2025 Is Over

2025 was a good year. I accomplished a lot. I joined Toastmasters, rewrote my app in C# using .NET MAUI.

Toastmasters

I joined Toastmasters. I took a step forward in the right direction to improve my communication skills. I did my ice breaker in March, first prepared speech in October on AI Hallucinations, and a third speech in November on entitled ‘resistance,’ which was about getting started with the process of writing, practicing, and delivering a speech. My peers loved my last speech, and I felt good about it. I felt I made some progress this year with my communication skills. It’s hard work to write and deliver a speech. People fear public speaking. But is it perhaps the fear of all the hard work to finding what you need to say and say it well?

In 2026, I will continue my Toastmaster’s journey. That means more practice. I also need to start giving people formal speech evaluations (i.e. live feedback from their prepared speeches). That’s the next stage of my Toastmaster’s training. That’s scary for me.

Rails Apps

I rewrote my java application in C# using .net MAUI. It was refreshing to have a windows app compile and execute so fast without having to use jpackage, WiX toolset, JavaFX, jlink, and .jar files. It is much easier to develop and manage. But I do miss Apache POI; the C# OpenXML SpreadSheet API is extremely low-level; it requires you to dig into the Excel file details such as the SharedStringTables in xml. The Apache POI does a great job of abstracting a lot of low mechanics of pulling information out from an Excel File.

Well, what about Rails?

I am going to maintain my .net MAUI app going forward now that it has been re-written and stable. For 2026, we start to find opportunities to help people. I will find a way to use rails to accomplish that.

Fitness

With great disappointment, I did not accomplish my fitness goals. It’s difficult with children. But I tried my best by going on bike rides with Hailey in the trailer. It’s exhausting towing Hailey around to all the different parks in the neighborhood, but it was great exercise for my heart. I must continue this type of fitness throughout the year. I am not sure what to do in the winter, but I hope we can do more sliding and playing in the snow with Hailey or go somewhere to burn some energy. (Swimming? Jog Track?)

In early 2026, I will write and publish my 2026 goals like last year. I find it great writing about them. It gives me clarity and something to reference easily.