BTR Year in Numbers (2018 Edition)

Just as I was finally getting used to writing “2018” on things, the year is drawing to a close. As you might already know, I have an obsession with numbers. And so, to that end, one of the better ways to look back at 2018 is to consider the year in numbers. Here’s what I wrote, watched, read and shot this past year.

Movies Watched: 59

Even though I watch practically no cable TV anymore, I still take in more than the occasional film. Most of these are through online streaming or as a DVD from the local library. Some were a little disappointing — All Eyez on Me and Suburbicon come to mind — while others were pleasant surprises. Here are five of the best movies I watched in 2018.

• Black Panther: Arguably the best film in the MCU with complex characters and an amazing soundtrack.
• Sing Street: Speaking of great soundtracks and complex characters… and check out that wardrobe!
• Baby Driver: I didn’t expect to like this one as much as I did.
• Avengers: Infinity War: Yes, two MCU films on this list, but this one had the snap of the century.
• The Founder: If you thought Michael Keaton in Birdman was great, check out this story of McDonald’s.

Books Read: 33

At the beginning of the year, I set out on a reading challenge. I wanted to read one book a month. Well, I blasted way past that goal, because I made the conscious decision to read much, much more than I have been. Some notable highlights include:

• I’ve Been Meaning to Tell You by David Chariandy: Beautifully written and especially timely in these racially-charged times.
• Vacationland by John Hodgman: A different look at the humble life of the deranged millionaire.
• Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain: I liked this even better than Kitchen Confidential.
• How to American by Jimmy O. Yang: I still haven’t watched Silicon Valley, but Jimmy’s unconventional immigrant experience is thoroughly entertaining and chuckle-worthy.
• Property Values by Charles Demers: I thought it was about the outrageous real estate situation in Vancouver. Turns out it’s much more than that.

Blog Posts Published: 203

Including the posts I plan on publishing this coming Sunday and Monday, I will have written and published a total of 203 blog posts in 2018. On Beyond the Rhetoric, anyway. Once upon a time, I blogged daily. This year, I set out to blog four times a week. Based on this final count, it looks like I missed a handful, but that’s still pretty prolific, isn’t it?

The posts that attracted the most eyeballs were:

• In Defense of the Public Library: Probably one of my most important posts of the year, responding to someone who said libraries are obsolete.
• Before We Had Kids, We Swore We Would Never…: It’s amazing how much your perspective changes after you get into the thick of things.
• Foodie Bucket List: 10 Foods to Try Before You Die: I managed to knock of these off the list, so I’ve got nine more to go. Where can I find toasted grasshoppers?
• Vlog #62: Japanese Curry in an Instant Pot: Everyone is always looking for an easy Instant Pot recipe, right?
• Vlog #65: This Is The End: The demonetization situation at YouTube was a big story of 2018.

Hump Day Haikus Written: 52

Much like the vlog on YouTube, part of the motivation behind the Hump Day Haikus series was to exercise my creative muscles in a slightly different way. If you missed these poems on my Instagram, here are five of my favorites from the weekly series.

• Wish I had more time: Where it all started
• In the old arcade: One of several with a dad joke.
• The sun skipped college: More dad jokes to light up your weekday.
• Blustery morning: From my first time in Newfoundland.
• High above the clouds: Waxing nostalgic over the natural beauty of Maui and Haleakala.

Vlogs Posted: 45

It was nowhere near the biggest moneymaker for me, but the vlog really drove a lot of my creative process this year. Some of the videos that garnered the most views and/or were the most fun to produce include:

• Amazon Kindle Oasis Comparison: Going hand in hand with that reading challenge.
• Stanley Park Halloween Ghost Train: I think I even prefer this over the Christmas train.
• Easy Instant Pot Recipe for Japanese Curry: The video that went with that Japanese curry blog post.
• The #5DadsGoWild Camping Survival Guide: An incredible bonding experience with some like-minded dad bloggers.
• The Toronto Family Vacation: That time the Kwan family invaded the 6ix.

What Will 2019 Bring?

So, that was my year in numbers for 2018. It feels like I did a lot while doing not much at all. Perception is always so distorted, right? Looking ahead to 2019, should I expect more of the same? I plan to keep up with the reading, and hopefully the vlog will return in some form too.

What do you have planned for 2019? How did 2018 go for you and what would you change? Let me know through the comment section below.