It’s been about a year since I’ve written anything here.
That wasn’t exactly intentional. Life just has a way of filling the available space. In my case, that space was occupied by antennas, radios, books, and more than a few late nights spent chasing signals from the other side of the planet.
The good news is that I’m still curious. If anything, more curious than before. And that’s probably the best reason to start writing again.
What I’ve Been Doing
The biggest hobby shift over the past year has been amateur radio and shortwave listening.
I’ve always enjoyed technology, but radio scratches a different itch. There’s something satisfying about making contact with another person using equipment you’ve assembled, configured, and optimized yourself. It’s one of the few hobbies where geography, physics, weather, and pure luck all get a vote.
Over the past year, I’ve managed to confirm contacts with 160 different countries.
Some contacts came easily. Others took multiple attempts, careful timing, and more patience than I normally possess. Every new country felt a bit like collecting a postcard from somewhere I’ve never been.
Alongside amateur radio, I’ve spent a fair amount of time monitoring shortwave broadcasts. Unfortunately, it’s becoming increasingly clear that we’re living through the end of an era.
Canada recently announced plans to end its Weatheradio service, and the country’s long-running shortwave time signal station, CHU, is also expected to go silent in the near future.
Most people will never notice. GPS exists. Smartphones exist. Weather apps exist.
From a practical standpoint, those services have largely been replaced. But there’s still something worth appreciating about systems that operate independently of the internet and cellular networks. Radio remains one of the few technologies that can reach vast distances with remarkable simplicity.
I know progress is inevitable. Still, I’ll miss hearing those familiar signals on the dial.
What I’ve Been Reading
Another surprise this year has been how much I’ve been reading.
For a long time, I bounced between nonfiction books and whatever happened to catch my attention. Lately, though, I’ve developed a real appreciation for hard science fiction.
I’ve spent a lot of time with authors like Andy Weir, Dennis E. Taylor, and Gerald Kilby.
What I enjoy about their work is that the science matters. The stories don’t feel like fantasy dressed up as space travel. They ask interesting questions and then work through the consequences logically. You can tell the authors are interested in how things actually function.
The best hard science fiction leaves me with the same feeling as a good documentary or a great podcast. It’s entertaining, but it also makes me think differently about the future.
And frankly, it’s a nice break from doomscrolling.
What I’ve Been Eating
One of the less exciting but surprisingly impactful purchases this year was an air fryer and rice cooker.
They have probably improved my weeknight cooking more than any kitchen gadgets I’ve bought in years.
Neither device is particularly glamorous. Nobody is posting dramatic unboxing videos of rice cookers. But both excel at making good food with minimal effort.
The rice cooker handles the boring part perfectly every single time. I forgot how much I loved rice! The air fryer turns leftovers into something worth eating again.
Together they’ve made it easier to cook at home during busy weeks instead of defaulting to takeout. Sometimes the best kitchen upgrades aren’t the flashy ones. They’re the tools that quietly make everyday life easier.
Looking Ahead
Over the past year, the tools available to writers have changed dramatically. The latest generation of AI-assisted editing tools, particularly those now available inside WordPress, are genuinely useful.
What they do well is help organize thoughts, tighten awkward sentences, catch things I’ve overlooked, and make the editing process less tedious. They’re closer to having a competent editor sitting beside you than a machine replacing the writer.
The ideas still have to come from somewhere, and I’m making notes all the time about things to blog about (I just wasn’t doing anything with those notes).
The perspective still has to be yours. But the friction between a rough draft and a finished post is lower than it’s ever been. That’s a good thing.
My hope is that it helps me return to a more regular publishing schedule. I have a growing list of topics I’d like to explore—radio, books, food, Indianapolis, technology, outdoor adventures, and whatever else happens to catch my attention along the way.
No grand relaunch. Just a return to sharing things I find interesting.
