Keis Blog

With 2024 coming to an end, I’ve started thinking about the year ahead and what my New Year’s resolution for 2025 should be. As part of the process, I took a moment to review the resolutions I set for myself last year.

I keep my resolutions in a journal—not a digital one, but an old-fashioned notebook. For something as personal as this, I find that writing them down by hand feels more meaningful. It’s a space where I can be honest with myself, free from the distractions of screens and notifications.

Looking back at last year’s goals, it’s interesting to see what I’ve achieved and where I’ve fallen short. Some resolutions are completed and crossed off, while others remain a work in progress. Reflecting on them has given me a clearer idea of what I want to focus on in the coming year. Or has it, we will will see. But i think i have a clearer picture of the categories, but maybe that is already to much : 🙂

1. Personal Self development goals

2. Family goals, what do i want to do better for my family

3. Work goals

4. Health goals (Those were lacking from last year)

And trying to keep it all achievable, that would be my goal 🙂

I’ve been immersed in the world of IT for over 25 years now. That’s a quarter of a century spent wrestling with technology, exploring countless tools, and generally living and breathing the digital life. I like to think I’ve seen it all (though I know that’s probably not even close to the truth!). One thing I’ve learned about myself over these years is that I tend to get… well, obsessed. I latch onto something, a new tool, a new technique, a new anything, and I dive headfirst into it. I geek out, I research, I experiment, and I usually go all in.

This year, my obsession has taken a decidedly analog turn: notebooks and fountain pens. Yes, you read that right. After decades of staring at screens, I’ve found myself drawn to the tactile experience of pen on paper. And let me tell you, it hasn’t been a casual interest. It’s been a full-blown deep dive. I’ve bought a lot of notebooks (more than I care to admit!), and I’ve spent countless hours watching YouTube videos about everything from the perfect paper weight to the nuances of different nib sizes. I’ve been on a quest to find the “perfect system” for journaling, taking work notes, and even dabbling in a bit of retro-inspired writing. There’s something incredibly satisfying about the flow of ink, the feel of the pen in my hand, and the tangible record of my thoughts on the page.

This isn’t entirely new for me. I tend to have these intense periods of focus. Last year, it was analog photography. I became fascinated with film, learning to develop my own black and white and color film. I even built a darkroom in my basement! It was a completely different world from the instant gratification of digital photography, and I loved every minute of it. But i mostly shoot digital again now, after a couple of years, there was a reason digital won the battle. I still enjoy my analog flirt once in a red moon 🙂

I think there’s a common thread running through these obsessions. Whether it’s the precision of coding, the chemical processes of film development, or the smooth glide of a fountain pen, I’m drawn to the details, the intricacies, and the tangible results. It’s a way for me to balance the abstract world of IT with something more concrete and grounded. And as the year is nearing the end, i have not used my notebooks for the last couple of months, or have become more granular is my approach to note taking in different areas. Works is not the same as journaling for personal reasons.

I really like the analog feeling when doing journaling where its just dotting down what you think and trying to get something down on paper. But for work, it does not feel efficient enough, i’m probably not organized enough(Have read/seen a lot of posts about the topic), but i feel the digital tools like OneNote, Obsidian, search and AI helps there a lot (Still have not decided on something final, guess there will be som AI help in it at least), i still need to figure out how to balance taking notes during meetings, and also listening, i think AI will be a big help there.

And hey, got a real blogpost on my blog also this year, also pretty inconsistent 🙂 Happy New year out there Internet, if this little corner of it ever reaches out of my basement.