2017

Albums

As most of my other categories this year, everything was a bit scattered around after the kiddo’s birth — as many friends with kids told me it would be. These are the highlights of the year:

• Abstract Void — Into the Blue

  Black Metal + Retrowave — how can one not love it?

• Chainless — Grey Veils

  I played this on vinyl a lot this year. Nice dark Minecraft-y vibe.

• >Lustmord (Dread) — In Dub

  Focus soundtrack. I always loved Lustmord, but he achieved perfection with this.

• ねごと —『SOAK』

  A late addition to the list, I learned about Negoto when someone mistakenly purchased tickets for their show using my email. Dancer in Hanabira is such a lovely song.

• Persona 5 - OST

  Game of the year, gaming OST of the decade. So glad I got this on vinyl.

Non 2017 release that I was obsessed with:

• D-Day — Grape Iris

  Someone recommended this to me over Twitter, and I obsessed over Discogs, looking for a vinyl copy of it. I played it so much, and I will probably continue doing so next year.

Games

• Etrian Odyssey 5

  To-go grinding machine on 3DS. Been playing it for a while. Perfect for baby-watching.

• Monster Hunter Stories

  Pokemon in MonHun world. It works well, and the 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.

Non 2017 release that I was obsessed with:

• Final Fantasy XIV

  Besides Persona 5, this is the game I played most in Q1 and Q2. Lovely Japanese take on the MMO formula.

Wines

Still learning. In 2017 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 my firstborn's birth.

• The Prisoner 2014

  Had a couple of bottles of this one while in the US. Nice and affordable.

Beer

The last two quarters of the year were 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 a dessert.

• Hocus Pocus Overdrive IPA Go-to, day-to-day IPA.
• Protostar Hazy Session IPA

  Awesome session IPA, easy to find in Portland. Had it multiple times and remember it fondly.

Books

Still on the Murakami tour.

• The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle, Haruki Murakami

  I think it's my current favorite.

• Captivate — The Science of Succeeding with People, Vanessa Van Edwards

  Had fun with this one.

• The Expectant Father: The ultimate guide for dads-to-be, Jennifer Ash Rudick and Armin A. Brot

  Didn't expect a lot (lol), but it's good.

Wear

• Adidas Hawthorne 7/8 Pants

  Got 3 of them. So comfy.

• LOT

  Love their tees and soap bars.

2017’s Fashion — lazy and relaxed. Almost no collared shirts; tees and PJs, mostly.

Tech

• Firefox Quantum

  Bye bye Chrome.

• Google Flights (2017 redesign)

  The best tool to find cheap flights. Will probably use a lot next year.

• Numi

  Best calculator for OSX. Replaced Solver.app.

Assorted Stuff

• Kid

  A++ would have again.

• Apple Airpods

  I got them in early January, and I am still using them all the time. They work, and that's what I need.

• Bomex 250ml beaker

  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 over a single night. It’s also weirdly stylish.

• Bulletproof Coffee

  In 2017 I finally started to make my bulletproof coffee correctly — blended and using ghee. It upped my breakfast / intermittent fasting game. I will keep doing it for a while.

• Google Wifi

  I don’t live in a huge apartment, but for some reason, my wifi reception has always been spotty. This year I finally fixed it by setting up a network of Google mesh routers. It works flawlessly.

• Tombow ABT Dual Brush Pen - N79

  I can’t draw anything more complex than a circle, 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.

• Amor Fati Medallion

  After last year's deep dive into stoicism, having this coin on my bedside helped me immensely to enjoy the ride.

• Bellroy 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.