To name 2023 an eventful 12 months could be a reasonably huge understatement. Over the previous twelve months, I traveled loads, labored loads, and tried to course of (as all of us did) loads of distressing information from around the globe. I additionally lastly caught COVID — like per week in the past on the time of this writing; Merry Christmas to me — so apologies if I’m not probably the most eloquent in my reflections on the previous 12 months.
Still, loads occurred, so let’s dive proper in. Here are my Top 10 issues from 2023, starting from tech and journey to music and, nicely, scotch whisky.
I began utilizing the Pixel 7a
Despite my curiosity in sharing offers and providing shopping for recommendation to our readers, I have a tendency to make use of my gadgets till they’re fully out of date and falling aside. While I will not say that my trusty Google Pixel 6 has reached that time simply but, it has positively began to decelerate — which led me to lastly check out the Google Pixel 7a.
As my colleague, Nick Sutrich, acknowledged in his Pixel 7a evaluation, “There’s virtually no purpose to purchase some other telephone,” and I’d should agree. The 7a (which you should purchase for fairly low cost, by the way in which) takes every little thing that I beloved about my Pixel 6 and makes it even higher. There’s a noticeable increase in efficiency, the show and software program work superbly, and all of the Pixel-exclusive digicam software program makes me really feel like knowledgeable photographer when I’m touring. Speaking of which…
I went to Iceland (once more)
This 12 months additionally marked the second time that my accomplice and I traveled the Ring Road in Iceland. This route circles your complete nation and, in our case, at the least, takes about 10 days to finish if you wish to take your time. You move by limitless waterfalls, canyons, black sand seashores, and glaciers, with numerous hikes that allow you to discover the otherworldly countryside alongside the way in which.
There’s nothing fairly like traversing historical lava fields behind a meandering flock of Icelandic sheep or strolling subsequent to a glacier within the footsteps of the island’s first Viking settlers. Plus, there’s hundreds of nice seafood and beer, and if you happen to go in the summertime, there are virtually 24 hours of daylight (extra time for actions!).
The first time we took the route was in 2019, and we camped your complete time. This time, we stayed in small resorts and cabins, and we put aside a while to enterprise into the distant Westfjords for a couple of days. It was enjoyable repeating the identical journey and reflecting on how a lot we have modified over the previous 4 years whereas the island itself stays seemingly unmoved (though the current volcanic exercise proves in any other case). A bunch of my favourite locations on earth might be present in Iceland, and I’d recommend everybody make the time to go to in the event that they ever get the prospect.
I lastly received some wi-fi headphones
I’ve some fairly robust opinions about music, which makes it shocking how lengthy it took me to lastly get a pair of wi-fi headphones. Don’t get me unsuitable, I’ve all types of wired headphones, however it simply by no means appeared essential to stress about un-music-related options like lively noise cancellation or hands-free calling. That is till I used to be cooking with headphones on, and a dangling wire despatched a pile of dishes crashing to the ground.
Now I personal a pair of Sony WH-1000XM4, and I’m by no means going again. Whether I’m cooking, studying, or sitting on a airplane, my headphones include me. The lively noise cancellation blocks out undesirable noise once I must focus, and the sound high quality completely destroys no matter I favored about my Pixel Buds (the place did I even put these?). My wired Audio-Technica headphones are nonetheless the go-to when I’m listening to music at my desk, however in all places else, it is all in regards to the XM4.
I purchased a Pela case
Phones simply hold getting increasingly more sturdy, so once I determined to purchase a case for my new Google Pixel 7a, I centered extra on fashion and sustainability than protectiveness alone. I ultimately got here throughout an organization referred to as Pela Case. While they might not be as rugged as your Spigen and Thinborne sorts, my Pela Case appears to work positive in opposition to the occasional tumble, and extra importantly, it is probably the most sustainable telephone case I’ve ever used.
In addition to being drop-tested for as much as 6 toes, Pela circumstances are tender, fashionable, and constructed from 100% compostable supplies. The packaging can be completely plastic-free, and the corporate has been licensed as carbon impartial and a B Corp. They could also be a bit costlier than a budget plastic stuff you’ll find on Amazon, however it’s a sturdy telephone case that I really feel good utilizing, and it is one you must contemplate if you happen to’re in search of a Pixel 7a case.
I listened to loads of vinyl data
Although I work for a tech information web site and love my devices, I’m a bit of a Luddite in relation to some issues. Case in level: my emotions about music. I deeply treasure the full-length album as a standalone artwork type, and whereas I do not thoughts the occasional mixtape, I’m not too comfortable in regards to the music trade’s shift in direction of algorithm-based playlisting and vibe-based background music (not to mention the fractions of a cent given out to artists in change for his or her life’s work). Sorry, tangent over.
My level is that I like the expertise of sitting down and listening to a full album back and front, which implies I additionally love listening to vinyl data. My Audio-Technica ATLP120XBT turntable is one of my most prized possessions, and in 2023, I dug via loads of bins at report shops and storage gross sales and located loads of nice data.
I additionally noticed loads of dwell music
As you might need seen, just about each musical act has been touring over the previous few years, presumably to make up for the loss of revenue throughout the worst days of the COVID-19 pandemic. This means I’ve had lots of alternatives to see some of my favourite bands dwell, from Sigur Rós on the Greek Theatre in Berkeley to Heilung at Red Rocks. It’s an costly interest, however you solely dwell as soon as, so I plan to see many extra dwell exhibits in 2024.
I spent loads of time with my cat
This is Juniper.
She’s 7 years outdated, polydactyl (so she’s received some additional toes), and fairly shy to everybody however my accomplice and me.
Needless to say, she’s one of my high issues of the 12 months (and yearly, of course).
I received kinda into Scotch
When it involves imbibing, I by no means discovered myself having fun with greater than the occasional craft beer or glass of pink wine with dinner. I by no means received into bourbon like loads of people I do know, and making fancy cocktails at residence at all times felt like a trouble. That being stated, sooner or later this 12 months, I ordered a dram of Laphroaig 10 at a bar right here on the town, and it blew my thoughts vast open.
Since then, I’ve been completely nerd-ing out over Scotch whisky, attempting the malts from varied areas, studying in regards to the distillation course of, and all that sort of stuff. My accomplice and I are even speaking about taking a visit to Scotland in 2024. A pleasant pour of the precise whisky feels wealthy, smoky, and full of historical past, like smelling a superb outdated ebook.
My favourite whisky in 2023: Oban 14. Oban, ship me free stuff, and I’ll attempt to flip this web site into Whisky & Android Central.
I learn some good books
Speaking of good outdated books, I lastly discovered extra time to learn this 12 months. As you most likely did not know, earlier than I began freelancing full-time and finally writing about tech at Android Central, I spent the higher half of a decade working in and managing unbiased bookstores.
In that trade, you get loads of time to assume, discuss, and write about books, to not point out limitless entry to advance reader copies earlier than the titles hit retailer cabinets. As I drifted away from that enterprise, nonetheless, I discovered that I had a lot much less time to learn.
Fortunately, whereas I’m nonetheless not studying as a lot as I used to, I used to be in a position to treatment {that a} bit in 2023. Here are some books I beloved this 12 months.
-“The Books of Jacob” by Olga Tokarczuk
-“Ka” by John Crowley
-“Matrix” by Lauren Groff
-“On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous” by Ocean Vuong
-“Trust” by Hernan Diaz
-“Hild” by Nicola Griffith
-“HHhH” by Laurent Binet
-“The Hour of the Star” by Clarice Lispector
-“The Lord of the Rings trilogy” (For the primary time! Finally!)
I lastly received COVID
And yep, as I discussed within the intro, I lastly received COVID. I made it virtually 4 years!
It’s a bit of a bummer that I’ll doubtless be spending the ultimate weeks of the 12 months caught inside with a sore throat, however that is simply the way it goes typically. It was nonetheless an eventful 12 months with lots of nice moments, and regardless of my unease in regards to the upcoming election cycle and the limitless stream of troubling information coming from each route, I’m feeling optimistic about 2024. At the very least, it ought to be one other fascinating 12 months.