Simple Living

Smartphone vs. Laptop: Why I’m Rebalancing My Digital Life Introduction: When Did Smartphones Become Our Default Device? At some point, smartphones shifted from being convenient pocket devices to becoming the main way many of us browse, watch, read, and communicate. But while smartphones are incredibly capable, laptops are still better suited for many tasks—yet we often reach for the phone first out of habit. The Everyday Appeal of Smartphones Smartphones have an undeniable advantage: instant convenience . They’re always with us, instantly on, and built around a touchscreen interface that feels fast, intuitive, and effortless. Even though laptops now include touchscreens, the experience still doesn’t match the responsiveness of using an iPhone or other modern smartphone. It’s no surprise that phones dominate our screen time. Mine gets six to eight hours of daily use, while my laptops—despite being over a decade old—barely see action. Why Smartphones Win the Day Ultra-portable:...

When Retirement Savings Finally Got Real Disclaimer & Personal Context (2025) These notes reflect my personal thinking and understanding as of 2025 and are shared for educational and reflective purposes only—not as financial advice. I began saving for retirement at age 23 through a 401(k), but made the mistake of cashing it out when changing jobs, assuming I had plenty of time to restart. In hindsight, that was one of my worst financial decisions . I opened a new 401(k) at 27 and made a second misstep by misunderstanding asset allocation . Instead of using a target-date fund, I self-managed and allocated roughly 40% to bonds and other lower-risk investments, which significantly reduced long-term growth. By age 30, after finally learning the fundamentals of retirement investing, I shifted fully into a target-date fund to better align with long-term equity returns, closer to historical S&P 500 performance of roughly 10% annually. Looking back, I effectively lost seven of ...

2025 Job Market: From Tough to Terrifying I was reading a Business Insider article about the decline in tech jobs and realized something unsettling: even though it was difficult to land a job in 2021, that was during a tech hiring boom. Opportunities were opening everywhere, startups were raising record funding, and companies were desperate for talent. So if I was struggling in the midst of boom times… what does that say about now? Fast forward to 2025, and the landscape feels absolutely terrifying. Layoffs are constant, hiring freezes drag on, and entry-level opportunities have practically evaporated. The optimism that once surrounded tech careers has been replaced with uncertainty and fear. In 2021, the job search felt like running uphill. In 2025, it feels like climbing a cliff with the ground crumbling beneath you.

Spending More, Experiencing Less As 2026 approaches, I’m increasingly aware of how expensive everyday life has become. Whether it’s goods, services, or simple outings, it now takes significantly more money to have the same quality experience I once took for granted. Naturally, this has led to a kind of personal rationing. I’ve reduced the frequency of some experiences—not necessarily because I want to, but because the cost-to-value ratio no longer adds up. Taking Better Care of What I Already Own One area where this is especially clear is car ownership. With the high price of new vehicles, I’ve found it more practical to invest in repairs and upkeep for my current cars rather than replace them. It’s made me more attentive to maintenance and proactive care—stretching their usefulness as long as possible. Home-Cooked Meals Over Dining Out Dining out used to be a regular treat, but now it often feels like paying more for less. Food quality in many restaurants has declined, eve...

Reflections on a Decade of Blogging: Embracing Habits, Change, and Minimalism  A Journey of Self-Discovery Through Blogging  Since I started this blog in 2014, I’ve witnessed an evolution in my own thinking, goals, and self-understanding. This space has become a platform to look back, appreciate past lessons, and set a more intentional path forward. Reflecting on my experiences here has been instrumental in shaping the direction of my future, helping me find what truly matters. Accepting My Nature as a Creature of Habit One of the biggest surprises, though it shouldn’t be anymore, is how much I am drawn to certain routines. Like many people, I’m a creature of habit. Initially, I resisted this tendency, feeling that constantly pursuing novelty might bring greater rewards. Over time, however, I realized that embracing these patterns brings a sense of comfort and satisfaction. Rather than resist, I’ve learned to lean into those habits that enrich my life. Balancing Familiarity wi...

My Weight Loss Journey: A Steady Path to Health It's taking longer than expected to lose weight, as I began this journey over a year ago during the summer of 2023. I successfully dropped 19 lbs, going from 184 to 165, but then plateaued for nearly a year. During a recent trip to NYC in May 2024, I jumped back up to 173 lbs. However, I resumed my dieting efforts and have since lost 12 lbs, reaching 161 lbs as of August 2024. I now feel optimistic about achieving my original goal of 150 lbs. Goal: 150 lbs (68 Kg) by Summer 2025 What seems to have helped is accepting that this process will take time—likely another year. I’m aiming to reach my goal by the summer of 2025. Reward: Common Projects Achilles Shoes As a reward for reaching my goal, I hope to upgrade my shoe game with a pair of Common Projects Achilles shoes. Another unexpected benefit of losing weight is that I’ve noticed my shoes fitting a bit looser, indicating that some of the fat I’ve shed was in my feet. Diet/Hydration ...

Cash Stash Goal I want to increase my cash on hand to $1,000 . I presently have $720 , separate from my regular savings and retirement accounts. I like having some physical cash on hand, which I squirrel away in several locations, rarely keeping more than $150-200 in my wallet. Most stashes are small, about $40-50 each. Current Stash Goals Here's my target breakdown for the $1,000 cash goal: Wallet : $200 Safe : $600 Med Stash : $50 Med Stash : $50 Med Stash : $40 Med Stash : $40 Small Stash : $20 I plan to grow these stashes gradually, adding about $20 per week , so it will take me a year to reach $1,000 . Long-Term Plan If this goes to plan, I’ll continue this for two more years , adding $500 per year until I max out at $2,000 in physical cash by 2026 . My future allocation will look like this: Wallet : $400 Safe : $1,200 Med Stash : $100 Med Stash : $100 Med Stash : $100 Small Stash : $50 Small Stash : $50 This strategy helps me feel secure with physical cash while keeping ...

My Weight Loss Journey: Breaking Through the Plateau I've tried for years to lose weight, but each attempt ended in short-lived success, as I quickly lost focus. Recently, my weight hit 184 lbs, and I decided to try again, motivated by feeling and looking bloated. Despite setbacks, I'm determined to achieve my goal this time. Current Progress Starting Weight: 184 lbs Goal: 150 lbs (new target), revised from 155 lbs Plateau: I hit 165 lbs in May 2024, but I'm stuck here despite consistent effort. Summary of Goals & Plan Old Goal: 155 lbs (BMI 22.2) New Goal: 150 lbs Caloric Deficit: Aim to lose 34 lbs, or about 119,000 calories Timeframe: 15-29 weeks, focusing on 2 lbs per week Weight Loss Strategy Outline Weekly Weight and Step Goals Vacation Takeaway: 20k Steps Daily is Possible Diet Strategy: Avoid Junk Food and Eat Healthier Daily Step Goal: 10k Steps Alcohol Limitation Reward Goal: AirPods for Motivation Journey Log   1. Weekly Weight Loss Progress Summary ...

Job Search Journey Summary Overview Duration: 18 weeks (with 5 weeks from application to offer) Initial Outlook: Optimistic due to high job openings, but faced challenges specific to Data Analytics roles. Key Insights Labor Market Shift: Labor Day marked a turning point; prior to September, it was mostly rejections. Burnout: Experienced a significant dip in confidence, requiring a break in Week 11. Resume Format Impact: Transition to Method E resume format (more modern, visually appealing) was crucial, with the first interview requests only appearing after its implementation. Rejection Statistics: 95% rejection rate (includes ghosting) 1 in 20 applications resulted in an interview 3 months for a screening interview 5 weeks from application to an offer Weekly Breakdown Q1: Weeks 1-11 Weeks 1-6: Method A: Direct applications to company websites. Results: 100% rejection rate. Total Apps: 19 Weeks 7-11: Method B: Focused applications to specific companies. Results: Continued high...

Reflections on a Difficult Year 2020 has been a challenging year. I know it could be worse, and in many ways, I’m very fortunate. However, the isolation and ennui are really taking their toll on me. A Shared Experience I’m sure things will improve. The COVID-19 pandemic has created a shared experience of global misery on a scale not felt since the Great Depression or World War II. As everyone says, it’s time to suck it up and carry on. The Need for Normalcy While I understand this and will continue to move forward, I still feel the need to express my frustrations. Despite being able to enjoy many creature comforts, one thing I sorely miss is the ability to eat in a proper restaurant—none of this takeaway.