2017
Albums
As most of my other categories this year, everything was a bit scattered around after Oliver’s birth — as many friends with kids told me it would be. These are the highlights of the year:
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Black Metal + Retrowave — how can you not love it?
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I played this on vinyl a lot this year. Nice dark Minecraft-y vibe.
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My most played work soundtrack. Always loved Lustmord, but he achieved perfection with this.
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Late addition to the list, I found out about Negoto when someone mistakenly purchased tickets for their show using my email. Dancer in Hanabira is such a nice song.
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Game of the year, gaming OST of the decade. So glad I got this on vinyl.
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Non 2017 release that I was obsessed with:
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Someone recommended this to me over Twitter, and I obsessed over Discogs looking for a vinyl copy of it. Played it so much, and I will probably continue doing so next year.
Games
Played a lot of PS4 games in the first semester, and lightly played a mix of 3DS and Switch games in the second one.
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To-go grinding machine on 3DS. Been playing it for a while. Perfect for babysleep = true watching.
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Pokemon in MonHun world. Works well and graphics are gorgeous, even on 3DS.
Persona 5 (My 2017 Game of the year)
Best JRPG of this generation. Can't wait to play it again when my kid goes to college in about 18 years. PS4 exclusive.
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Default waiting-for-labor-time game. Played on 3DS.
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Non 2017 release that I was obsessed with:
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Besides Persona 5, this is the game I played most in the first semester. Lovely Japanese take on the MMO formula.
Wines
Still learning. This year I figured out my favorite grapes / blends — cab and syrah mostly.
Porca de Murca 2013 Tinto Red (Douro)
My go-to wine in 2017. Cheap and good. Easy to find in the neighborhood,
Goulart B Black Legion Special Blend 2010
Strong and powerful. Picked this one to celebrate Ollie's birth.
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Had a couple bottles of this one while in the US. Nice, and affordable.
Beer
Second semester was a beer-heavy period for me. Seems to be fading now (December), but I still have a lot of fancy bottles at home.
Capa Preta Bourbon Mocha (Dark Ale)
Best coffee beer I ever had.
Hocus Pocus Rabbit Hole (Imperial Stout)
Amazing imperial stout. Strong (as expected) but doesn't taste like it. Feels like dessert.
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Go-to, day-to-day IPA.
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Awesome session IPA, easy to find in Portland. Had it multiple times and remember it fondly.
Books
Still on the Murakami tour.
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I think it's my current favorite.
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Second best. Hard to say.
Captivate — The Science of Succeeding with People
Had fun with this one. Learned a lot.
The Expectand Father: The ultimate guide for dads-to-be
Didn't expect a lot (lol), but it's very good.
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Wear
2017 Caffo's Fashion — lazy and relaxed. Almost no collared shirts; tees and PJs mostly.
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Got 3 of them. So comfy.
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Love their tees and soap bars.
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Lovely illustration. Will use it a lot next year.
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For sleepless baby nights.
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Tech
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Bye bye Chrome.
Google Flights (2017 redesign)
Best tool to find cheap flights. Will probably use a lot next year.
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Best calculator for OSX. Replaced Soulver.
Best Assorted Stuff
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A++ would father it again
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Got them in early January, still using all the time. They just work, and that's what I needed.
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This beaker was an essential tool to keep me in the line regarding my wine intake. It fits about 2 glasses and that’s what I would drink in a single night. It’s also weirdly stylish.
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This year I finally started to make my bulletproof coffee the right way — blended and using ghee. It really upped my breakfast / intermittent fasting game. Will keep doing it for a while.
Field Notes Notebook Cover Mini
Been using multiple Field Notes notebooks over the year, and this cover protected the notebook I paired with my Hobonichi Planner for daily notes. I love and treasure it.
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I don’t live in a huge apartment, but for some reason my wifi reception was always spotty. This year I finally fixed it by setting up a mesh network of google branded routers. It works flawlessly.
Tombow ABT Dual Brush Pen - N79
I can’t draw anything more complex than a ball, but this pen helped me take my bullet journal game to another level. I use it to highlight headings and mark important stuff in my planners and notebooks.
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After last year's deep dive into stoicism, having this coin on my bedside helped me immensely to enjoy the ride.