I’ve always been someone who reads a lot across different topics. I think of it as passive learning. I take in ideas, try to connect them, and build context for how I see the world.

But one thing I’ve realized is that I don’t always make time for hands-on technical learning in my day-to-day. So over the last couple of months, I’ve made a more intentional effort to change that. Thought I’d share some of what I’ve been up to, both on the learning-by-doing side and through reading.

One of the bigger things was signing up for a data engineering course through the University of Chicago. I wanted to get a better handle on the tools, terms, and ideas that come up in the work, especially around pipelines and data workflows. The course focused a lot on SQL and Neo4j, which was right in my comfort zone and a good way to shake off the rust. The forum posts made me feel like I was back in college, which wasn’t exactly my favorite part, but overall I learned a lot and earned a new certificate for the collection.

I also circled back to some courses I had bought from Code With Mosh. A while back I started his Django series but never finished. This time around, I completed two out of three modules. The course walks you through everything from setting up a project to writing tests and working with databases and creating APIs. It lined up nicely with the Python and React Native courses I had finished recently, and now I’m planning to dive into his Java course later this year.

On the project front, I decided to replace a clunky setup I had built using Notion and Apple Shortcuts. It was getting too messy, buggy and slow. So I spent a day building a small API using Laravel. I went from the initial idea to a token-based API that I could deploy, all in a few hours. It was a fun sprint, and it gave me a chance to work with Laravel 12, which has changed quite a bit since I last used it five or six years ago when I built my last full fledged app.

I’ve also been poking around in the world of agent-based AI. I’ve been learning about MCP servers, workflows, and how these systems might expose APIs to support intelligent agents. Still early days there, but it has been really interesting to explore. I might write more about that in the future.

On the quieter side of things, I finished a book called The Hospital. It follows a small town and its crumbling healthcare system, and how the breakdown ripples through the community. It made me think about how fragile some of these systems are and how hard they are to rebuild once they start falling apart.

I also read Do/Reset, a book about meditation and mindfulness. I’ve been trying to create a bit more space in my daily life to disconnect and be more present. Still figuring it out, but it has already helped me slow down a bit and be more intentional.

And I’ve kept up my interest in cities, housing, and transit. Two books stood out. Homelessness is a Housing Problem explains how expensive housing drives higher rates of homelessness, especially in large cities. And Inclusive Transportation makes a strong case for designing transportation systems that focus on people and access, not just infrastructure.

That’s the mix lately. A little bit of coding, a little reflection, and a lot of curiosity.