Update 9_2025_year_end_review.mdx

Author: rishinrahim

data/blog/9_2025_year_end_review.mdx

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ And, unsurprisingly, the mission failed miserably.
 I ended the year with just 4 blog posts. What makes it worse is that I didn’t lack ideas. I started around 10 articles, some of them even crossed 4000 words but I couldn’t bring myself to finish them. And 90% is as good as 0% here. This pattern feels uncomfortably familiar. I do 80% of the work very quickly, and then the remaining 20% drags on forever. Sometimes I eventually finish it. Most of the time, I don’t. When I think about all the side projects I’ve started and quietly abandoned, it’s the same story repeating itself.
 
 The year, of course, wasn’t just about a failed blog streak. A lot happened. So this is me pausing for a moment and looking back, an informal year-end review.
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 The biggest highlight of the year was relocating to a new place. New apartment, new stuff, new society, better facilities and better atmosphere. It honestly felt good.Relocation itself was a _lot_ of work. Finding an apartment in Bangalore is hard especially when you have dogs, eat non-veg and belong to a particular religion. Rents keep going up every year. Once the flat was finalized, there was packing, unpacking, buying new stuff, replacing old stuff, and getting rid of clutter. It was oddly satisfying, but also very tiring.
 
 The move ended up changing our routine, mostly for the better. I shifted my work schedule, starting early at 7:30 AM and wrapping up by 3:30 PM. That left more time for my wife, the dogs, and things that aren’t work. My wife’s happier because we get to spend more quality time together, and the dogs are happier too - more time outside, longer walks, and regular trips to a nearby dog resort. We’ve also met quite a few new dogs and dog parents along the way.
@@ -23,24 +23,31 @@ We also got into board games in a big way -Monopoly, Catan, Azul, Jaipur, Secret
 
 We also ended up celebrating a lot of festivals this year - Onam, Vishu, Garba, Diwali, Eid, and now Christmas. Met new people, rekindled old friendships.Onam, especially, stood out. Meeting at a friend’s place, putting up an Onam pookalam, and having a proper, sumptuous Onam sadhya. It was a lot of fun.
 
-Work felt better this year. I started working on more challenging stuff - Graphs and LLMs. I was learning more, and owning more things. I believe I got more involved this year compared to last. It’s my second year at Walmart now, and I’m getting used to the people, the process and the culture.
+The only proper trip we took this year apart from visits to our hometown was our road trip to Coorg with friends and our dogs back in May. We stayed at a resort tucked away in the middle of a plantation - lots of greenery, long conversations, barbecue nights, and general chaos. It was a really good break. Travel was limited this year though, mostly because relocation and family priorities took precedence.
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+Work felt better this year. I started working on more challenging stuff - Graphs and LLMs. I was learning more, and owning more things. I believe I got more involved this year compared to last. It’s my second year at Walmart now, and I’m getting used to the people, the process and the culture. That said, not everything was great. Office moved to 5 days work from office starting November, and it’s been hectic and tiring. Honestly, I’m not sure how this is supposed to improve productivity. All I see around me are tired faces, quiet complaints, and people mumbling about how pointless the decision feels.
 
 I feel healthier this year. Maybe it’s because I went to the gym more regularly ( though consistency dipped lately). On days without the gym, it was badminton or swimming. And a lot of walking, especially after moving. Dog walks add up more than you think. I also bought a smartwatch (Amazfit T-Rex) and started monitoring my sleep and steps more rigorously. My annual health results looked much better compared to last year.
 
 Reading didn’t go great, though. I managed only a couple of books _Watchmen_ (graphic novel), _Careless People_, and a few stories from _Exhalation_ (sci-fi). As usual, there were many books I started but couldn’t finish. I’ll probably have to restart them during this break. That said, I did buy a lot of books this year. There's a particular pleasure in buying books and seeing them on my shelf that I don't know how to explain.
 
 I watched fewer movies and shows this year (compared to last years). Some standouts are _Sinners_, _One Battle After Another_, _F1_, _Wake Up Dead Man_, _Predator: Killer of Killers/Badlands_, _Eko_ (Malayalam), _Ponman_ (Malayalam) and _Stolen_ (Hindi). Series-wise, _The Pitt_ was my absolute favourite. _Adolescence_ was another standout. Some other shows that I loved this year are Started watching _The Bear_ and loved it. Restarted _Mr. Robot_ (and paused it again 😅). Rewatched _Stranger Things_ S1 to S4 to prepare for S5, now eagerly waiting for S5 part 2. Loved Black Mirror Season 7. Rewatched _Akkarakazhchakal_ (Malayalam) and loved it even more this time.
 
-Music-wise, 2025 was mostly regional for me. I didn’t listen to a lot overall, but these were the tracks that stayed with me (in no particular order): _Queen of the Night_ and _Neeye Puchiri_ (_Lokah_ – Jakes Bejoy), _Jaalakaari_ (_Balti_ – Sai Abhayankar), _Hatja_ and _Panjara Punch_ (_Alappuzha Gymkhana_ – Vishnu Vijay), _Kadha Thudarum_ (_Thudarum_ – Jakes Bejoy), _Onam Mood_ (_Saahasam_ – Bibin Ashok), _Hope Song_ (_Sarkeet_ – Govind Vasantha),  _Ilakozhiye_ (_Thalavara_ – Electronic Kili),  _Muththa Mazhai_ (_Thug Life_ – A.R. Rahman), _Oorum Blood_ (_Dude_ – Sai Abhayankar), _I Lied to You_ (_Sinners_ – Miles Caton), _Run It Up_ (Hanumankind), _Die With a Smile_ (Bruno Mars/Lady Gaga), _APT_ (Rosé, Bruno Mars), _Vazhithunaiye_ (_Dragon_ – Leon James), _Thattathil_ and _Khalbinnakame_ (_Abhilasham_ – Sreehari K),and Pardesiya_ (_Param Sundari_ – Sachin–Jigar). I know it’s not a long list, but these were my favorites. I’m hoping to explore more music during this holiday break.
+Music-wise, 2025 was mostly regional for me. I didn’t listen to a lot overall, but these were the tracks that stayed with me (in no particular order): _Queen of the Night_ and _Neeye Puchiri_ (_Lokah_ – Jakes Bejoy), _Jaalakaari_ (_Balti_ – Sai Abhayankar), _Hatja_ and _Panjara Punch_ (_Alappuzha Gymkhana_ – Vishnu Vijay), _Kadha Thudarum_ (_Thudarum_ – Jakes Bejoy), _Onam Mood_ (_Saahasam_ – Bibin Ashok), _Hope Song_ (_Sarkeet_ – Govind Vasantha), _Ilakozhiye_ (_Thalavara_ – Electronic Kili), _Muththa Mazhai_ (_Thug Life_ – A.R. Rahman), _Oorum Blood_ (_Dude_ – Sai Abhayankar), _I Lied to You_ (_Sinners_ – Miles Caton), _Run It Up_ (Hanumankind), _Die With a Smile_ (Bruno Mars/Lady Gaga), _APT_ (Rosé, Bruno Mars), _Vazhithunaiye_ (_Dragon_ – Leon James), _Thattathil_ and _Khalbinnakame_ (_Abhilasham_ – Sreehari K),and Pardesiya_ (_Param Sundari_ – Sachin–Jigar). I know it’s not a long list, but these were my favorites. I’m hoping to explore more music during this holiday break.
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+I listened to only a few podcasts this year. I got into the world of [Vayanalokam](https://podcasts.apple.com/bh/podcast/vayanalokam-malayalam-book-podcast/id1650140144) and really enjoyed it. I also dipped into a few episodes from Dwarkesh, and revisited old favourites like _Radiolab_, _Reply All_, _The Dollop_, _Search Engine_, and _Acquired_. I also listened to the dramatized audiobook of _1984_, featuring Andrew Garfield, and it was honestly an amazing experience. I was never really into audiobooks, but these dramatized versions are a different thing altogether. It felt immersive, almost like a movie playing in your head. Completely changed how I look at audiobooks.
 
-I listened to only a few podcasts this year. I got into the world of [Vayanalokam](https://podcasts.apple.com/bh/podcast/vayanalokam-malayalam-book-podcast/id1650140144) and really enjoyed it. I also dipped into a few episodes from Dwarkesh, and revisited old favourites like _Radiolab_, _Reply All_, _The Dollop_, _Search Engine_, and _Acquired_.
+Not everything about the year was light, though.
 
+We lost Roxy, one of our beloved dogs. She was technically my in-laws’ pet, but very close to us especially to my wife. She passed away due to illness and was only 8 years old. The house definitely felt quieter for a while. 
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 In hindsight, this year was more about settling in than chasing wins. A new home, a new routine, deeper work, better rhythms. Not everything worked out, but a lot quietly fell into place.
 
 So, going into 2026, I’m keeping the goals simple and realistic:
 
-**Goals for 2026**
+  
 
+**Goals for 2026**
 
 - Write 5 meaningful articles
 - Read 5 books