Looking back on a solar cycle through weekly reflections is an incredibly satisfying practice. With hindsight on my side, I can easily identify the ecstatic highs and emotional lows, as well as how they both seemed to last forever. Categorizing the posts into distinct groups (love, medical school, physical practices, travel logs, and misc musings), I can quantify the emotions over the past year.
Miscellaneous Musings (19/52)
In this section, you’ll read my scattered thoughts on everything from nature to podcasts and the haircuts in between.
Comparing the MS1 versus MS2 posts, I notice a definite trend away from long, sprawling idea-driven posts and towards concise, specific reflections. You can even see this in the titles and subtitles.
0103 – On 2015 (as told through facebook posts)
0117 – On depression and horses (or nature as a nutrient and the problem with hammers)
0124 – On setting goals and the practice of goal-setting
0131 – On ‘hell yes’ or ‘no’ (or the guilt of declining plans and dealing with the inevitable FOMO)
0207 – On positive and negative alarms (or a meditation on hourglasses and tattoos)
0214 – On Death (or: Life, as told through four prompts)
0221 – On learning through Rorschach tests (or a meditation on walking sticks and tapestries)
0308 – On horses and equine-assisted self exploration
0320 – On grit, Netflix, and The Punisher (or a meditation on rearranged and delayed gratification)
0417 – On being alone versus being lonely (or coming to grips with the absence of invitations)
0911 – On cut hair (or a meditation on identity)
0925 – On a writer that doesn’t read
1009 – On fall break
1023 – On a letter to future self
1030 – On placeholder entries
1120 – On giving thanks
1127 – On Thanksgiving break
1204 – On the end of a long month
1225 – On Christmas (or winter break in Jacksonville)
Medical School (15/52)
In this section, you’ll read my Course Block post-mortems, musings on a medical education, and reports from clinical shadowing.
I notice that my posts shift towards a clinical and introspective focus during second year. The academic grind and increased expectations demanded significant adaptations. I’m anticipating another such round of challenge and growth when third year begins.
0228 – On writer’s block (or Course Three: a post-mortem)
0327 – On being a zebra, not a cheetah (or failing most of medical school)
0410 – On teaching a panda Kung Fu (or the dilemma of a medical education)
0501 – On the last three steps (or maintaining discipline as MS1 ends)
0508 – On the transition from spring to summer (or Course Four: a post-mortem)
0515 – On quiet endings (or First Year: a post-mortem)
0731 – On catching up again and again (or the calm before the MS2 storm)
0807 – On pushing the boundaries and crossing the line (or a slice of humble pie as second year begins)
0828 – On the grind (or wishing that I were better)
0904 – On the learning curve
0918 – On acquiring difficult skills
1002 – On decompressing and readjusting (or Course Five: a post-mortem)
1016 – On a cold baby
1113 – On old man tears
1219 – On a well-deserved break (or Course Six: a post-mortem)
Travel Logs (10/52)
In this section, you’ll follow a summer road trip from Florida to California with my partner and my solo eastbound return journey.
I wrote these long and rambling posts while on the road, in coffee shops and wind-blown tents. The stream-of-consciousness explosion of descriptions and stories will provide great nostalgia in the years to come.
0522 – On the road, from FL to KY (or summer travels: Part One)
0529 – On the road, from KY to KS (or summer travels: Part Two)
0604 – On the road, from CO to UT (or summer travels: Part Three)
0612 – On the road, from UT to CA (or summer travels: Part Four)
0619 – On the road, in CA (or summer travels: Part Five)
0626 – On the road, in CA (or summer travels: Part Six)
0703 – On the road, from CA to CO (or summer travels: Part Seven)
0710 – On the road, in CO (or summer travels: Part Eight)
0717 – On the road, from CO to MO (or summer travels: Part Nine)
0724 – On the road, from MO to FL (or summer travels: Part Ten)
Physical Practices (5/52)
In this section, you’ll learn about my varied approach to movement practices and the transition from CrossFit to Jiu-Jitsu with an undercurrent of slacklining.
Throughout the year, I’ve made a consistent effort to avoid over-reflection on my physical practices. It is easy for me to talk about my strength and conditioning approach to a grappling sport. But, is it interesting? Would my future self be glad to read that post? So, I write about movement when current-Eugene think it’s particularly inspired and probably half of them will pass the future-Eugene litmus test.
0313 – On slacking (or a meditation on falling)
0424 – On the rhythms of life and riding the wobble (or the end of my CrossFit Gaspar journey and the start of Jiu Jitsu)
0814 – On getting my groove back (or returning to my practices)
1106 – On Starcraft and Jiu-Jitsu
1211 – On practicing while hurt
Love (3/52)
In this section, you’ll find a personal investigation into my Korean father’s past as well as the progression of my partnership through two separate reflections.
Looking at how few posts I’ve written on the love of my family and partner, I’m conflicted. They are each important and I remember them fondly. At the same time, I wish I had more. Perhaps this would have diluted the impact. Maybe it’s a sign of good and quiet news: no tragedies which required reflection.
0110 – On a cut foot (or an interview with my dad)
0403 – On an abortion debate (or the benefits of controlled stress on a relationship)
0821 – On a fledgling romance (or an open love letter to my partner)
Long Form Sundays
- On Christmas (or winter break in Jacksonville)
- On a well-deserved break (or Course Six: a post-mortem)
- On practicing while hurt
Eugene H Kim 
7 thoughts on “On 2016 (as told through weekly reflections)”