Hobbies
Cooking
For a long time, I struggled to name any hobbies I might have. But then I realized I cook dinner almost every night, and I have fun exploring new recipes and sharing delicious food with my loved ones. So cooking is totally a hobby!
Some cooking content I like:
The best online source I've seen for authentic cajun cooking. This is exactly what I grew up eating in the 337.
Excellent recipe videos with measurement by weight and consistently good results.
Reading
I read almost every single night before bed. I absolutely love science fiction and fantasy novels, though I'm always open to recommendations from any genre!
You can expand the group below to see a list of the books I've read this year and some short thoughts on each of them.
Gaming
Video games (and board games!) are a great way for me to relax in my free time. More importantly, they are the medium through which I stay connected with my old friends from back home. We can hop into a Discord call and play games together to keep in touch.
Some of my favorite games:
Multiplayer/Online
League of Legends, Rocket League, Valorant, Old School Runescape, Dungeons and Dragons
Single-player/ Local co-op
Soulsborne games (Elden Ring, Dark Souls, Sekiro), Roguelites (Hades, Slay the Spire, Balatro), Plate Up!, Civilization
Books I've read in 2024
The Earthsea Cycle, 1-3, by Ursula K. Le Guin
9/10
Absolutely beautifully written. Throughout my reading of the first three books, there were several times I would interrupt my partner just to make her read a particular sentence. They are a bit of a slower burn than most modern fantasy, though.
The Cradle series, 1-12, by Will Wight
9.5/10
Pure fun, popcorn fiction, action-packed with great character progression. Reminded me of a shonen anime.
The Will of the Many, by James Islington
8.5/10
I really enjoyed this, especially the end. There is a lot of overlap with Red Rising, though. Still excited for the next one!
Piranesi, by Susanna Clarke
9/10
Beautiful writing. Unique and enchanting. Reading this brought me to another place.
This is How You Lose The Time War, by Max Gladstone and Amal El-Mohtar
8/10
Very cool, short and sweet. Unique in that it is an epistolary.
I Who Have Never Known Men, by Jacqueline Harpman
7.5/10
Enjoyable, but not "fun" (which is okay!). Thought-provoking.
The Farseer Trilogy, 1-3, by Robin Hobb
9/10
I had heard of Hobb for years and wasn't disappointed. These books were amazing and I will certainly be returning to this world in the future.
Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion, by Dan Simmons
Both 10/10
Hyperion might be my favorite book ever. If you like scifi/fantasy, you must read Hyperion.
The Red Rising Trilogy, by Pierce Brown
8.5/10
Very fun sci-fi that sticks the big moments.
Blood Over Bright Haven, by ML Wang
9/10
ML Wang is great. I highly recommend this book as well as her previous novel, The Sword of Kaigen.