Today is the 31st of December 2023, not a single cloud in the sky, the weather is unseasonable warm, and parts of the world have already started their 2024.  As I am finding myself usually doing, here is my annual review.

Health

No major items here to report. I have visibly put on weight and pissed for not looking after myself better. My Peloton usage has dropped a “little” - 2022 I clocked up 8,480 minutes, 2023 minutes were a little shy of that at 1,795! Not impressed with myself and with my annual with my doctor in a few weeks, I have a lot of answering to do. 

Professional

This was the year my book, Think like a CTO, was printed and released. It has gone extremely well and I am very proud of it. I have gotten a lot of feedback from it, helped a many navigate their careers, and it even climbed to the top of the Amazon best seller charts for a few weeks.

You would think the older, wiser and more experience you get the easier your work gets. I can honestly say, this was the hardest, most challenging (and at times stressful) year of my professional career. I had so many new frontiers thrown at me, many competing priorities and things that I never ever thought would hit my desk. While it is not an excuse, this has been one of the main reasons for me not getting on the bike as often. Lesson learnt.

As part of my role, I do a lot of traveling – A LOT. This year I raked up 77 flights, the most I have ever done in a single year. I have bounced around all coasts of the USA and made a few trips over to India – first time seeing that beautiful country.

That all said, I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it and love my “job”.

Movies

My 6th year tracking my television and movie viewing habits, with 407 being registered, my highest year beating my previous 2020 year at 405. I do not register individual episodes, TV series (if completed) and movies.

This was a hugely disappointing year for new releases. The ones I was looking forward to, were a major let down. No 2023 movie rated a 10/10, which is rare. Looking at the list, I am surprised myself that these came to the top:

1. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry
2. Finestkind
3. The Holdovers
4. The Covenant
5. Air

Notable mentions; Oppenheimer was good, but too long in parts. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny oh Harrison what were you thinking? And speaking of what were they thinking, Expend4bles, Sly and Jason – come on guys we know you can do better.  Jason and Hugh reunited by Guy Ritchie, still produced a turkey with Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre – really disappointed.

Netflix continues to produced drivel becoming the new “made for TV” movie genre. What it does show us though, big names are not enough to make up for poorly written scripts.

TV

TV on the other hand, was very impressive, with a genuine “can’t wait for the next week’s” episode feeling. My top rated series:

1. Clarkson’s Farm
2. Slow Horses
3. Succession
4. Brassic
5. Hijack
6. The Diplomat
7. The Gilded Age
8. Shetland

It was really tough to decide between Slow Horses and Succession, but I think Gary Oldman edges out a little for his Jackson Lamb portrayal. Jeremy Clarkson proved eyes-streaming-with-laughter for all our generations.

Notable mentions; For All Mankind I discovered this year and caught up, extremely good idea (and well executed) science fiction series. Julia had a strong 1st season, but the second one was weak and disappointing. Jack Ryan (and Reacher) should have stopped at one season – went downhill fast.

Music

This year, my YouTube 2023 playlist had me tagging 53 videos. The ones I kept bopping to in the shower include:

1. The Rolling Stones – Angry
2. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis – My Oh My
3. Paravi – “Suspicious Minds” – ELVIS Movie Soundtrack
4. Olivia Rodrigo – vampire
5. Lewis Capaldi – Pointless

My vinyl collection continued to grow, with a number of great additions, including old, new and some (signed) collectables. I believe I have my Leonard Cohen collection completed now (I was chasing one that took a while to hunt down), and of course my Elvis collection grew. 

The surprise album of the year, that I can’t seem to keep my hands off, has been Dolly Parton’s Rockstar album.

Before we round out this section, some podcast nods. Scott Galloway (both his Prof G and Pivot podcasts), Johnny Vaughan Radio X, Penn’s Sunday School, Restless Natives and Kermode and Mayo’s Take all bring me great joy and learning.

Misc.

2023 was a good year all said and done with lots of time with family and friends. I spent many relaxing hours with my Solo Stove, burning firewood foraged from the yard, as I listened to podcasts, read books, or piddled in the yard.

We had our, what is becoming annual, wider family get together in October, where we all dressed up, sang way too much karaoke to loud music, and drank a heroic amount. The annual Eurovision party in May, continues to prove to be a hoot, with our circle widening as we introduce more of our American friends to this wild European spectacle. Many a poker night, increasing to more than one table at times, always a highlight and a trip to Las Vegas with friends was a welcomed interlude.

My annual getaway with my inspirational wife, to the Cayman Islands, was another success, and looking forward to another week away in early spring.

Looking at 2024

No big sweeping plans, keeping it simple with small initiatives. 

Get healthier – eat less, peddle more and quality time with family and friends.

That’s it.