One Year of Blogging

Byyogiwan

What I’ve Learned from Writing

On June 23, 2024, I published my first post on Yogiwan.us—a simple “Hello World” that marked the beginning of a small project I started mostly for myself. I had no real audience in mind, no monetization plan, no urge to build followers or chase likes. I just wanted a space to think aloud.

A few weeks later, I followed it up with some actual content—starting with WordPress tools and a short piece on the Supreme Court. And then I kept going. One post at a time. Now here we are, one year and over 130 posts later.

It seems like a good moment to pause, look back, and ask: What did I actually learn from doing this?

Why I Started (and Why I Kept Going)

Yogiwan.us has always been less about broadcasting and more about thinking in public. I’ve spent much of my life working with and writing about technology, managing teams, building systems, and staying curious about what’s next. Not to mention the hundreds of seminars or briefings given for business executives both in the US and at many international locations. When I retired (the second or third time), I realized I wasn’t done asking questions or trying to answer them—or writing about what I found interesting.

So I gave myself a digital corner of the world to fill with whatever caught my eye: robotics, AI, fitness tools, astrophysics, the money behind sports, jazz music, gardening schedules, the occasional rant about cookbook authors who never actually cooked—and, yes, a lot of recipes.

I didn’t set out to cover so many topics. They just emerged.

What I Posted About

Over the course of the year, I touched on:

  • Future trends and risks — especially tech-related and demographic
  • AI and infrastructure — including smart devices and homes
  • Robotics — from Roombas to realistic domestic helpers
  • Science and space — including why people still dream of Mars
  • Finance and economics — including reverse mortgages and modern gambling
  • Health and fitness — from smart tools to aging well
  • Generational shifts and education — a few posts turned into full series
  • Sports and personalities — especially golf and pickleball
  • Entertainment and music — including a well-received jazz series
  • Gardening tips and energy discussions
  • And about 20% of posts were recipes, often tied to holidays or seasonal events
  • Another 20% were curated articles from other writers that deserved a wider audience

Some pieces were short reflections. Others were long dives. A few were satirical or just plain odd. But they all came from the same source: curiosity and the need to keep learning.

What Surprised Me

A few unexpected things happened along the way.

First, I didn’t get tired of writing. From the past, some may say that writing was not my forte. But, supported by a really good editor, I produced a number of technical papers that are still being reviewed today. But blogging has become a source of continual discovery. If I just start reading and roving, ideas show up.

Second, readers found me. Not really! I have just over a handful of followers. But I do occasionally get stopped by someone who comments on one of the articles. When our golf pro commented positively on my articles on golf, it indicates that I am getting the right tone. This is enough to make me glad I hit “publish.” A few comments, emails, or reposts here and there reminded me that even small-scale writing can spark a connection.

Third, certain topics really took off. My jazz series got great feedback. So did some posts about space exploration and astrophysics—surprisingly strong interest for a blog not written by a rocket scientist. The theme of “where did trustworthy information go?” also struck a chord. The challenge for the year will be finding similar resonate topics.

What I’ve Learned

Blogging, like gardening, doesn’t reward rushing. Some posts are tidy. Others are overgrown. A few are just weeds. But taken together, they’re something real. And like most things, the more you practice the better you get.

Here’s what I take from this year:

  • Writing is a great way to assure you are thinking clearly—even if nobody else reads it.
  • Good ideas don’t run out—they just need either discovery or more light.
  • There’s room online for thoughtfulness. You don’t have to be viral to be valuable.
  • Social media is not the foundation for critical thinking—but perhaps a good place for ranting.

And most importantly: I write better when I don’t try to impress anyone.

What’s Next

In year two, I’ll keep the same spirit—but with a few new intentions:

  • Continue writing about robotics, AI, tech, finance, and the future
  • Add more humor and lightness to balance out the heavy topics
  • Build a steady rhythm of curated articles, posted weekly with a short synopsis
  • Expand my booklist and write more about what I’m reading and why it matters (suggestions welcomed)
  • Pursue deeper work on what I’m calling the “cognitive industrial revolution” (this is stolen from someone else): the convergence of robotics, AI, and real-time data that’s transforming the workplace

And who knows—maybe I’ll even find time to finish a piece about all those apps on my smartwatch that I still haven’t figured out.

If you’ve read any of my posts, thank you. If you’ve commented or shared one, even better. But even if no one ever reads this but me, I’ll count this first year of Yogiwan.us as a success.

Because I wrote it. And it helped me think. And that, in itself, is enough.

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