Reflections
January is always a month when I struggle to believe that the past year is over while still denying the arrival of a new one. It feels like a transitional period where I have to wrap up unfinished tasks from last year while vaguely planning for the next. It’s only at the end of the month that I suddenly realize one-twelfth of the year has already passed, and I need to keep up with the pace of time.
2025 feels like an unreal number—something you never expected to be staring you in the face—marking the midpoint between the start of the millennium and the halfway point of the first century.
As for writing this monthly report, I don’t have a clear format yet, but I’m figuring it out through practice.
Goals
I’ve set small goals for each month so that I can achieve my yearly objectives (hopefully).
Personal
For January, my main learning goal was to complete the Google Security Certificate on Coursera. I finished five courses but left three incomplete. Since I ran out of time, I’ll be postponing them to February. From the perspective of a pure learner rather than a job seeker, I find the program well-structured, and more importantly, it includes coding labs and semi-real-life examples for practice.
Another goal was to try kickboxing, which I must admit is quite exciting. I’ve already completed two sessions, and so far, I’m enjoying it. The experience is quite different from what I imagined—people spend a lot of time targeting the punchbags. It requires a lot of core and leg strength, not just for punching but also for pad work, where you need to catch punches from your partner.
Work
- As for work, I’m staying with my current team, which feels like a double-edged sword since my cohorts are moving on. This makes me reflect on how I am ‘valued’ by the company. On the positive side, I don’t need to go through the process of familiarizing myself with everything again. I’ve started working on the same model as before but applied to a new product. Unlike last time, I’ve independently conducted some analysis for this project. However, work is just for bread—I remind myself of that and try not to attach too many emotions to it.
Leisure
Reading
This month, I mostly read recipe books because I’ve been experimenting with a (most time) vegetarian diet in the spirit of Veganuary. Although I’m not going fully vegan / vegetarian, this challenge has encouraged me to eat a wider variety of vegetables. I even tried some that I previously found too inconvenient, like beans. I think it would be worthwhile to record some recipes that are simple, non-boring, and actually taste good.
Aside from that, I read two books (or rather, two plays): The Birds by Aristophanes and Electra by Sophocles (of course, in a Chinese-translated version). I was trying to connect them with the ideas Aristotle elaborated on in Poetics, but it’s not easy to grasp the morals of the ancient Greeks and, therefore, the motives behind the protagonists’ actions—especially in Electra, as it is a tragedy, whereas The Birds is filled with sarcasm and, to some extent, quite entertaining.
TV Shows
I spent quite a lot of time watching series this month. I mostly finished Ludwig, A Man on the Inside, and Murder Mindfully.
- Murder Mindfully was surprisingly insightful—of course the mindfulness part, not the murder (just saying this to avoid any legal consequences, though, to be honest, the latter part might come in handy at times). It emphasized presence and breathing techniques, which inspired me to explore mindfulness practices in the coming months.
- Ludwig and A Man on the Inside both featured middle-aged male solving cases. They aren’t exactly crime or detective series, but I enjoyed them for different reasons. Ludwig had black humor and an interesting portrayal of introverts. A Man on the Inside explored themes of Alzheimer’s, death, and widowhood, but it felt too polished and middle-class—almost unrealistic. In contrast, Ludwig, though much more absurd in premise, felt less elitist in atmosphere.
Beyond that
Blogging: I haven’t done many interesting things this month—excuses already stated above. However, I’m making progress on my Paris travel post. The finish date is still unknown, but I’ll keep going.
I recently bought a Sony speaker, allowing me to play music out loud. One thing I really appreciate is BBC Sounds, particularly Radio 3, which features a lot of classical music with commentary from the hosts. It keeps me company when I work from home or do chores. I also discovered an app called Endel, which I mainly use for sleep as a substitute for earplugs. It offers calming soundscapes for sleep, as well as different modes for focus and relaxation, which I’ve found quite useful and effective.
Looking ahead
Finish the Google Certificate Start coding tasks (for the nth time, but who’s counting?) Resume birdwatching (maybe just for one weekend) Read more books—at least two non-fiction ones that aren’t recipe books :P Try some translation work
Final Thoughts
Looking back, January was a mixed bag. I made progress in some areas but fell behind in others. However, as the saying goes, “Baby steps lead to giant strides.” I’m adjusting my plans accordingly and trying to keep things on track. Hopefully, February will be more productive!