Hello everyone, 2022 flew by in an instant.

I didn't have much time to reflect, so while writing this article, I'll briefly look back on what I did in 2022.

This is a personal log, so it might not be very useful, but if you're interested, feel free to take a look.

January: Setting Goals and More

I think many of you did this too, but in 2022, I set detailed goals and broke them down into actionable steps. (Although this method didn't suit me and ended up in a big failure later lol)

How to Set Goals

• Achievement Items: Example: "Earn 100,000 yen from side jobs"
• Action Goals: Example: "To earn 100,000 yen from side jobs, I'll earn money through XX (action goal)!"
• Execution Items: Decide in detail when, where, who, and how to execute each task

I meticulously planned this and even added things like "What time to do what" into Google Calendar.

For the first three months, I managed to keep up and got used to it, but gradually it became stressful, and my motivation started to fade.

As time came to execute the tasks, I found myself increasingly unmotivated and disengaged, and eventually stopped doing them altogether.

As I mentioned in my previous article, around June 2022, my motivation for things like input (learning) drastically decreased, leading to something like burnout. I just felt drained...

I initially thought this method was great, but it turns out it wasn't suitable for me.

February: Wanting a Motorcycle

While I was working on various goals and stuff in 2022, I suddenly thought, "I want to go touring on a motorcycle with my dad and brother."

Also, lately, I've had fewer things that excite me and felt like I was living on autopilot. Time was passing by so quickly, and my life had become mostly work and just browsing Instagram and Twitter, so I wanted something new and stimulating, deciding to get a motorcycle license.

March: Preparing for the License and Cherry Blossoms

It seems more people were getting motorcycle licenses in 2022, so I couldn't enroll immediately.

I was figuring out when to go, like after work or when I could, but when I didn't have any meeting-related tasks, the school had study spaces and Wi-Fi, so I just worked there normally. (Of course, only tasks that didn't pose security issues)

I participated in gaz's cherry blossom viewing and went to Dazaifu with my wife for cherry blossoms.

April: Attending Driving School While Working

As mentioned above, I attended driving school while balancing work.

I didn't have a license for medium-sized motorcycles and was worried about riding a manual bike for the first time, but since there were many training hours, I eventually got used to it and graduated without any issues.

Slalom and single-lane bridges were challenging, but it was fun.

There was a Harley-Davidson at the driving school, and since I completed my assignments, I got to ride it a bit.

May: Auto Polis and Motorcycle Delivery

My dad and brother love cars, so I joined a driving event at Auto Polis with them.

I was only allowed to ride in the passenger seat for one lap but it was awesome. The scenery was great, and the feeling of being in a different world was wonderful.

In the future, I want to buy my own car and participate.

And then, I finally received my motorcycle! After much deliberation, I decided to buy the bike I wanted, not just a medium-sized one like the Honda Rebel, GB350, or Royal Enfield that I was considering.

Photos when I was undecided:

For some reason, my eyes are closed lol

But I ended up getting a large bike, and since I never know when my life will end, I bought the bike I wanted.

It boosts my work motivation, and I think it was a good purchase.

June: Diving into the World of Custom Keyboards

A colleague at gaz who enjoys building custom keyboards offered to teach me, so I learned from him.

I hadn't really thought about it before, but for me, keyboards are something I use every day and are essential for optimizing things, so I dove into the hobby. Yay!

As a result, it took some time to get used to the layout and layers of split keyboards, but the distance my fingers have to move has significantly decreased, and I can now touch type.

The 34-key low-profile keyboard I'm using now allows each key to be pressed with minimal movement, and since it's wireless and compact, it's easy to carry around.

Regarding the layout, I'm challenging the Dvorak layout. The first two months were hell, but now I can type much faster.

Layouts are truly deep. It's like a swamp within a swamp...

July: Attending gaz's Retreat and Exploring Electronics

I attended gaz's retreat.

As a freelancer, there are virtually no such events, so I'm grateful to have joined and participated.

I also dabbled in electronics. Although I'm too busy right now to continue, I want to find time to create something!

August: Visiting Tokyo After a Long Time

I went sightseeing in Tokyo with my wife for the first time in a while.

We met old friends, stayed in Akihabara, visited PC and keyboard shops, and got a bit of an otaku vibe lol

Since I'm usually a homebody, I thought going out to places like Tokyo would be overwhelming, but it turned out to be really fun.

I even got to eat Jiro Ramen!!

Photo with my wife at Odaiba.

September: Designing Large Projects and Attending Eikichi Yazawa's Concert

I worked on the design and photography direction for a website under a subsidiary of a well-known company.

Implementation was supposed to be handled by the client's in-house engineers, and it seems they haven't started yet due to resource constraints, but designing the interaction parts was a great experience.

Despite a typhoon approaching, I went to Eikichi Yazawa's concert. I secured a nearby parking spot, drove to the venue, and returned safely.

It's amazing how someone of his age can perform so energetically... He's seriously cool, so even those who aren't fans should check it out.

October: Camping in Oita and Split Keyboard with Raspberry Pi

I went camping in Oita with a colleague from gaz and a client.

The location was Grand Ver Resort in Oita. It was like heaven.

I built a split keyboard using Raspberry Pi.

I wanted to try writing keymaps in Ruby, so I looked for a 34-key split PCB and started building it, but it was super challenging...

Also, I chose clicky switches, which were quite stiff, so I ended up not using it much...

November: First Parent-Child Touring, First Camping with My Wife, and One Passing Away

I finally got to go touring with the three of us.

We went to Rainbow Pine Grove and saw Karatsu Castle, which was amazing. I almost cried with joy.

I want to continue enjoying safe driving next year as well.

I had my first camping trip with my wife.

Camping was great...

And, suddenly, some sad news: our beloved dog passed away. We had three dogs at my parents' house, but two passed away in 2021, and the last one left at the end of 2022.

They were my best friends, spending about half my life with them, so it was incredibly tough, and I still find myself crying anytime. They were that important to me.

See you again.

December: Wrapping Up the Year with Riding

I went on a final ride of 2022 with my dad and brother.

There are various tasks awaiting over the year-end and New Year period, so I'll be handling them gradually... December gets busy every year lol

I feel like I rode through 2022 in many ways. Even when doing exciting things, time flowed incredibly fast.

Maybe if I go to bed early and wake up early, time will feel longer.

Resolutions for 2023

With a lot of work ahead, I don't think I'm dealing with pet loss anymore, but I still have moments when my mental health gets tough. In 2023, I want to pay more attention to my mental and physical health.

I'll focus on proper self-management.

I'll continue committing to gaz and my freelance team!

As a designer, I want to gain more experience and build a stronger portfolio. I also want to improve my skills.

Above all, I'll keep my hands busy.

Additionally, I'll keep my workload manageable.

↑↑ I won't keep working ignoring the time like this lol

If I overload myself like at the beginning of 2022, everything falls apart.

I'll do what I want, cherish time with important people, and keep challenging new things.

Wishing for a great 2023!!

( ᐛ👐) Pah