Speaking

I did quite a bit of public speaking in 2019, including speaking at two of my favorite conferences; Abstractions and StrangeLoop. I feel like I came into my own as a speaker this year. I could tell in my preparation and delivery that I wasn't as nervous or scared but excited to tell my stories and share my findings. 

The travel and preparation required to speak took a toll on me this year and made me away from my family more often than I wanted. I've decided for 2020, I won't be speaking and will focus on being a better partner and parent and turn my talks into blog posts. 

Apollo 11 50th Anniversary 

I wrote extensively about Apollo 11 in an earlier post, but this Anniversary ended up being a massive part of our year. We spent hours launching rockets and watching documentaries.

Disneyland 

Bethany and I took our daughter to Disneyland in the springtime. I was nervous about how she (2 and a half at the time) would behave, but it ended up being one of the highlights of our year. Despite going bankrupt, buying all the treats at Disney, we still talk about going months later. 

Reading Fiction 

I set an ambitious goal to read one work of fiction in 2019, and I accomplished it early by reading Severance by Ling Ma. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and I'm looking forward to trying my hand at more fiction in 2020. 

Cooking

I spent some of my free time this year cooking. It was a blast to make food that was delicious and aesthetically appealing. I felt challenged, and I ate well. 

Favorite Things 

• DJI Mavic Pro

• Streaks iOS App

• Este Shuttle Xpress

• Bose NC 700

• Western Stars by Bruce Springsteen

• Blue World by John Coltrane

• Logitech Spotlight

2019 Numbers

• Books Read: 26 (Goal was 24)

• Average Sleep 5.9 Hours/night (Goal was 7)

• Average exercise minutes per week 625 (goal was 500)

• Blog posts published 18 (Goal was 20)

• Step-back 3s: 1000

2020 Goals

Bethany and I are expecting our second child next month. I suspect any goals I have will be tempered by managing the needs of a newborn. Rather than challenging myself to something difficult, I'll challenge myself to keep the same good habits. To continue reading, writing, and exercising. That said, I've committed to training for Lotoja, the 200-mile cycling race. Prayers up.