2022 — Year in Review

Overall, 2022 was a pretty average year for me. I’m settled in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and though I did spend around two months in Singapore, I continued to work my four jobs, spent time with friends, went to the gym almost every day, and did a bit of traveling. I put away a decent chunk of change, joined a Dungeons & Dragons group, bought a PS5, and extended my Thai Education Visa, which will need to be extended again in August 2023. I got my third COVID-19 vaccine (Moderna) in February 2022.

As I, and the rest of the world, look forward to 2023, I don’t expect to make any big life changes. I’ll continue to stay in Chiang Mai and expect to continue with my current job lineup provided they don’t suddenly see a need to fire their writers. I have been thinking more about buying a condo or apartment in Thailand, though that’s something I’m continuing to mull over.

I’d like to thank everyone who visited and/or read my blog in 2022. It's hard to tell who exactly is reading it minus the numbers that Google Analytics spits at me, but I appreciate anyone who took time out of their day to visit this little project of mine. I’ll continue posting on a regular basis throughout 2023 and will aim to do more writing per post. Travel plans for 2023 include Brunei and Timor-Leste so I can close out my Southeast Asia travel map, though I still need a few smaller island countries that I’m unsure when I’ll get to.

In 2022, I published my second novel — A Viral State (technically late 2021, but who’s counting?), as well as my fifth short story, The Place Beyond.

Here are some other highlights from 2022:

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Conceived and developed a new column for KrASIA — The Bullet (Will continue in 2023)

• TOKEN2049 — No Frills, Just Crypto

• Laos Needs to Show its Startups Some Love

• Metaverse Madness

• Here’s a Solution You Didn’t Ask For

• We’re Not Using NFTs to Their Full Potential

• Temasek’s $100 Million Bet — Brilliant or Brash?

• Autonomous Agony

• Southeast Asian Billionaires: The 4% of the 1%

• Why Technology Isn’t Moving As Fast As We’d Hoped it Would

• Deepfakes — We May Never Need to Perform Again

• The Solution to Over-Connectivity — Analog-Only Experiences

• Is AI-Generated Art Still Art As We Know It?

• Southeast Asia — Simple Innovation Solving Big Problems

• Generative AI — The Good, the Bad, and the Scary

• More Than Just a Check — Investing in Social Good

• Buzzwords — There’s a time and a place

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Read 10 books (link to review)

1. Bangkok Tattoo — John Burdett

2. A Treachery of Spies — Manda Scott

3. The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle — Haruki Murakami

4. Talking to Strangers — Malcolm Gladwell

5. Artemis — Andy Weir

6. Outliers — Malcolm Gladwell

7. Bangkok Haunts — John Burdett

8. Look Who's Back — Timur Vermes

9. Later — Stephen King

10. The Bangkok Asset — John Burdett

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Traveled to:

1. Phuket, Thailand

2. Chiang Rai, Thailand

3. Pai, Thailand

4. Bangkok, Thailand

5. Pai, Thailand

6. Singapore (Token 2049 & Formula One)

7. Bali / Sanur, Indonesia

Chiangmai Update

It’s been a while since I wrote something substantial on here, so here’s what’s been up with me lately:

Applying for jobs in Singapore. Going to the gym every day. Currently reading The Crying Machine after just having finished Kafka On The Shore. Finishing up my novel (1 chapter left) - but then I get to start the daunting process of editing, finding a developmental editor, copyeditor, proofreader, and then getting it sent off to literary agents. Working online every day and super busy lately due to China’s Two Sessions.

I’ve also been thinking about buying an apartment vs. renting for the rest of my life. I think the biggest factor in the debate is about living somewhere long-term, especially abroad. If I bought a place, I’d definitely want to live there, and at this point in my life, I’m not sure I want to commit a number of years living in 1 city that I would call “home.” Yes, I spent 7+ years in China, but it was always going to be a transitory experience, so I didn’t invest too much in making China a home.

The other thing about buying a place to live is I’m not sure what my life will look like several years down the line. Do I get a place with multiple bedrooms in case I want a family? Or a place with stairs which could be a problem when I’m older? Or do I buy something in my price range that’s suitable for my current lifestyle? There’s certainly a lot of factors that go into buying a home, and it’s something that takes time to think about. It’s something I’m mulling over and keeping an eye on rather than simply a dream idea of one day being a homeowner.

At this point, finding a “real” job is my current priority, as well as finishing up and taking the next steps to finalize my 2nd novel. Chiangmai is nice, but I’m ready for COVID-19 to end and for things to get back to normal, as I assume most people around the world are. It’s been a wild year since COVID hit and I’m happy with how things have turned out, despite the many challenges that have occurred along the way.