After a bunch of time in Europe, I'm considering to move there for the foreseeable future as it seems like a place where life happens more obviously for me.

Back in Canada to do administrative things, I must confront choices about detaching: I'm comforted by the supports and amenities available to me in my family home, but I sense the city's culture makes me cynical and frustrated over the long-term. I try to avoid ranting about Toronto, but, as an example: it disturbs me that so many here aspire to buy the same SUV and custom home design with street names written on the house. Happy to know people here across the political spectrum who break out of this trend toward "sameness".

I might also end up on a longer than expected break from my capoeira group and movement training to sort myself out, which brings me to the arena of self-practice. Recent attempts to train kicks and handstands in the company of a chair have made me realize how much I've relied on group trainings to avoid conscious organizing and development—a sort of autopilot. Even though music instilled in me an understanding of how advantageous it is to practice between lessons, I chose to skip that with movement earlier this year to focus on projects, and just keep my body active with the group. Starting again has clarified a couple of broader reflections:

1. Individual practice without the intensity of group training may seem less "intense" or "focused" as you find your way, but it also takes extra energy to self-organize and adapt to make sessions possible in environments that are fluctuating, noisy, less private, not purpose-built, or adverse for other reasons.
2. Physical training, daily routines, and food choices can be spaces to practice building your path based on having a memory of what you did, which is a reflex in musical composition and improvisation.
3. Body connection is our desired "magnificent integration of all the things", with electricity built-in.
4. The cost of being sedentary for long periods is often invisible, and the forces bringing us there fuel this silent decay.

The administrative puzzle means I will be looking for work over the next year, partly to support myself, partly to prove in visa applications that I am worthy of existing in a new place. Although I've been focused on my own projects since 2020, I feel a hunger to be in service of those in my community; my capacity to encircle problems by creating friendly technical solutions, combined with my bent for communications, can meaningfully help an absurd number of people. Someone recently asked me how I ended up on my path, and it reminded me that both projects floating me financially for a decade were oriented towards serving: AudioScrub gave musicians new repertoire and skills; note the sound freed up venue owners to spend time on their business while their social media was handled well. I had fun making some square business cards for people who already know me as a way to share how I can help; only showing it in person 🙂.

Still in Berlin; great to hang out a while here. Mostly working on projects, doing capoeira. Still less social than what I'm used to and starting to consider how much longer I want to stay in that mode.

Happy to introduce Abendbrot ("evening bread" with stuff on it) into my routines; greatly simplifies 'figuring out what to eat'.

Taking far less photos means less photo management, and I'm enjoying that.

Noticing when I'm appeasing and trying to root this out of my relationships, which raises the bar for how good and clear I would like to feel with people in my circles.

My attention has recently shifted away from social media. In addition to avoiding scrolling memes, I tuned out of tweets, or what I call "high-frequency chatter". Notifications are now my "feed", and I'll happily engage with people about what I post, but my following attention is now mostly on those who publish slower on their own websites.

Comforting to be in Berlin again, even if it's the "worst weather of the year". I know lots of people here and feel it's more conducive than many places to the kind of life I enjoy.

After some months in Portugal of checking out places to settle long-term, my partner and I are seeking rest and familiarity. It was 'only' two cities but somehow felt like lots of moving around and figuring out how a new place works; I might be discovering that I now need at least three months in a place to feel relaxed. Still considering to try the same with France later.

Over the holidays, I rabbitholed on family tree data visualization and made some cool designs that I'll be proud to share soon.

I find myself reflecting on the connections between business, marketing, helping people, pedagogy, sustainable project work, and how I might incorporate these layers together in a way that's aligned with my values.

Last year, I might have spent half my time on private projects, so I'm looking forward to more public things. This year will mark twenty years of the rosano.ca domain name so I'd like to do some looking back as well as finally get to a newer homepage concept that reflects my current perspective.

I'm currently in Portugal with my partner to research affordable places to settle in Europe. Portugal seems to have many places that could fit our street rat backpacker lifestyle, but France or Germany are also interesting, as I have more friends and connections there.

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After spending too much time this year concentrated on administrative things, I'm finally able to make some much-needed progress on my projects.

I've been waiting for years to make a better homepage, as I increasingly sense the present one doesn't sufficiently represent what I do. Currently doing some very satisfying work to put all my publishing together inside Journal.

There are Strolling conversations from 2023 that I wasn't able to edit in 2024. I want to get to each of them at some point, but it's a slow process as I still haven't managed to delegate this or get other people involved. I might accept that it's my work to do and be content that it takes the time it does.

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Still meeting people along my way but noticing a new satisfaction in the last year with solitude, and not seeking so much activity or external interaction. I think it's healthy and not coming from a place of sadness or repression—I just feel comfortable with myself.

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I have lots of dreams about what lies ahead, mostly technical but some not. It's fun to imagine accumulating the various threads and skills in my life so that they come together into something powerful or just fun. Definitely pulled into the future at the moment, rather than pushed.