Now

(This is a now page, and if you have your own site, you should make one too)

Hi there, I'm Daniel! 👋

Living near London

I like moving around every few months (so far just within the UK). Experiencing new places is fun and it helps set mental markers in the blur of life. It's easier to remember when an event happened if you were only living in that area for a few months.

It's made packing much easier too. Or maybe it's less about the packing and more about getting rid of things I don't need. Last year, I was able to work remotely for several months with just a large backpack and a small suitcase.

Honestly, the most difficult part has been finding somewhere suitable for remote work. Many Airbnbs claim to have a 'laptop friendly workplace', but (in my experience) that often translates to a hard wooden chair on a dining room table or "just sit on the bed". It's awful for your back and just not sustainable for weeks or months. I wish more short-term lets had a proper desk and office chair.

Running

I'd never really enjoyed running until this year. Back in January 2021, I downloaded the NHS's Couch to 5K app and I'm now running ~5 kilometers three times per week.

Thinking about longevity, climate change, and space

I typically use the term 'longevity' because it's more widely understood but what I really mean is extending healthspan.

I'll share more about these three at a later date.

Working at Auth0

A few weeks ago I moved started a new job as a software engineer at Auth0. It's an exciting time in the company and my team are fantastic.

Listening to audiobooks

Last year I finished the Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality (HPMOR) audiobook / podcast. It's sooo good. Hilarious, insightful, brilliantly written. I feel like this quote best describes how I felt after it finished:

"You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend." ~Paul Sweeney

In search for something to fill a HPMOR-shaped hole in my heart, I found Worm. Again, it's brilliantly written. I've stayed up so many nights listening to this audiobook / podcast. Both HPMOR and Worm are up there in my top 5 books of all time.

I'm now listening to Ward, the sequel to Worm.

Trying to write every day

Back in January 2021, I decided to try writing every day for 14 days. It worked well! Honestly, I would have forgotten for many of the days if I hadn't started tracking it on my bedroom calendar. Days where I publish a blog post get a tick; the others get a cross.

I reckon that a large contributor to not sticking to new 'daily habits' is just forgetting about it after a few days, before it's embedded in your routine. The calendar is a simple visual reminder and it worked well.

It's now 31 October 2021 and I want to get back into blogging. Until the end of November, I'm going to write once a week (Sunday). See you in the next post!