Iterate Weekly - Issue 39
This week we're looking back at our favorite tech of 2021, assessing our reading goals, quantifying our year in health, sharing some versatile clothing, and choosing the best content of the year!
Welcome to issue 39 of Iterate Weekly!
Hard to believe that it’s the end of the year. To celebrate, I thought it would be fun to highlight some of my favorite products and trends in each of our typical categories.
Happy New Year!
🤖Tech
My year in Tech
2021 was another year of mostly staying home and relying on technology to make my life easier. I wouldn’t say it was a landmark year for big tech releases. Many things were delayed or canceled due to the pandemic and supply shortages. But I wanted to note a few tech trends and products that stood out for me this year.
The Oculus Quest 2 was a gadget that I really appreciated this year. No, I wasn’t using it daily or even weekly. But I loved watching its ecosystem grow over the past 12 months and there were always handy things to use it for.
I watched several NBA basketball games in VR using Meta’s (remember when they used to be called Facebook?) Horizon Venues app. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this. As a longtime basketball fan, it gave me a whole new perspective as a fan. When we were comparing neighborhoods when buying our new home, I used the Wander app to virtually transport myself to residential streets to get a better sense of what it would be like to live there. And as we all continued to find clever ways to work remotely, I even tested out the Virtual Desktop app on occasion to revamp my home office.
We’re certainly on the cusp of some larger breakthroughs with this technology but 2021 gave me a small taste of what the not too distant future will feel like.
🎓Education
My year in books
While I do sometimes recommend a book in my content recommendation section, I don’t give enough updates on what I’m reading and learning at any given time. At the beginning of most years, I like to set a rough reading goal. The number of books is somewhat arbitrary but something to strive for.
2021 wasn’t my most prolific reading year (that would probably be 2012 when I completed book number 50 on New Year’s Eve). It looks like I’m going to finish the year with about 15 or so books completed when I was originally shooting for 25. But there were a few standouts that are worth celebrating here.
East of Eden - My total number of books was down a bit this year because I decided to tackle a 600-page classic that was meant to be enjoyed slowly. Sometimes it should be more about quality than quantity. If this Steinbeck gem has alluded you, you should absolutely add it to your list for 2022.
Prisoner of Trebekistan - Sadly, it looks like my 18-month window of eligibility to be called on as a Jeopardy contestant will come to an end without getting the call. Sure, I’m bummed out about that, but I still read several Jeopardy-inspired books this year in preparation. This one was by far the most entertaining.
The Vanishing Half - 2021 got me involved in a few book clubs that were really enjoyable. This title came from an alumni reading club and pushed me into a type of fiction that I probably wouldn’t have found otherwise. It was at the top of many people’s best books lists in 2020 and it’s still worth reading now.
How did your reading list fare in 2021? How will you track your reading in 2022?
🩺Health & Nutrition
My year of quantified health
2021 was a relatively healthy year for me I’d say. Of course, you could look at many different metrics to quantify such a statement. Let’s examine a few of the quantified self successes that I’m proud of.
Hydration - I’ve hit my hydration goals for the past 478 days. On most days, that goal is set at 90 ounces (2.6 liters) of water. All of it is tracked in the Hidrate app that syncs with my smart water bottle. I’ve always found that consistent hydration can overshadow any potential issues (rough night of sleep, maybe not the healthiest meals) that I might have on any given day.
Sleep - Throughout all of 2021, I slept each night while wearing my Oura Ring sleep tracker. It provides a ton of data that isn’t always easy to generalize, but it has motivated me to get more sleep and to better optimize my sleeping environment to get the most out of my sack time. I did just receive my new version 3 of the Oura Ring and am excited to share more data from that soon.
In the meantime, if anyone is interested in trying the Oura Ring for themselves, I do have a few promo codes that can get you $50 off.
Nutrition - For most of the year, I followed a 16:8 (16 hours of fasting time, 8 hours of eating time) intermittent fasting regiment. I used the Zero app to track things at the beginning. While it was helpful to learn the basics, it was also pretty easy to just keep track of eating times on my own without the app. I don’t think that fasting is for everyone, but it really fit my lifestyle this year (not thinking about food for most of the day allows plenty of time to get my work done and be a dad). My diet was primarily plant-based with occasional eggs & fish. After many years as a strict vegan, I’ve found the roughly 80% vegan guideline to be great for me.
Fitness - I did a lot of workouts on the monkii app this year. I can’t recommend their gear enough. I’ve also logged many runs on Strava. I’ve consistently maintained about 20 miles of running each week (typically 3-4 miles per day with a few longer runs and workouts sprinkled in).
Our health should always be a work-in-progress. I’m excited to see what changes 2022 brings!
🛍Grab Bag
Favorite Clothes of 2021
I don’t think that 2021 was my most stylish year. It was year two of a pandemic and of being a dad. Not exactly the most fashion-forward of circumstances. But I wanted to highlight a few items that I really loved wearing this year.
Merino Wool T-shirts - On most days, a merino wool t-shirt of some sort is the first thing I put on. I’ve talked about the benefits of merino wool before, and I find it to be preferable to cotton or polyester in most scenarios. This year I particularly got a ton of wear out of my Wool & Prince Merino T-shirts and Outlier Ultrafine T-shirts.
Myles Apparel Everyday Shorts - These have been my go-to running shorts for the past few years. The name Everyday Shorts is really appropriate. They’re perfect for any workout, they can handle a swim, and they look decent when dressed up a bit. So many colors and extremely comfortable.
Outlier Slim Dungarees - These would likely be the one pair of pants I’d take with me if I were traveling the world. They’re super comfortable, versatile, and look both casual and well put together at the same time. They aren’t cheap, but absolutely last a while and hold up to daily wear quite nicely. Outlier also has a super generous return policy if you don’t like them. So do yourself a favor and pick up a pair of Outlier Slim Dungarees if you’re looking for a versatile pair of pants when traveling with minimal baggage.
💬Quote of the Week
“Rule number one is, don’t sweat the small stuff. Rule number two is, it’s all small stuff.” - Robert Eliot
📺Content Recommendation
My favorite content from 2021
Let’s keep things simple. Here are my top content picks for 2021 in several key areas.
Favorite Book - Four Thousand Weeks
Favorite TV Show - The White Lotus
Favorite Movie - Summer of Soul
Favorite Album - Daddy’s Home by St. Vincent
Favorite Podcast - 60 Songs that Explain the 90s
Thanks for reading, happy new year!