johnro

Category: Uncategorized

  • What I’ve Been Putting Off Doing

    What I’ve Been Putting Off Doing

    Daily writing prompt
    What have you been putting off doing? Why?
    View all responses

    For most of my adult life, I’ve moved homes every couple of years — dorms, student apartments, new places after getting married. Each move gave me a natural reset: a chance to throw things away, start fresh, and only bring what really mattered.

    But my current place? I’ve lived here for eight years now. And in that time, stuff has piled up. Not just mine, but my family’s too. We’ve optimized for space — used vertical storage, rearranged furniture, and done small rounds of decluttering — but the accumulation never stops. Our kids are growing up, collecting their own things, and slowly, the floors are starting to disappear.

    It’s not that we live in chaos — we have a cleaning lady who helps keep things tidy — but with nowhere to put things, “clean” only lasts about a day. Every closet, hallway cabinet, and drawer is packed with items we don’t use but can’t seem to let go of. Some hold sentimental value. Others are “just in case” items — things I’d hate to throw out only to need later. And then there are old photos, already digitized, but impossible to toss because they still feel like little time capsules.

    Part of me knows what I need to do: go through everything, one weekend at a time. But between work, workouts, chores, and life, it’s easier to keep putting it off. And maybe, deep down, I’m not just putting off cleaning — I’m putting off letting go.

    A friend once told me he throws away everything he doesn’t actively use. “If I ever need it again,” he said, “I’ll just buy it back. Space is worth more.” I’ve thought about that a lot lately. Because what I really want isn’t a new house — it’s space.

    I want to open a cabinet and actually have room inside. I want to walk into our home and feel lightness, not clutter. Maybe this isn’t just a cleaning project — maybe it’s a reset. A reminder that, in the end, we don’t take any of it with us. So why carry so much of it now?

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  • The Hardest Goal I’ve Ever Set

    The Hardest Goal I’ve Ever Set

    Daily writing prompt
    What was the hardest personal goal you’ve set for yourself?
    View all responses

    I’ve gone through this phase a few times in my career—the moment I realize I’m stuck. I’d had good jobs, good enough pay, and steady growth through referrals and word of mouth. Networking carried me far, but it also trapped me. My opportunities depended on who I knew, not necessarily what I knew. At some point, I wanted to be able to stand on my own.

    That’s when I set what turned out to be the hardest personal goal I’ve ever tackled: upskilling myself.

    Back when Hackerrank was new and Leetcode was just starting to spread, I picked up one of those “cracking the interview” books and dove in. I wanted to sharpen my CS fundamentals—algorithms, data structures, systems design—all the things I barely touched since college but that interviews love to test.

    I found the process surprisingly empowering. The platforms gamified the grind—daily challenges, streaks, leaderboards—and it felt like building muscle memory for my brain. But what made it truly hard was discipline. I had a family, limited time, and a full-time job, yet I spent hours every day grinding problems, revisiting old concepts, and learning to think from first principles again.

    My wife was incredibly supportive, and that made a huge difference. Having that kind of backing made it easier to push through the nights when I was tired or second-guessing myself.

    The breakthrough came when I started walking into interviews with confidence. Instead of panic, I felt calm. I could think clearly, explain clearly, and problem-solve with structure. Eventually, I landed great jobs—multiple offers, even—and for the first time, I could choose where to go next. That feeling was priceless.

    Looking back, it wasn’t just about learning algorithms or passing interviews. It was about proving that I could still grow—that I could bet on myself, even after years in the field. It taught me that hard goals don’t stay hard forever. Once you build momentum, discipline becomes habit, and habit becomes strength.

    If I could talk to my younger self, I’d tell him this: you’re capable of more than you think, but you have to commit before you feel ready. The tools are out there, the path is clear—you just have to start walking it.

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  • Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety

    Overcoming Public Speaking Anxiety

    When I first started out as a software engineer, I thought I could just keep my head down and focus on code. And for a while, that was true. But as I advanced in my career, I noticed the role was changing. Software engineering isn’t just about writing code—it’s also about communicating, collaborating, designing systems, and getting your ideas across clearly.

    That means that yes, public speaking becomes part of the job. Not in a “you’re on stage every week” kind of way, but in the occasional presentation, design review, or knowledge-sharing session. And because those opportunities are infrequent—especially for ICs—it’s hard to get into a rhythm. You’re often dusting off your presentation nerves every single time. Unless you’re at a higher level where you’re constantly in meetings, cross-team discussions, and stakeholder presentations, public speaking tends to feel more like a pop quiz than a practiced skill.

    I’ve always hated public speaking. But as I’ve grown in my career, I’ve been asked—sometimes “voluntold”—to speak up more often. So I’ve been learning to cope with the discomfort.

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  • Overcoming Fitness Setbacks: My Return to the Gym

    Overcoming Fitness Setbacks: My Return to the Gym

    Back in the pre-COVID days, I was living my best fitness life. Thanks to Gympass (basically Classpass’s cousin), I had the golden ticket: unlimited access to gyms, fitness classes, and even cryotherapy. And the best part? I was paying about $150 a month for what easily felt like $900 worth of value. It was probably the best company perk I ever had.

    My weekly routine looked something like this: four HIIT classes at CircuitWorks, three cryotherapy sessions, and a sense of satisfaction at the end of it. Then COVID came along and flipped the table.

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  • Caffeine Detox: What I Learned After Two Months

    Caffeine Detox: What I Learned After Two Months

    It’s been a couple of months since I started detoxing from caffeine, and I wanted to share how it’s been going. For most of last year, my mornings started with a can of Celsius — my favorite energy drink brand — and usually didn’t end there. At work, caffeine is everywhere. Cold teas, sodas, and even decaf from Bilgewater (Riot’s campus version of Starbucks). I’d often grab one or two more throughout the day.

    Caffeine was just part of my routine. About 200mg every morning to kick things off, then whatever I felt like grabbing later in the day. Before Celsius, it was regular coffee, or the occasional Red Bull. It became normal. Almost invisible.

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