2018, the year that felt like ten. Time hopped and jogged and stood still, twisted me all around, chewed me up and spat me out with every horrible update of the news cycle.

Have you been trying to profile your Kubernetes applications with perf? Maybe you want to see what all the FlameGraphs fuss is about? If your version of Docker was upgraded within the last year, you’ll likely run into issues.

Despite working in tech with an engineering title, my only degree is a BFA in Film and Animation. While some schools emphasize critique in their film programs, mine was more technical and hands-on. That meant I was shooting 16mm film by my second week, organizing set crews by my second quarter, and did everything from directing commercials to writing my own imaging codecs.

It’s also how I learned about foot-candles.

I have a tradition of writing down my accomplishments from the past year and sticking them on the wall in my favorite depression zone-out corner to comfort me in the winter.

This year, I thought I would share the results. It’s a nice way for people to catch up with my recent shenanigans, as well as a chance for me to categorize and reflect on the parts I liked the most and would like to continue in the new year.

Perhaps adopting this tradition will help you, too.

For the majority of my life, I was not a social drinker. Not only did I abstain from alcohol, but also any sort of caffeine not found in a good hot chocolate. I made it through high school, college, and the first years of my professional life without a beer, latte, or late-night crunch energy drink.

Some of it was personal morals, but most of it was personal taste. I would sip friends’ drinks, make a face, and return to my water and cake. I was fine with this, because I was staying true to myself. And the people worth keeping in my life didn’t care. But I knew I was missing out.