HACKER Q&A
📣 simonebrunozzi

Best advice to help me achieve my 2022 goals?


Hey fellow HNers! Few hours and it will be 2022 for me (Europe). Of course, I have some resolutions for my 2022. I would love if you could provide some help and guidance on how to achieve my goals.

1. I want to learn basic Japanese. This is maybe the 3rd attempt in 10 years. I started again with some Hiragana and Katagana, but I haven't found the perfect course (online? Book?) to get going.

2. I want to get back at programming. I studied CS, did a lot of programming in Assembly, Basic, C, C++, Fortran77, PHP 4 and 5, Python, Java, Javascript, Ruby from ~1990 to ~2015. In particular, though, I want to be able to build my own online, text-based strategy game (something like Paperclips or A Dark Room). What's the best way for an ex-programmer to do that?

3. I want to get back in shape: good exercise, good diet. I'm now in my mid 40s, 94kg, my ideal weight is ~82kg, and I probably need 3-4kg of more muscle, so I need to lose at least 10kg, better if it's 14-15kg. What's the absolute best way not just to lose it, but to keep it? I've been going between 95kg and 82kg a few times in the past decade, but I can't seem to be able to stay at 82kg.

4. I want to have more meaningful friendships. Because of my lifestyle (moved from Italy to Luxembourg to Singapore to San Francisco to Italy in the past ~14 years), I found it hard to maintain friendships. Any tips? Guidance?

5. I am also working on my romantic relationship, but on that front... I keep doing it, every year, as I think it's the most important thing in your life. In any case, if you have a tip or a secret for long-lasting relationships, I am (and I guess we all are) all ears. You are never perfect, but you strive to be.

I guess this is enough for now.

Edit: ah, work: I decided to keep it out of this, for now. I'm doing ok on that front and I'd rather get good advice for my personal stuff :)


  👤 abyesilyurt Accepted Answer ✓
1. Human brain learns the fastest when it is in survival mode. Learning a language is much easier if you need a job and will starve otherwise. Create an uncomfortable situation that will be fixed by learning Japanese, for example have a Japanese friend whom you cannot communicate effectively enough in English.

2. Just start coding. You will learn what you miss along the way.

3. I do intermittent fasting and find it very practical to stay in shape over the long run. I eat a lot, but I just eat two meals a day, no snacks, no sugar. Create a habit of eating “enough”, rather than focusing on losing weight for a while.


👤 themodelplumber
Just to wish you good luck with those goals, sounds fun. You have accomplished a lot in life so far. がんばってください :-)