15 hours of in-person language lessons later, I feel somewhat less lost in Portuguese. The thing this has helped the most with is sounds. Just hearing the language and needing to respond is very helpful.

I’ve been “ssh!”ed more in this class than since I was practicing with my heavy metal band in the high school library (which is to say: never). Remembering to turn trailing “s” sounds into “sh” sounds requires breaking a lot of habit from Spanish. Surprisingly, another problem is pronouncing the word e like the Spanish y. You’d think carrying over the “and” word would be easy, but the similarity between e (and) and é (is) trips me up when I’m reading.

The grammar is mostly familiar, and a lot of words are just a sound-transformation away from Spanish, if they’re different at all. But, of course, the words that have changed are the ones that get used all of the time.

I’m working on building an Anki deck based on what we’ve covered.

Hello from 2025.

In August 2024, I left my job as a software engineer to become a full time student. Check out the previous post for my year in review.

Things I’m anticipating in the new year:

• second full-time semester at Austin Community College
  • Signed up for 4 classes. We’ll see if that’s too much.
    • ARTS-1312, 3D Design
    • ARTS-1316, Drawing 1
    • WLDG-1401, Metalsmithing
    • WLDG-1453, Intermediate Layout and Fabrication
• getting back on a regular exercise schedule
  • finish building weightlifting platform at Triskaidekaphilia and move equipment over
  • bouldering 2x week
• substantial progress towards living in Portugal
  • hope to get residency permit in the spring
  • continue language lessons
  • visit again
• more personal projects around the house
  • build more tables
• travel
  • Galapagos in the spring

I didn’t have a place to put a 2024 Year-in-Review post, so I’m going to do it here…

• “Retired”
  • A real relief to get out of Software
  • Miss some co-workers, but not the work
• Started school full time at Austin Community College
  • ARTS-1311 Design 1 Design I ARTS-1311 | Flickr
    • Started using traditional media again, ink, acrylic gouache
      • Learned to like liner brushes for painting straight lines
      • Learned that masking never works as well as I hope it will
    • Design/planning using digital tools (Affinity Designer, Photoshop)
    • Deadlines effective to stop me reworking things to death
  • WLDG-1405 Art Metals Art Metals WLDG-1405 | Flickr
    • Expected this to be a survey of materials/techniques
    • Actually a coppersmithing class (with one foray into steel)
    • Almost dropped it early on, but ended up enjoying it
    • Got to a point in each project where I hated my piece and thought it was ruined, worked through that on 2 of the 3 pieces (still hate half of the third)
  • WLDG-1417 Intro to Layout and Fabrication Intro to Layout & Fabrication WLDG-1417 | Flickr
    • Ended up being more artistic/expressive than I expected
    • Learned the value of simpler tools/techniques
      • Layout on paper - no math, just taking measurements off of 1:1 diagrams
      • Filing
      • Angle grinder cutting discs
      • Angle grinder sanding discs
      • F-clamps
    • New techniques
      • Transfer punches
      • Sandblasting
      • Torch welding and brazing
      • TIG brazing
        • This is tempting to continue with, but I’m going to need to invest in a PAPR if I do because of the toxic fumes
• Got involved at Asmbly https://asmbly.org
  • Joined so that I would not buy a welding fixture table for home
    • Instead, I have bought a bunch of tooling
  • Ended up learning a bunch of machines
    • Lathe, Vertical Mill
    • Tormach CNC Mill
    • Wood CNC routers
    • Laser cutters
    • 3D Printers
      • Took class in order to make these bins
      • Learned a lot more about filament printers
      • Used resin printers for the first time
  • Learned basic modeling & CAM using Fusion
    • Using the academic license. Thanks, ACC!
  • Took position as 3D Space Area Lead
    • Woefully underqualified, but making progress
    • Technical part of it is fine/interesting, enjoying the people-wrangling part of it far less
      • Inconsiderate users monopolizing machines
• Moved back into Triskaidekaphilia
  • One year renovation turned into 2.5
  • A lot about the place is great
    • Screened porch is awesome
    • Really good for entertaining
      • Nog Party/Rewarming
    • Little touches that I’m really enjoying
      • Washlet(s)
      • Sparkling water dispenser
  • Endless projects
    • Strike plates
    • Weightlifting platform
    • “Smart” home
      • Finally have all of the locks/garage doors/cameras organized on Home Assistant
      • Bermuda tracking of the cats is… questionable
    • Bird protection film
  • Frustrating imperfections
    • Things that will never bother anyone but me, but I know how this or that is supposed to be, and it isn’t…
  • Cats are still not comfortable (except Tenzing)
• Decided to sell Parkwood house that I bought to live in during the renovation
  • Don’t want to be a landlord
  • Don’t want to own more property in Texas than I need to
  • Probably going to take a big loss on it, but it is what it is
• Travel
  • Hiking and bird watching in New Zealand (layover day in Sydney), Scuba in Indonesia, bird watching in Taiwan on the way back
  • Total eclipse at Inks Lake SP, with an extended stay in Tourtoise
    • Work from park works
  • Three other State Parks in Tourtoise
  • Roatán with old SF crew
  • Bay area hangouts around a Confluent offsite
  • Fourth of July on Cape Cod with family
  • Whirlwind trip to Lisbon
    • Sued Portugal and won
    • Finally had biometrics appointment for residency visa
    • Progress towards living outside of the US
  • In Portugal for a longer trip over the new year