on my shelf

Stats

Code

I authored 5,470 commits at work and another 1,183 commits on GitHub, for a grand total of 6,653 commits.

At work I wrote a lot of F# code, which has been great. Despite a few minor shortcomings, F# is a really great language. It's been fun learning all the nuances of it, especially in regards to interop with other .NET languages.

In my spare time I wrote some Rust, some Haskell, and a bit of Elm. These three languages are all a joy to use and I want to spend more timing building stuff with them.

Music

I listen to a lot of music every year, and this year was no different.

These are my top albums of 2019, by play count:

1. Death Race For Love - Juice WRLD
2. Shadows - The New Division
3. Ghetto Lenny's Love Songs - SAINt JHN
4. Shadow_Movement (Deluxe Edition) - The Anix
5. Even Though You're Gone - Echos
6. Ivory - BITWVLF
7. Betty - Betty Who
8. Ephemeral - Mr.Kitty
9. ASYLUM - A R I Z O N A
10. River - BITWVLF
11. Hollywood's Bleeding - Post Malone
12. Figments - Forhill
13. JESUS IS KING - Kanye West
14. Care Package - Drake
15. VOL. 4 :: SLAVES OF FEAR - HEALTH
16. Wide-Eyed - Said the Sky
17. Voices - Kamandi
18. 'Til the End - MitiS
19. A Pill for Loneliness - City and Colour
20. Redux - Cushy

Goals for 2020

• Write more Rust
• Finish and publish a game
• Keep a journal
• More home-cooked meals
• Take better care of my body
• Write a newsletter a week
• Continue writing more blog posts

As we enter this next decade I'm excited for all of the possibilities and opportunities that it holds. I will do my best to make the most of the time I have been given. I look forward to seeing what unfolds in my life and in the lives of those around me.