ezyang’s blog

the arc of software bends towards understanding

2010: A Roadmap

I did one of these for 2008, and it was highly amusing to see some of the goals I had put down that, in fact, I do not care at all about in the middle of my sophomore year in college. (For a more technically oriented one, see "Get PHP to compile with VS2008"... ick.) They are not quite resolutions, because I know enough that to actually get things done I should set schedules. These are tendencies; guiding principles for the New Year. Things to make habits. Things that are hard.

  • Pay more attention to the people I live with and care about, so that I know when they are distressed, and know what I can do to help.
  • Pay more attention to what people feel. Develop empathy.
  • Do interesting research. Write an academic paper. Get it submitted to a major journal.
  • Become involved in ham radio. Get certified.
  • Be romantic.
  • Continue to increase my palette of cooking, especially for greens.
  • Continue to study mathematics.
  • Increase physical flexibility, figure out how to make exercise a part of my schedule, and not just something I do when I decide I need exercise to concentrate.
  • Learn C++ metaprogramming. Find a good excuse to hack in this language.
  • Push myself beyond my limits, because you don't know what they are until you are past them.
  • Cold call old friends every once in a while.
  • Tell stories.