Dear readers,
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”
―Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
2023 was an unforgettable year and the above quote captures it almost perfectly.
I also like this quote from Carl Jung.
There is no coming to consciousness without pain.
You simply cannot enjoy happiness, without the presence of the opposite. Pain and suffering have their place in all of our lives and simply put, this year was tough. I am choosing to focus on the positives and the many opportunities to learn and practice gratitude. No one likes a complainer- you’d prefer I gloat as if my life is perfect. So let’s jump into the 2023 Incandela Year in Review.
Lessons learned:
Take more risks in life.
Don’t veer away from the Four Agreements: Be Impeccable With Your Word, Don't Take Anything Personally, Don't Make Assumptions, Always Do Your Best.
There is only one person to blame in life.
Perception is reality.
Time matters.
Listen to that inner voice.
How you respond to adversity matters.
Kindness is everything.
Here are some life highlights:
Launched Podium Life, a motorsports culture, gear and lifestyle website! Here is the Substack announcement. What a labor of love, but also an incredible outlet for creativity and problem solving. Next month will be our one-year anniversary.
Started a new job and lost a new job! You win some and you win some. Here is what I wrote about that.
Celebrated 13 years without alcohol, which also happens to be my favorite number. And I got a great tattoo to celebrate it.
I became a Lord of the Principality of Sealand. Do I update my LinkedIn?
Attended VeeCon and sat down with Gary Vaynerchuk! I am a full fanboy.
Realized it’s pointless having a bucket list if you don’t cross anything off. So, I eliminated (3) things off the list.
Attended a Cubs game at Wrigley Field - me and Ollie chilling.
Flew to Austin for the Formula 1 race with paddock access. Sitting in front of Sir Lewis Hamilton’s car. Recap here.
Saw Manchester United play at Old Trafford (twice) with my best firend.
I got new headshots (thank u Faith Blackwell) and a new puppy (thank u Love Pet Project)! Look at that handsome guy (the dog).
Launched my 2nd company of the year, an LLC for my marketing advising services. This included a new branding, content updates and a refresh for my personal site.
I got healthier and learned that you can Crossfit without talking about it all the time.
Best new movies I watched
John Wick 4. The. Best. One. Yet. The cast, cinematography, fashion, locations, choreography and ending were all fantastic.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. This sequel is as good as the first and sets up a highly anticipated 3rd installment. These movies are just so cool.
Oppenheimer. Man that was intense. It wins almost every Oscar, right?
Barbie. So much fun and a delight. It wins Oscars too, right?
Watch Jawan on Netflix. Indian action-musical movie: simply amazing.
Best new shows I watched
Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. Godzilla other monsters. (Apple TV)
Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story. Fantastic & full of layered storytelling. (Hulu)
The Continental: As a John Wick stan boy, I enjoyed it. (Peacock)
Black Knight. Wonderful dystopian South Korean show! (Netflix)
John Mulaney: Baby J. Brilliant humor to approach addiction and rehab. (Netflix)
Ted Lasso. Gonna miss this show, but it ended at the right time. (Apple TV)
Cunk on Earth. Please stop everything and watch this. (Netflix)
Favorite video games of the year
Dead Island 2. I am a sucker for a good zombie game.
Dakar Desert Rally. This is one of my favorite forms of motorsports and this game is a blast. If anything, the scenery is stunning, so it’s like a grand tour of Saudi Arabia.
F1 2023. Solid, solid racing game. It’s kinda fun to try and give Max Verstappen a DNF.
Favorite items of the year
My lined Crocs. I never thought I would own a pair, but here I am. These are my slippers at home. So comfortable.
Rambler Sparkling Water. I drank a fair amount of Rambler this year and it is one of my faves. Here’s my Pinterest board dedicated to bubbles.
Anything from De Fùt. I love this soccer lifestyle brand out of Minneapolis.
Floyd Check-In Suitcase. This is a beautiful, skateboard inspired work of art.
A Bathing Ape Roadsta Express. My fave sneaker brand and shoe.
Podium Life Mug. Coffee or tea never tasted better. Perfect for your hot toddies.
Happy New Year to all of you. I am so incredibly grateful to my family, my friends and everyone in-between. So many of you have reached out, given me your time and offered to help. Love makes the world go around. 🙏
Much, much, much, love. Daniel