This guy still time travels the old fashioned way

Posted Jan 2026

For those departing from 2025, there is A LOT that needs to be done.

If you are arriving from the future, please help out by grading this homework.

Resolutions

Here are things I'm resolved to continue in 2026.

  1. Keep learning Japanese
    • I "finished" Tae Kim's Guide to Learning Japanese and the Kaishi 1.5k Anki deck in 2024, but I had no clue what to do after and completely stopped for a year.
    • GOAL: Understand 80% of spoken words in one piece of native Japanese media (movie, anime, video, podcast) on the first listen.
  2. Keep learning Chinese
    • I'm watching shows like 凡人修仙传 and playing games in Chinese, but I need to work on reading speed and ouput. Especially output.
    • GOAL: Read a significant piece of literature, write two non trivial pieces of writing, and 说更多中文.
  3. Keep writing
    • Observe this blog post, but I've also started posting in r/WritingPrompts. It's a low pressure way to push quantity over quality.
    • GOAL: Write at least 12 short stories and 2 blog posts (any language).
  4. Keep drawing
    • Four years ago, I wanted to be like Kim Jung Gi. His fast, semi-stylized, straight-from-imagination, pen and ink style blew me away. Today I draw slowly and struggle with likeness, perspective, and drawing from imagination.
    • GOAL: Using Posemaniacs 30 Seconds Drawing, finish drawings in 30s. (It took me 120s today).
  5. Keep learning CS
    • When I dropped my compilers course in college, I justified it by thinking "I can just do a more interesting course online--later." Later has come in the form of CIS531 -- Compilers at Syracuse and I've started by learning Racket.
    • GOAL: Build a compiler (via course or otherwise).

Predictions

I don't know how to predict the future, but I'm starting now just in case it's a learnable skill. They're grouped by current likelihood vibes, but I'm predicting they will all happen in 2026.

  1. Likely
    • A new war begins
      • It feels like balance of power is shifting and inevitable conflicts are coming to a head.
      • PROOF: A new dedicated Wikipedia article
    • A political death becomes a meme
      • Many such examples in recent times.
      • PROOF: A page on KnowYourMeme.com
  2. Tossup
    • Qualityslop: A well-regarded title has >1 hour of AI generated visuals
      • Music videos are somewhat there. Human skill and models will improve. Longform may be possible with tools like TapNow to brute force thousands of shots.
      • PROOF: >70 on Metacritic to account for movies, shows, games
    • AI bubble pops
      • Of course there's a bubble, but is there enough real shit to justify the Mag 7 being >1/3 of S&P 500.
      • PROOF: NVDA drops 30% from peak and stays there
  3. Unlikely
    • AI phone sex gets really big
      • Roleplay is a suprisingly large AI usecase. If realistic conversational voice happens before video, audio porn could be a dark horse.
      • PROOF: A news article or story from established media.
    • Ozempic 2
      • A miracle drug for a major disease.
      • PROOF: A cultural phenomenon like Ozempic

Due December 31, 2026, 11:59 PM

Goodluck.