Claude Sonnet 3.5:
In 2009, I published 150 posts across several main categories: restaurant/bar reviews (42%), technology commentary (28%), travel updates (18%), and personal events (12%). This year saw me splitting time between London and extended stays in Sydney and San Francisco, while diving deep into emerging technologies and maintaining my passion for discovering new venues.
Technical Adventures and Commentary #
The year started with some WordPress tweaks, as I switched to the Busy Bee theme and worked on customizing my site. A significant technical achievement was developing my own URL shortening service (ajh.me and ajhpic.me) to reduce dependency on external services - a prescient move given the volatility of such services in subsequent years. I also created a public API for my site, demonstrating my continued interest in open web technologies.
My commentary on cloud computing proved particularly relevant, especially noting the pitfall of forgetting about running instances until the bill arrives - a problem that would become increasingly common as cloud adoption grew through the 2010s. The ongoing Twitter debate was interesting to revisit; my skepticism about its signal-to-noise ratio (“99.9999% garbage”) came during Twitter’s rapid growth phase, though I did acknowledge its utility for real-time local event discovery.
Global Travel and Cultural Experiences #
A significant portion of the year was spent traveling, with extended stays in both Sydney and San Francisco. The Sydney trip included iconic experiences like climbing the Harbour Bridge (my second time since 2003) and attending the Mardi Gras parade for the first time. The San Francisco stay featured extensive exploration of Napa and Sonoma’s wine country, including visits to Hop Kiln, Domaine Carneros, and Simi wineries.
A highlight was experiencing Glastonbury Festival, documenting it through photos and a three-part video series capturing performances from artists like Dizzee Rascal, Lady Gaga, La Roux, Nick Cave, and The Prodigy. The festival was particularly notable that year for its diverse lineup bridging mainstream pop and alternative acts.
Technology Adoption and Reviews #
2009 was an interesting year for personal tech. I documented my experience with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7, highlighting its AVCHD Lite recording capabilities. The iPhone featured prominently in my posts, though I noted its limitations, particularly around Exchange Task synchronization - a problem I solved through an innovative workaround using BlackBerry as an intermediary with Remember The Milk.
My early adoption of Vimeo Plus showed foresight in recognizing the platform’s potential for high-quality video hosting, particularly appreciating its HD support and lack of time limits - features that would later become standard across video platforms.
Digital Services and Web Tools #
I was an early adopter of several web services that would later become significant. My positive review of Adobe ConnectNow (in beta) for screen sharing and voice conferencing predicted the surge in remote collaboration tools. I also documented my use of Yahoo! Pipes for RSS feed manipulation, something that would become increasingly important as RSS feeds evolved.
The move to FeedBurner for RSS management (after its Google acquisition) and implementing their MyBrand feature for custom domain feeds demonstrated my focus on maintaining control over my digital presence while leveraging powerful third-party tools.
London Life and Global Dining #
The year included extensive documentation of London’s dining scene, particularly in areas like Hammersmith, Spitalfields, and Wapping. The Wapping Project features prominently in my posts, with several galleries and dinner reviews highlighting this unique venue. The contrast between London’s established restaurant scene and the emerging food cultures I experienced in Sydney (especially in areas like Surry Hills and Balmain) and San Francisco’s diverse culinary landscape provides an interesting snapshot of global dining trends in 2009.
Literature and Entertainment #
My reading included “American Psycho,” with observations about its detailed narrative style and comparison to the film adaptation. The year ended with my first Kindle 2 experience, reading “MetaGame” by Sam Landstrom, marking my transition into digital reading.
Looking Back from 2025 #
Looking back at 2009 from 2025, it’s fascinating to see how many of the year’s emerging trends became significant. My early adoption of personal API development, concerns about cloud computing costs, and focus on owning my digital presence rather than relying on third-party services all proved to be forward-thinking approaches. The year represented a pivotal time in technology adoption, global connectivity, and digital content creation, many aspects of which would become standard practices in the years that followed.