Oh 2025 what a terrible, terrible year. May was good though. I guess problems can be fixed by running off to Europe.

1. What did you do this year that you’d never done before?

I treated my parents to an vacation for their honeymoon because they never choose to treat themselves first. So for the first time it was nice to allow them the opportunity to enjoy themselves and have a good time.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions?

I kept my resolution to be fitter, read more and build things for fun again. However I didn’t keep my resolution for finding more fulfilment in my work.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

No

4. Did anyone close to you die?

My uncle passed in April unexpectedly.

5. What cities/states/countries did you visit?

I flew back and forth between SF <> NY a lot.

In April I went to Maui with my parents.

In May I flew into Paris and immediatley started droving south through the countryside. We stayed on a vineyard in Beaujolais, a chateau in Barbentane, popped through Lyon and Marseille, and ultimately arrived in Nice. We visted both Cannes during the film festival and Monaco the weekend before race weekend.

Following France I hopped back to London for a little and then spontaneously visited Lisbon. Wrapping up my Eurotrip in Portugal.

For Christmas I went down to Orlando for a family reunion.

6. What would you like to have next year that you lacked this year?

I felt like this year I lacked purpose in my work and I’ve spent a lot of time rediscovrering where that could be found for me. I would also like to allow myself to rest and relax more, to enjoy the moments without worrying about needing to be constantly working towards a “next thing”.

7. What date(s) from this year will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

April 10th, Tochi Masar Ji passed.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Creating the opportunity for my parents to enjoy a vacation and allow them to take time for themselves away from their commitments. I’d also say my ability to have had so many moments of failure this year and to continuously pick myself up and continue to want to try again. I didn’t half ass anything and I fully commit myself to all the things I wanted to work towards.

9. What was your biggest failure?

For a second year straight not getting the Anthropic job even thgouh I had made it through the final round and the recruiter told me I had passed. I was turned down for a more experienced candidate, which made me feel like a failure getting to the same point, giving all my effort, preparation, and commitment to only to get the same result.

10. What other hardships did you face?

The continuous feeling of lacking purpose and being a very highly ambitious person built up a lot this year leading to quite a lot of anxiety. I started to notice the physical effects of anxiety start to take place in the form of panic attacks, restlessness, confusion, and fatigue. I didn’t know what it was at first but started to realize my mind was using my body to give me a message.

11. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I tore my meniscus again and had to get another surgery.

12. What was the best thing you bought?

An Omega Seamaster 300M. My first watch.

13. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Logan Knowles. Watch this spectacular short film on him:

14. Whose behavior made you appalled?

My own, I was not the most present or positive person this year in my circle.

15. Where did most of your money go?

Travel; money well spent.

16. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

I remember getting so excited on a beach in Portugal to play soccer with some strangers. It was a core memory for me to play pick up on a beach in a new country with complete strangers.

17. What song will always remind you of this year?

18. Compared to this time last year, are you: happier or sadder? Thinner or fatter? Richer or poorer?

As of writing this I’m very optimistic about next year. If I think wholistically where I am I’m a little unhappier compared to where I was last year. I think that’s because I didn’t really achieve the goals I had or wasn’t able to successfully change the position I was in which was making me happy. So staying where I was continuously built up that unhappiness overtime. That being said optimistic about 2026!

19. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Calling home and activities that require long spans of focused attention such as reading, problem solving, and engaged introspection into a topic.

20. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Doom scrolling and complaining.

21. How are you spending the holidays?

I had a family reunion in Orlando at my uncle’s place.

22. Did you fall in love this year?

No

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No

24. What was your favorite show?

Severence Season 2 was incredible this year!

25. What was the best book you read?

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

26. What were your greatest musical discoveries of the year?

27. What was your favorite film?

Relay

28. What was your favorite meal?

My uncle made an incredible Beef Wellington for Christmas.

29. What did you want and get?

The Omega Seamaster 300M.

30. What did you want and not get?

The job at Anthropic

31. What did you do on your birthday?

I wrote a letter to my closest friends inviting them to dinner and hosted a candlelit dinner where I made my mum’s lasagna for everyone. Brining having friends come over for dinner into 2026 more frequently.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Fulfilling work with passionate people or the ability to separate my selfworth from work.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion this year?

Preppy yet simple. Polos, rugby shirts, and looser pants.

34. What kept you sane?

My roommates. They have been the people I come home to and yap, share problems, and laugh with. During the good days and the bad days I had them with me through them all.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you admire the most?

Ahmed al Ahmed. The man who selflessly put his life on the line to stopped the bondi beach shooter. He is a real-life hero.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?

Lets not go there :(

37. Who did you miss?

My best friend Rey.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Daniel Soares who I drove through france with!

39. What valuable life lesson did you learn this year?

All you have to do is decide is what to do with the time you have given to you. You don’t get to decide how long you’re here for, you won’t know how many sunrises you have left. You don’t get to rewind, pause, or skip the hard chapters. All you get is now.

40. What is a quote that sums up your year?

You’re not where you want to be. You feel like you’re supposed to be somewhere else. Well, let’s say you could snap your fingers and you could be wherever you wanted to be. I bet you’d still feel this way. Not in the right place. Point is you can’t get so hung up on where you’d rather be that you forget how to make the most of where you are. Take a break from worrying about what you can’t control. Live a little.
- Passengers (2016)