For 2024

It’s 8:33, I just made a morning coffee with my Moka pot. If there’s anything I’m proud of learning this year, it’s probably that one! Not something bold like espresso, but it’s the nearest thing to it, and enough for triggering my cortex.

2024 was a fast year, really fast. I don't actually remember the last morning of 2023, maybe I just sat there, lost in thought. Memories in the afternoon are brighter, I packed things, dressed up, and hung out, going to my first countdown in the downtown.

Now, at this moment, 31/12/2024, I’m in my room, writing this down to mark a year, with things passed.

2024, finally I graduated. Time to move on from whiteboards and taking notes in school. It wasn't easy, from the beginning and even the last stretch. We had to fight for what we deserved, to be recognized in the right place. It was a final lesson: the right path isn't always easy. But when I finally stood there, it wasn't the ceremony that mattered most. It was the journey, the studying, the friends, the struggles – that's what I was proud of. It's the time you spent mastering formulas, getting to class, taking exams, even the times you skipped class for no good reason. It's the friends who loved and supported you, and even the strangers you passed along the way.

Others look at the result and judge, we look at the progress and happy.

Officially graduated!

2024 brought a subtle shift, a quiet understanding that life moves. I’ve been fortunate to have many loved ones around, but this year reminded me that time doesn’t skip anyone. It’s strange, this new awareness, but it had to happen. That might be a signal for a sort of growing up that comes without celebration.

Time touches us all.

2024 also marked the third time I released a side project called Cody++ (previous ones are Awesome Notion and CompressedCrack). It came about a month after graduation, I used Cody for several months and though it could even better, and decide to create a tool and put two pluses at the end of its name for things I wished Cody had. I was pretty nervous, honestly. What if nobody cares? But Sourcegraph - the creators of Cody, reached out to me. Turns out people liked it! I got invited to join their expert group and their open-source program.

Find a problem, even a small one, and solve it, scaredly.

2024, I started playing badminton with my colleagues, along with my usual calisthenics. I’ve realized how important it is to build a healthy body. I also picked up my guitar again after a long year break. It felt like college - dreamy and carefree. But this year wasn't just about revisiting the past, it also discovered some new passions. I started arranging flowers early this year, experimented with different wines and spirits, and took a short solo trip to another province. It was refreshing to try new things and learn more about myself.

Learning the little things, in a healthy body and with a happy soul is how we truly love ourselves.

Finding joy in the little things

2024 is the first time I bought another domain for my portfolio - doantranminhthanh.com - to replace the old, ambiguous one (mnismt.com, which is actually still working). I started in May and took me until December to finish most of it (just saved the Colophon page a few days ago). It was a long process, but as said previously, I love the process and like how it turned out. This portfolio site currently listed on some collections like Dead Simple Sites, PersonalSite, Nownownow, etc. Keeping things simple has shaped my thinking in other ways too.

Make it work, make it right, make it fast.

I transformed my room as the last big project. I even built a mini-bar with wine, spirits, and beer. It's become a space that motivates me to stay consistent. After the hard work, I understood more deeply what I need to be productive and what helps me get things done.

A source of daily inspiration

From graduation to side projects, from loss to new hobbies, and with the support of loved ones, 2024 taught me a big lesson:

If we really want something, we'll find a way to make it happen.