shm notes & posts

Travel

One month as a Lisboeta

24 May 202219 January 2023

In which I detail my efforts cosplaying as a Lisboeta. Open for observations, insights, and struggles on adjusting to life in Lisboa.

Time flies when you upend your life, let me tell you. For the last month I’ve lived, worked, and navigated Lisbon, primarily in the neighborhood of Alfama, where I live. It still feels insane to say that. Even though I don’t feel like I know enough about Lisbon to have been here a whole month, I’ve learned quite a bit. . Accessible? More like ascend-the-hills Now this one is partially on my landlord for not informing me. In order to get to my apartment from the car-accessible main roads, I need to climb NINE flights of stairs. Eight flights of stair are...

Travel

An overnight layover in Dubai

22 May 202119 August 2022

In which I spend an overnight 15 hour layover in Dubai. Open for fun observations and cool views.

On my way to Ethiopia, I had an overnight 15 hour layover in Dubai. While long layovers aren't ideal, we make do with what we have when traveling! Naturally, I ventured out of the airport and into the city for a quick look at what this city has to offer. There are plenty of tours and recommendations for a layover, but the unfortunate timing of my 15 hour layover (7 pm - 10 am) meant that they were not options this time. One notable exception was 24/7 personal guided tours, which is something to consider for multiple travelers as it...

Reflections

What is “potential” but bulls**t rooted in external expectations

20 April 202129 October 2021

In which I lament a childhood full of “potential.” Open for a condensed therapy lesson and what is probably too much angst.

My therapist introduced me to this TED talk about the necessity of gamification in reframing challenges, and the example of the toddler who fails at walking but tries anyway reminded me of an interaction I had with my niece. She took her sweet time walking, and I remembered jokingly yelling at her, "You are a bipedal organism! You can do this!" while trying to kind of force her to walk. Given her age, she did not understand me, but if she had I can only imagine how demoralizing this kind of talk would be. Failure is a natural part of...

Hills

Christmas should be in February

3 March 202129 October 2021

In which I successfully argue the case for Christmas being in February. Open for great points to a useless position.

Now that the holidays have wrapped up and the majority of people have given up on their new year's resolution, it's time for the grind/depression/draught of holidays that lasts pretty much until one of the many bank holidays in May around the world. It's kind of a terrible time of year. There's little to look forward to, and pretty much all of winter is during this draught. With that being said, the new hill I've decided to die on is that Christmas should be in February, and there's a good amount of data to back it up. 1. February is...

Reflections

Racism: it’s not a game, but if it was….

19 January 20211 November 2021

In which I analogize racism to a sus game. Open to gamify racism and discuss how we’re all f***ed unless we get with the program.

Happy MLK day! Let’s talk about race through the lens of games. Oftentimes, I can categorize race talks in one of three games: The Game, Whack-a-Mole, and Among Us. The Game For the uninitiated, The Game is quite possibly one of the stupidest games ever. It never ends, and essentially you lose it every time you think about it. This is how many people addressed racial issues pre-2020: simply, if no one’s talking about it, then we must be winning! Of course, the problem with this logic is that people have always talked about it, only the number of listeners...

Finance

How to get a guaranteed* 10% annual return on your money

28 December 202014 August 2022

In which I break down cryptocurrency. Open to find resources about crypto and how you can get in on the action.

PLEASE NOTE: With Celsius filing Chapter 11 (technically not) bankruptcy as of July 2022, I no longer endorse holding funds with them. To be completely honest, while I believe in decentralization, I have more concerns with the current state of cryptocurrency. By now, many of us have heard of the high yield savings accounts (HYSA) with pre-COVID rates of up to 2%. At a certain point, I realized I had hit my savings goals and wanted more low-risk investments, and stumbled upon Celsius Network. The appeal comes with understanding of cryptocurrency, stablecoins, and traditional banking profit models. In this post,...

Hills Poems

In defense of the rhyming poem

20 December 202024 January 2023

In which I defend the rhyming poem. Open for salient points towards something that most people never think about.

Many today will shit on rhyme schemesPerhaps now it’s the cool thing to do But different are all our thoughts and daydreams And how we choose to express them too There are merits to this limit you see For otherwise I would write all day With no form comes added difficulty In finding and choosing which words to say Of course we can write however we want And are free to express ourselves to our liking Yet a rhyme scheme now can invite cruel taunts And critique rooted in stereotyping But rhymes are essential to many arts At least in...

Finance

Keeping up with my cash flow

9 December 202029 October 2021

In which I detail the multi-layered financial system I built for myself that makes my money work for me. Open for financial recs!

Talking about finances is still somewhat taboo for normal folk, and I really need it to not be. Dealing with and optimizing money is hard to learn on your own, and at this point there is never a shortage of people telling you what to do with your money. So, I’m not gonna really focus on that, but more keeping track of where your money is and goes. First up…. BUDGETING Tracking spending is probably the hardest part about cash flow. Sometimes it seems like even breathing costs money (which if you’re doing it in your own place, it kind of does.)...

Travel

Eurotrip review, winter 2017-18

19 October 202015 October 2021

In which I recount my first venture to Europe. Open for a brief overview of an exhausting month and (as always) some cool pictures.

Taking a break from all the real issues, I’ve decided to recount my first backpacking trip and some of my favorite parts. I also do want to use this blog as a travel diary, especially for when we can travel again. For now, let’s take a trip down memory lane. I always make a point to try as much local food as I can when I’m visiting a place, but unfortunately I can’t remember all the food off the top of my head. Read about how I packed for this trip here. STOCKHOLM I cut it real close by booking...

Travel

Planning for a month in wintry Europe with only a carry-on

28 September 202022 June 2022

In which I plan a winter vacation in Europe with just one carry-on and a college student’s budget. Open for insight on minimalist travel.

Planning is honestly one of my favorite parts of a trip. Honestly, I enjoy it almost as much as the trip itself for the pure anticipation it brings. Even with a plan, I frequently end up on unexpected adventures. I learned a couple years back to build in some flexibility, because even the best planner can’t anticipate everything. Also that I will always need a day/night to recuperate after travel. FLIGHT LOGISTICS In summer of 2017, I was interning at UTC Aerospace while all of my friends were gallivanting around Europe, and I had some severe FOMO. That’s when...

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