2025 in Review

Every December I like to step back and reflect on the past year… my own personal retrospective. Just as software teams use sprints to learn and improve, I’ve found that looking back helps me stay aligned with the person I want to become. And looking back, 2025 wasn’t just memorable. It was epic.

My outdoor hiking footprint grew yet again this year. Each month, I explored new sections of the Bruce Trail and surrounding regions, from beautiful frozen lakes, to winding freshwater streams, glacial moraine forests, and even cliff faces dotted with caves. Some routes were moderately difficult while others pushed my limits with steep elevation changes (including one that ended at a mountaintop tea house!). And the fall colours? Absolutely spectacular.

I balanced my hikes evenly between solo treks (my essential mental resets) and social hikes with friends from both my tech world and my outdoorsy circles. A few Ontario spots I’d recommend for easier access include Wilfrid Crozier Nature Reserve, Splitrock Narrows, Marsh’s Falls, and the Cup and Saucer Nature Reserve.

This year I leaned even harder into walking instead of driving. It’s good for the environment, good for my health, and good for the wallet.

Almost-daily walks to the grocery store – rain, shine, or snow – have replaced my old weekly car trips and become part of my natural rhythm. Along the way, I always make time to stop by Tim Hortons for a dark roast and a bit of friendly conversation with my neighbours. Most of them are retired, and many are people my daughter and I got to know during the decades we spent as pool and fitness members at the Holiday Inn.

One day, I casually mentioned that I’d been trying (without success) to find one of the metal, powder-coated Hespeler signs I often see while walking around the neighbourhood. Within minutes, someone there knew exactly who made them, and they helped me track one down. That’s the magic of community.

I also spent more time relaxing outdoors, whether in my backyard or at the beach. Long Point and Turkey Point were regular stops again, and Point Pelee National Park was amazing (it was also free admission all summer long because of the Canada Strong Pass).

Point Pelee has some unique wildlife, great hiking trails, nice beaches, a big marsh boardwalk, bird blind pavilions, and an observation tower. Plus, you can trek out to the southernmost mainland tip of Canada (below right).

On the family front, the biggest joy this year was the arrival of my second grandson, Remy. He started off a little grumpy but quickly transformed into a wide-eyed explorer, trying to keep up with his energetic older brother. For my birthday, they surprised me with a beautiful handprint picture that’s already one of my favourite things.

My sister also visited from New Brunswick during my birthday week, and we made the most of it with day trips -— including Fort George and a afternoon in downtown Niagara-on-the-Lake with our parents. One store had hilarious shirts poking fun at the political chaos south of the border. They didn’t have my size, so naturally I ordered one online afterward.

Throughout the year I attended countless social events, mostly with members of my tech communities. Everything from KW-LUG dinner socials to tech industry events with some epic afterparties. There was even a micro-cinema outing with fellow cyber folks.

I also finished authoring the 7th edition of my CompTIA Linux+ & LPIC-1 Guide to Linux Certification textbook for Cengage, which should be in print next month. In addition to updated topics, this edition has some really nice additions (Python, AI, Ansible) and learning features that make it look incredible.

Professionally, this year was intense in the best way. Without hiking as a way to reset, I’m not sure I could have kept up the momentum between writing my Cengage textbooks and managing my college responsibilities. In addition to the substantial work required to keep our Information Technology and software development programs running smoothly, I completed extensive curriculum upgrades, met with employers and internship hosts, attended numerous events, delivered a keynote address at several graduation ceremonies, led multiple program- and AI-focused webinars, gave guest talks to classes using my textbooks, and helped develop an international articulation agreement. I also worked on several other initiatives that I can’t yet share publicly – projects that will occupy a significant portion of my time in 2026.

Now, you’re probably thinking that was a lot of work, right? Nope. None of those things chewed up as much time as my most significant initiative this year: developing our new Data Analysis and AI Specialist (DAAS) program, launching next month. This program marks the creation of an entirely new division within our technology faculty, adding data science alongside IT administration and software development.

A big part of developing DAAS involves my building and training AI models – as well as writing more Python code than I think I’ve ever written in this past decade. To support that work, I got some serious hardware that makes my job a lot easier: a Grace Blackwell desktop supercomputer (essentially a Linux workstation with custom NVIDIA hardware designed for heavy AI training workloads). I wrote a full blog post about it last month.

In the broader tech community, I’ve had the opportunity to give a Hugo presentation at KW-LUG, serve as a panelist on CBC Radio One (and even came away with a mug), and teach instructors worldwide through CompTIA’s CloudNetX and Linux+ Train-the-Trainer events. I don’t mind giving up some of my evenings for these engagements, knowing that many peers around the world regard me as a leader in these educational areas. After all, my Cengage Linux+ title is widely considered the best on the market!

When I presented the earlier Linux+ Train-the-Trainer in 2019, I was honored to receive the CompTIA Outstanding Train-the-Trainer Instructor Award. This year, the overwhelmingly positive reviews from participants during and after my Linux+ Train-the-Trainer sessions went above and beyond even that experience, and it felt wonderful.

To support my ongoing professional growth and to keep our curriculum aligned with CompTIA standards, I also attended the Pentest+, Data+, and AI Essentials Train-the-Trainer sessions on my own time as a participant only. I was pleased to see many of our IT and software development instructors making the same commitment.

If 2025 had a theme, it was growth through movement – whether on the trail, in the community, in my college, or within the rapidly evolving world of technology that I love.

I’m grateful for the balance this year brought me: adventure, connection, family, creativity, and meaningful work, and I’m excited for what 2026 will bring. I definitely feel ready for it.