December 2022 - Life Update

I missed writing this in November. But admittedly there hasn't been much going on in my life (am I boring?!). I'm visiting friends and family back in the West Midlands, where I grew up and will be here until the 27th. Coming home for Christmas is a special feeling, but it's the only time where I can see myself being here for any extended period of time.

🤓 What I've been doing (and haven't)

Continuing to build Here, it's a challenge switching between writing Java code (my day job) to Swift (for Here). I enjoy writing Swift, but realize that I'm still out of my depth.
Visited 🇬🇷, a few friends and I spent a week in Crete. My two highlights from the trip was driving on dodgy unofficial roads to get to a secluded beach and sampling Cretan wine at a vineyard with a breathtaking view of Crete's mountains.
Didn't see Kendrick 😭, Trains strikes meant I couldn't make it to the concert.
Visited 🇺🇸, I hopped on a plane and went to Audacy music festival in Fort Lauderdale. Knowing I'll be visiting the States often, I've signed up for Global Entry. Having TSA precheck meant airport security was a breeze, it's a no-brainer to get it and I'm not a U.S. Citizen!
Fell completely off with weight-lifting, while I'd still go to Barry's often, I had no consistency in lifting heavy stones.

📚 What I've been reading

Three-Body Problem, Cixin Liu - The first in a trilogy of books by Chinese author, Cixin Liu. This was recommended by a friend who is a big sci-fi fan and I had a great time with it! Because the book is set in China and has a revolutionary element to it, I learnt more about the Cultural Revolution and 'Struggle Sessions' that occurred during it.
Unfinished Business, David Goggins - David Goggins saying David Goggins stuff. It feels like a sequel to Can't Hurt Me rather than a standalone book in its own right.

🔮 What's coming up

I'll be visiting 🇪🇪 and 🇫🇮 just after Christmas. It seemed like a good idea at the time when I booked it, but I'm unsure I'm ready for how cold it'll be!
Writing my 2022 review. I don't often publish reviews, but I will this year. It's fun to look back on previous reviews and see how different or similar the years have been.