Some of my readers may be wondering if/why I dropped off the face of the earth. After all I was posting 2 articles a week up until April 1st. Then I just stopped. In this short article I’ll try to address the lack of content, the blog focus for the foreseeable future, and give a preview of a couple topics coming up.
My last blog post was immediately after we returned from a spring break trip to Orange Beach, Alabama. I really enjoyed the downtime and to be honest, I simply got lazy and distracted and time got away from me. As one sometimes does with a new project, initial interest is intense, but as time goes on, without proper discipline, things fall by the wayside.
Couple my lack of discipline with some struggles coming up with content ideas (reverse-inspired by enjoying one less responsibility), and here we are 3 months later.
What have I been up to?
I haven’t really mentioned it on the blog up to this point, but about 6 years ago I struggled with intense professional burnout and major anxiety and depression. This continued for about a 3 year period before I started to see marked improvements. And in the past year to year-and-a-half, it’s as if I’ve been “waking up” to be and feel more like my new and improved self. Most recently, I’ve found myself becoming really interested in hobbies – old and new. A recent medication change seems to have opened up a whole new world of interest and drive that has been unexpected, but welcome.
What’s next for brianalcorn.com – blog focus?
Over the past couple weeks, I’ve been bouncing around ideas for what the blog focus will be for the foreseeable future. I believe I’ve settled on a technical blog with some lifestyle related content peppered in here and there. The blog will continue to grow and improve as my writing and organization improves. I hope you will all come along on the journey with me.
Vintage Audio
About a month ago, I purchased a vintage Yamaha CR-620 receiver from eBay, at a moderate steal. A couple weeks later, I bought some vintage Klipsch KG4 speakers to pair with this receiver. I’m in the middle of some light restoration/repair on the receiver right now, but as soon as this initial phase is complete I’ll be posting an article describing my buying adventures, repair experience, and opinion on resulting sound quality.
Career Development
On the career front, I have a few irons in the fire: I’ve compiled a list of certifications I’m pursuing between now and the end of 2026, and I’m launching a freelance Python and Ansible Development side hustle. Python and Ansible content will become more common on this blog, and will include links to my personal GitHub.
Mental Health
I will go into detail on what I experienced, and how I recovered from what we refer to in my inner circle as “the dark time”. I’ll discuss medication, therapy, coping mechanisms, and conclude with an update on how I’m doing now.
