Claude Sonnet 3.5:
Looking back at my blogging activity in 2004, I published 558 posts covering a diverse range of topics. The most frequent categories were travel (31%), technology/gadgets (25%), entertainment (20%), dining/nightlife (15%), and personal updates (9%). This was a transformative year as I continued settling into life in London while maintaining my connection to the tech and blogging communities.
Living the London Life #
2004 marked my first full year as a London resident, and my posts reflect both the excitement and challenges of expat life. I documented the quirks of British bureaucracy (like my epic saga with the National Insurance number), explored countless restaurants and pubs, and experienced quintessential London moments like watching Formula One demonstrations on Regent Street and dealing with sweltering Underground commutes during summer heatwaves.
My neighborhood explorations expanded beyond central London to areas like Little Venice, Camden Markets, and the historic RAF Museum Hendon. I embraced British cultural institutions, attending events like the Chelsea Flower Show and catching West End shows including The Lion King and When Harry Met Sally (starring Alyson Hannigan from Buffy).
Global Adventures #
This was a year of extensive travel across Europe and Asia. Notable trips included:
- Belgium (Easter): Explored Brussels, Bruges and Antwerp, with a focus on chocolate, beer and medieval architecture
- Czech Republic (July): Attended a wedding in Rakovnik and explored historic Prague
- Lake District & Yorkshire (May): Discovered the natural beauty of northern England
- Ireland (June): Road trip covering Dublin, Cork, Galway and the stunning coastal regions
- Japan (September): Two incredible weeks split between the energy of Tokyo and traditional Kyoto
- New York (October): Business trip that included exploring Manhattan neighborhoods
The Japan trip was particularly significant as it sparked my interest in learning Japanese, which I began studying upon return to London.
Tech & Online Projects #
My involvement in the blogging and tech communities remained strong through Aussie Blogs (aussieblogs.org), which grew to track nearly 5,000 Australian blogs by year’s end. I worked extensively on improving the site’s infrastructure and automated detection systems.
The year saw significant tech acquisitions for my home setup, including:
- Canon EOS 20D (purchased in Japan)
- Shuttle XPC SN95G5 with AMD Athlon 64
- Various networking upgrades for my London flat
I maintained a critical eye on emerging technologies, following developments in:
- VoIP and mobile technologies
- The growing WiFi/hotspot market
- Gaming (particularly excited about Half-Life 2’s release)
- Digital photography trends
Entertainment & Culture #
2004 was marked by interesting developments in entertainment:
- The end of Angel and continued decline of Enterprise marked a difficult period for TV sci-fi
- Emergence of new sci-fi series like Battlestar Galactica provided fresh hope
- Theatrical releases included The Last Samurai, Kill Bill Vol. 2, and Shaun of the Dead
- Growth of digital distribution platforms like iTunes in Europe
- Gaming milestone with Half-Life 2’s release (despite activation challenges)
Reflections on Blogging #
By year’s end, I began questioning the long-term implications of maintaining seven years of public blog archives, considering a shift toward keeping only recent content publicly accessible. This reflection coincided with broader changes in the blogging landscape, including the shutdown of weblogs.com hosting and evolution of blog tracking services.
Looking Forward #
As 2004 drew to a close, I had established a comfortable life in London while maintaining strong connections to both the tech world and my Australian roots. The year’s experiences - from mastering the Tube system to navigating Tokyo’s streets - reflected personal growth and adaptation to life as a global citizen in an increasingly connected world.
The mix of personal adventures, professional development, and continued engagement with technology and online communities made 2004 a particularly rich year for both experiences and documentation. While my enthusiasm for certain aspects of blogging showed signs of waning, the year’s posts provide a valuable chronicle of both personal history and broader technological and cultural developments of the mid-2000s.
Statistics compiled from 558 posts published between January 1 and December 31, 2004 on anthonyjhicks.com