Updated January 8, 2025, from my home in Thailand
Use what you already know. People are so busy searching for a shortcut — or hoping an easier path will reveal itself — they let numerous moments slip by when they could get results simply by doing what is right in front of them.
— James Clear
2024 ended with reflection and writing my Annual Review. Looking back, it was a good year: a new job, my first full year living in Thailand, lots of learning (I read 29 books, a personal best!), and completing several professional development courses. But the real highlight of the year was my mom’s visit to Thailand.
After five long years apart—due to the pandemic, closed borders, and the war—she finally came to stay with us for a whole month. It was a heartwarming and unforgettable time, both for me and for my son, who got to spend precious moments with his grandmother. Life is too short not to cherish these connections.
For 2025, my focus is on launching and growing personal projects: completing and publishing my book, officially launching CapoeiraWiki, relaunching Magazeta, and working on a few internal goals to challenge myself further.
What I’m currently working on
Back to my book
Nearly a year has passed since I finished the first draft of my book and started searching for an editor. Finally, I’ve made progress—editing is underway, and I’m also recording the audiobook version alongside it. This project is one of my main priorities for the first half of 2025, and I can’t wait to share it with the world.
Taking Thai to the next level
At the end of last year, my wife and I completed a 30-hour course at a local language school. It was refreshing to be students again, and the experience helped us improve our Thai a little, but there’s still a long way to go—even to reach a basic conversational level.
This year, I’m pushing myself out of my comfort zone by initiating more conversations with Thai people. It’s challenging and uncomfortable, but there’s no other way to improve.
On the theory side, I recently completed Stuart Jay Raj’s Cracking Thai Fundamentals course, which answered many questions about Thai phonetics and writing. Next, my wife and I plan to take the Learn Thai from a White Guy course, which comes highly recommended.
Official launch of CapoeiraWiki
Last October, I announced CapoeiraWiki, a collaborative project for the capoeira community. However, life and work took over, and I had to put the project on hold until I had the time and resources to resolve some technical issues.
Now, I’m back on track and moving forward. The goal is to launch the project fully in the coming months and grow it into a valuable resource for capoeiristas worldwide.
That’s what my life looks like right now!