2023: A Recap
Little Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park: By Daniel Adams
Hello everyone,
I wanted to take some time to reflect on my year, share some of the things that I have been up to, media I have consumed, and what I am working on for the future. I have a few topics on future blog posts that I might hint at in here, but no promises.
What Happened in 2023?
This is the first year where things felt like they where starting to settle down post COVID-19. There where still flare ups, and still exposure risks, but life started returning to normal. Because of this, we started going out to restaurants, movies, and even wine tasting again. I also started going into the office more frequently.
This was also a year where I started a new job with Twenty Four 7 as a UX/UI Designer, which I am still doing today. Part of me wishes I could be flexing more of my Computer Science muscle, but I am grateful for what I have all the same. It has been nice to go back into the office more regularly however, and it has also been great to explore Portland’s Kerns neighborhood. In other jobs, this was the first full year that I worked as an Ice Hockey Referee with USA Hockey and OHOA. It is a very different experience reffing hockey vs playing, and I am really seeing the game in a whole new light.
This was the year that I finally was able to get my wife into backpacking. We both love the outdoors and going on day hikes. The prospect of backpacking into a remote area for a few days, and backpacking out on the other hand has been a little more daunting however. But this year, we spent several months doing research into the latest backpacking trends and kitting out our backpacks and took the leap into the great outdoors. Our first big backpacking trip was up the Merced River in Yosemite into Little Yosemite Valley. The equipment we picked was absolutely perfect, and we each managed to keep our packs base weight below 15lbs.
The Software I Used
I have been pretty fully engrossed in User Experience and User Interface design this year, I did get a chance to branch out a bit this year and do some side projects. Here is some of the software that I used for my professional, and side work.
Figma (Apple & Windows): This is the first year where I spent more hours in a design suit outside of Adobe, with all of my time being spent in Figma. The collaborative element of Figma is unmatched at this time with all of the elements you need to create great mock-ups and prototypes. A must for the modern app designer.
Photoshop (Apple & Windows): While not as prominent in my day to day, I use a lot of Photoshop whenever I need to create icons, edit images, or create something specific for my Figma mock-ups. This is the first year that I stopped subscribing to Adobe for personal use however. The month to month cost was too much to bare.
Procreate (iOS): From the moment the iPad was released in 2010, I had always wanted a pressure sensitive stylus and a art program to go along with it. The closest I ever got to that dream was with a Wacom Cintiq and Photoshop. But Procreate and Apple’s Pencil finaly delivered on the dream, and I love it. Not only is it capable of simulating different mediums, but you can also import OBJ files and draw directly on the model. I do recomend doing all of the proper UV unwrapping and mapping prior to import, but still awesome.
Visual Studio Code (Apple & Windows): As a fan of other IDE’s like Atom and Code Runner, I was pleasently suppriesed by Windows Visual Studio Code. It is now my IDE of choice
BeerSmith3 (Apple, Windows, & iOS): This is a very niche piece of software, but it is super useful if you are at all interested in crafting your own beer recipes. It has all of the BJCP style guides preloaded, lets you adjust the grain & hops rations, and see a live calculation in ABV, IBU, and color. It is also cross platform with cloud saving, meaning that you can access your recipe from anyware, which is handy when you are at the brew shop.
Natural Atlas (Web & Mobile): I have been doing more backpacking this year, and one of the best apps that I have found for wayfinding is Natural Atlas. Not only can I track where I have been, but I can look up trails, look at topo maps, and plan future trips. I really dig doing my backpacking trip planning with this app.
Magnet (Apple): One of the things I like about Windows is the ability to instantly snap Windows to a portion of the screen by dragging it to one of the sides. Magnet does just that, but for Apple, making window management so much easier.
Fan Control (Windows): This awesome piece of software give you full control over the fans installed in your PC, setting their speed curves based off of the variable heat of your key components (CPU & GPU), or based on which of these two components is hotter. I can now ramp up the fans in the lower half of my case when my GPU starts getting toasty rather than all of my fans.
Wallpaper Engine (Windows): I was never really into live wall papers, but Wallpaper Engine has a really good selection across a huge range of styles. All of it is user generated content. I am currently rocking the PS2 clock screen on my desktop, and it totally functions as a clock.
The Books I Read
I have a bucket list of books that I have been working my way through over the last few years.
The Design of Everyday Things by Don Norman: A must read for any designer.
Ultralight Backpackin’ Tips by Mike Clelland: A very useful resource to any backpacker, new or old, focusing on lightening up your backpack.
Moby Dick by Herman Melville: A deep dive into the whaling industry and a tense story of obsession and revenge.
The Disaster Artist by Greg Sestero & Tom Bissell: A really fun read about the making of The Room. I really had a hard time putting this one down.
Gundog by Gary Whitta: A fun little SciFi Battle for the fate of Humanity.
Animal Farm by George Orwell: An excellent book, which is sadly very relevant today.
2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke: The book written while Stanly Kubrik was writing the movie.
Proof by Adam Rogers: A good breakdown of the science that goes into booze.
The Games I Played
I didn’t do as much gaming this year as I would have liked. I checked a few games off of my bucket list and revisited a few old friends. Overall though, the games I did play where great.
Illusion of Gaia (SNES): This game has been on my bucket list for years, and is one of the best story driven action RPG’s on the platform. There are some game-play mechanics that are dated, but overall, an excellent game.
Cyberpunk 2077 & Phantom Liberty (PC): It is finally complete, and it is great! This is a game that I held off on playing for a long time because of it’s very flawed release. However, they finally released a patch 2.0 and their one and only expansion, “Phantom Liberty,” I took the dive and loved every minute.
Psudoregalia (PC): This is a surprisingly tight 3D action platformer in the style of an N64 game. I played this over the coarse of a day and really loved how each of the power-ups enhanced your mobility.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (PC): The Call of Duty series is always comfort zone for me. I love the multiplayer, and the Michael Bay style story modes. Sometimes I just want to play a big, dumb game, and Call of Duty delivers; especially the Modern Warfare additions to the story. I am unsure if I will be getting into MWIII however.
Castlevania: Rondo of Blood (PCE): Castlevania is one of my favorite franchises of all time, and Rondo of Blood is the pinnacle of what the classic Castlevania formula has to offer. Challenging levels, brutal bosses, branching paths, multiple endings, and plenty of secrets. I can’t recommend Rondo of Blood enough.
Mega Man Legends (PSX): Also known as Mega Man 64, Mega Man’s expansion into the 3D action platformer genre is truly amazing, and is often overlooked. The whole game has this wholesome feeling, with lovable antagonists, an expansive and interconnected world, and a fun story. With the acception of the in game economy, this is truly one of the best games for the N64 & PSX. This is my second time playing through the game and I loved it all the same.
Mega Man Legends 2 (PSX): Technically, this sequel has a lot going on for it. It is easily one of the best looking games for the PlayStation, it has a more expansive world, and it has improved its somewhat clunky controls. However, the new characters aren’t fun, the world feels more bleak, the progression is more linear, the Diggers License mechanic is very confusing at first, and the economy is even worse than the first game, leading to hours of grinding just to upgrade one of your weapons. Unless you are interested in exploring more of that world, it is a pass for me.
Mega Man X4 (PSX): This is my second favorite Mega Man X game, after the first game in the series. It introduces Zero as a fully playable character rather than just someone you can occasionally swap out. Playing as X is fun, but mastering Zero’s moves and learning to traverse the levels is a very fun and rewarding challenge.
Racoon Tycoon (Board): I picked this up for my friends birthday and really enjoyed playing it. It is a resource management game where you try to influence the value of specific items, then sell when the value is at its peak. You have to be careful through because others are trying to do the same.
Wingspan (Board): This is another resource management game, but this time with birds. Your goal is to attract different birds to your board, and those birds are counted for points. It comes with an awesome dice tower as well.
Other Things I have Enjoyed in 2023
I am not always up to date with the latest music or movies, but there are things that I come back to time after time. There are also the random gadgets and gizmos I pick up throughout the year, and this year had some great ones.
Barbenheimer: While we didn’t watch the Barbie Movie and Openheimer back to back, we did watch them both on the same weekend, opting to start with Openheimer. We really enjoyed both movies for different movies. Also, I love the Billie Eilish’s What Was I Made For? is a great song.
Hans Zimmer: One of my goto sources of background music while coding is the music oh Hans Zimmer. I especially love the music of Intersteller, Blade Runner 2049, No Time to Die, Dune, and much more. Philip Glass is another composer that I come back to from time to time for the same reason, especially the soundtrack to Koyaanisqatsi.
Miyoo Mini Plus: This is a handheld, pocket sized, emulator with a masive screen, and great feeling buttons. I must say I was pretty shocked by how far these little, cheep, handheld emulators have come. It can play games from the Atari 2600 up to the PlayStation One and the battery lasts for hours. I cant believe I am recomending one of these things, but you can not go wrong with the Miyoo Mini Plus.
Modern Backpacking Gadgets: As an Eagle Scout whos experience with backpacking includes hualing 40 lbs of ilfitting, hand-me-down gear, while wearing heavy leather boots, I have to say that modern backpacking gear is so much better. There is too much to go into, but getting my packs base weight down to 10 lbs alone is a unthinkable. I might just do another blog post exploring this topic.
Mastodon: I deleted my Twitter account when it was confirmed that its sale to Elon Musk was happening. I wasnt planning on jumping to any new platforms, but a friend told me about Mastodon, and I must say, it feels like the early days of Twitter, before all of the hate and trash. I am enjoying Mastodon so far. You can follow me here: @Pxlfunk@techtoots.com.
This is only a small portion of what I have been up to over the last year, not talking about all of the shows I have been enjoying, movies I have watched, food that I have cooked, places I have been, etc. But rather, provide something that might be usefull to you. I will be reading The Power Broker over the coming year, and there are a couple of other games that I want to get through as well, incuding one that I have already started. There is also some software that I am looking forward to writing during my off time. Untill then, I will see you when I see you; Hopefully before the 2024 recap.
