20 cool things I did in 2010

It’s the time of the year when I sit down, write a personal annual review for 2010 and plan what is ahead for me in 2011. Maybe I even put down some goals and new habits to acquire. One part of my review is to write down cool things I did during the year. Things that mean something to me and made the year awesome. I decided to share 20 of them in no particular order:

Became 30
Yep. I’m not young any more. Or maybe 30 is the new 20?

Was published in 4 books
I got my work published in at least four books this year. (Don’t know the status of some of the others.) These books are Basic Logos by Index Book, For a Good Cause by Cactus Design, Colour Mania by Victionary and Flashback by Victionary. Furthermore I was interviewed by Computer Arts Magazine, got an illustration published in GOOD Magazine and was featured on Typographicposters.com

Met the president
Got invited to Bessastaðir and met and shook hands with Mr. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, president of Iceland.

Helped launch a new and improved gogoyoko.com
Worked on design and UI for gogoyoko and helped launch the new and improved social music store.

Launched a new Createmake
Redesigned and reconceptualized Createmake. The new Createmake investigates the process and the mysterious alchemy of infusing matter with spirit through collections of videos, images, quotes, interviews, links and other media.

Started a new job
I left gogoyoko and started working as a graphic designer at CCP Games in Reykjavík Iceland. They make EVE Online.

Read 20 books
I got an iPad and started reading like a maniac. Started on 25 books but managed to finish 20. Highlights are:
The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp
A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
Making Ideas Happen by Scott Belsky
Your Body: The Missing Manual
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
Linchpin by Seth Godin
Letters of a Stoic - Seneca
Physics of the Impossible - Michio Kaku
Rework - 37signals

Launched Inspivids
I launched a new pet project called Inspivids. Inspivids is a regularly updated collection of videos that inspire thought, emotion and action. Categories include design, art, life, family, nature and business.

Became a vegetarian
The most profound lifestyle change of 2010 was me stopping eating meat, fish and poultry. People ask me why. The reasons are newly found compassion and connection to animals and nature, growing worries about how food is processed and manufactured and of course the good health benefits of eating green.

Started mountain biking
I finally bought myself a mountain bike. A long lasting dream. I bike everywhere I go. Don’t use a car at all and don’t even own one.

Launched The Big list of Icelandic Designers and Creatives
The Big List is a growing list of Icelandic designers and creative individuals.

Had a 4 year wedding anniversary
Me and my wife have been married for four years now. Can’t stop loving her!

Curated, organized and designed the annual FÍT Graphic Design Awards
The FÍT Graphic Design Awards is the annual festival of the Association of Icelandic Graphic Designers where members are awarded and honored for outstanding work in graphic design and illustration. I did the design, branding, planning and curation of the Awards in cooperation with FÍT.

Designed an iPad application
Designed the UI for River of News, a Google Reader iPad application. River of News is one of the most popular RSS readers for the iPad, having reached the top 25 in sales on the iTunes store.

Designed an Android application
Designed the UI for the upcoming gogoyoko Android application.

Stopped drinking sugared soda pop (Coke and Pepsi)
Best decision I’ve made in years. Great effect on both my health and my wallet. I drink a lot more water now. Occasionally corbonated water with natural flavors.

Destroyed lots of debt
Been deploying aggressive debt reduction this year. The goal is being debt free as soon as possible.

Got new glasses
After 8 years of wearing the same glasses and apparently seeing quite badly I got new glasses.

Visited New York
Attended the Future of Web Design conference in New York in November.

Launched tvinna.is
Just launched Tvinna with Lazycomet. Tvinna.is is an Icelandic job board for the creative and IT industry.

See also Seth Godin’s What did you ship in 2010?