This is the second article in a “life upgrades” series (article 1). These articles will highlight various routines, habits, products, decisions, tips, etc. that provide a net benefit to my life, in no particular order.

1. To help me reflect on simple pleasures and some of my favorite things that I’m grateful for.
2. To inspire others to try something new that could benefit them in some way.

1. Getting back into video games 🎮

I played a lot of (mostly Nintendo) video games in my childhood. I had an original Game Boy, a Game Boy Color (Atomic Purple), a Game Boy Advance SP, a Nintendo DS, a Nintendo DSi, and a Wii.

I was so into gaming in junior high and early high school that I subscribed to Nintendo Power and Game Informer magazines. I also started and ran my own Nintendo fan forum called “Nintendo Addict.” The forum ceased to be active years ago, but you can see glimpses of it thanks to the Wayback Machine.

Regrettably (in retrospect), I largely bounced off of gaming around 2012 and missed the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U eras. I was largely focused on making music and other endeavors between 2012 and 2020.

In 2020, my spouse and I wanted to get a Nintendo Switch so we could play Animal Crossing: New Horizons. However, due to supply chain issues and high demand, we were unable to obtain a Switch in 2020, so we settled on playing Animal Crossing: New Leaf on the 3DS instead to scratch our Animal Crossing itch.

Thankfully, we were able to snag a Switch in early 2021, and I’ve gotten progressively more into gaming since then. (Here's a list of some of my favorite video games.) Playing The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was a major factor that helped to reawaken my childhood love for video games. It has been a lot of fun reclaiming this joyous childhood pastime. I've also been able to shed some conditioning that had influenced me to sometimes feel embarrassed and guilty about playing video games.

2. Learning the basics of front-end web development 💻

In early 2022, I participated in Leon Noel's full-stack web development course called #100Devs. While the actual programming aspects of the course (e.g. JavaScript) weren't my cup of tea, I enjoyed learning the basics of front-end web development (HTML and CSS). Since the course ended, I've practiced and applied my HTML, CSS, and graphic design skills by working on various website projects.

By the way, I recommend checking out HTML5 UP's free website templates and using Netlify Drop for free static website hosting.

3. Listening to podcasts / audiobooks / music while doing chores 🎧

In this increasingly aural age, I greatly enjoy listening to interesting podcasts, audiobooks, or music while doing chores, brushing my teeth, or running errands. Stimulating my mind with quality recorded content makes these mundane tasks much more bearable.

4. Deleting social media apps from my phone 📱

Most of us know that the major social media platforms were designed to capture users’ attention (for more on this, watch The Social Dilemma).

Despite my best intentions, I wasn't always able to resist the temptation to mindlessly scroll through social media feeds on my phone (I found Reddit to be particularly distracting). My solution to this unwanted habit was to simply delete all social media apps from my phone. I don't miss them!

5. Working from home 🏠

Since 2020, working from home has become somewhat of a cliche, and it’s certainly not without its downsides. That said, at this point in my life, the pros of working from home (e.g. no commute, convenience) outweighs the cons (e.g. Zoom fatigue, sometimes feeling isolated).

Please stay tuned for additional entries in my "life upgrades" article series. 😃