A lot happened in 2024, but the most impactful thing? I started 3D printing a human, as I like to call it. From getting pregnant in January to giving birth in mid-fall, and going from zero to full parent—everything else feels small in comparison. But let’s go through it anyway.
Content
- I published 100 complete episodes of The Daily 5 with Aurooba podcast, a goal I originally set for 2023 but didn’t hit. I learned a lot from that first attempt, and in 2024, I finally got there. It was hard, often grueling, and outwardly seemed thankless. But it was so good for me.
- I co-created 9 episodes of viewSource with my podcast co-host, Brian.
- I published 1 free mini series on JavaScript essentials (15 YouTube videos)
- I published 1 blog post
- I wrote 1 note
- I sent 2 newsletters and created a 16-email series for the mini course
- I spoke at WordCamp Canada and gave my very first non-technical talk.
While I poured some energy into creating and sharing content, other areas of my life took a backseat—sometimes by choice, sometimes out of necessity. Let’s talk about the rest.
Open Source
I didn’t update any of my plugins or repositories—a major miss. But honestly? Pregnancy took everything I had, and I had to let something go. This was it.
Travel
- Canadian Maritimes for our babymoon: Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island
- Ottawa for WordCamp Canada
- British Columbia for a family camping trip
Reading
It was a pretty sparse reading year. I read 9 books and some of them were books I’ve read before, but one of them was a hot off the press release that I inhaled: Wind and Truth, and I’m pretty sure it should count as 3 books1 !
The Books I Read in 2024
- Slow Productivity by Cal Newport
- The Borrowers by Mary Norton
- A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J.Maas
- A Court of Winds and Ruin by Sarah J.Maas
- A Court of Frost and Starlight by Sarah J.Maas
- A Court of Silver Flames by Sarah J.Maas
- Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery
- Wind and Truth by Brandon Sanderson
Pregnancy, Birth, Postpartum, & Parenthood
I kept the pregnancy pretty private. Most people outside my immediate family and closest friends didn’t even know until I was pretty far along. I found myself turning inward—partly because I just didn’t have the energy. Every ounce of it went toward surviving: doing my job, eating, sleeping, keeping in touch with family. I almost backed out of my WordCamp Canada talk because I wasn’t sure I’d be in any shape to do it well. But I went, and I’m so glad I did.
I hated pregnancy. Not a fan. Mine was fairly normal albeit filled with scares and paranoia.
Birth was painful but awe-inspiring. I have never felt more powerful in my life. I learned more about myself in those 12 hours than I did in the last five years.
Postpartum was a rollercoaster. Even with so much family and support around me, I have never felt lonelier or more despairing than I did in those first eight weeks. I started every day feeling like myself and ended it feeling hollower than a husk. Going from zero to full parent is an intense shock—to your system, your relationships, your entire life.
I didn’t feel like a parent until about four months in. While I absolutely felt that deep, biological connection—the kind that had my protective instincts running at 700% all day, every day, making me want to fix anything that caused my kid pain—I didn’t love my kid, not really, until around three months in. But then the love came. The tiredness slowly started to fade. My body began its slow, halting healing process. And one day, I woke up, and I just was a parent.
Pregnancy, birth, postpartum, parenthood—this whole experience forces you to evolve fast. I’m undoubtedly changed by it. And while it’s been difficult, it’s been an incredibly worthwhile evolution.
Lessons from 2024
- You can’t do it all, and that’s okay. Prioritization became second nature this year, I was forced into it by my pregnancy.
- Consistency pays off. Publishing 100 podcast episodes felt like shouting into the void at times, but it built a lot of confidence.
- Evolution isn’t always visible in the moment. Pregnancy, birth, and postpartum changed me in ways I couldn’t see until I looked back. Growth often feels like survival in the moment.
Overall
It was a transformative year. The quantity of things I accomplished may not be high, and I definitely failed at or abruptly let go of some things—sometimes for the better, sometimes not. But the quality of what did happen was outstanding. I recorded 100 daily podcast episodes, created a whole human (one I’m pretty delighted with), and was humbled by the inner power I found in those final moments of giving birth.
2025
As I write this, we’re already nearly a quarter into 2025, and my life has already changed. I switched jobs, started renovating my home, and I’m excited to create this year.
No rigid professional goals this year, just one guiding principle: create.
In my personal life, the goal is just as clear: thrive. As a human, spouse, and parent.
2025 – let’s keep rolling.
- The book is 1330 pages, y’all ↩︎