Mihai Hlodec

January 2026

Wheretf did first month of 2026 went?

Trying something new this year. Logging what I do every day, to see where my time, months and years went. Not sure if it would actually help me with anything, but still - a good exercise to do. Right, right??

To log stuff I use my own app, meanwhile.live. Stupid, buggy, but works just fine. Oh, sorry - is not an app. Is just a website, didn't have time to bundle it into an app.

So, coming back to you, January 2026. Where did you go?

Started the month strong, like all people in all januaries since the invention of the calendar. A lot of goals, hustle and bustle. A month of building momentum - yeah, sure.. I worked on a new product, got my first paying customers on the one I started last year, and tried to stay consistent with the habits I set out for 2026.

None of that mattered. On Jan 30th, I lost my grandfather. Yes, he was really old but he left a big empty space in our family. Hope his well up there, and forever thankful for everything he tought me.

List of stuff I did and want to remember in 10 years when my kids will take up all my time:

  • First revenue from w*******r.io — Two customers paid for the product this month. The first one on January 7th, the second bought a $29 plan on January 30th.

  • Launched r***.***s — Built the initial setup in a weekend - thank you Claude, my friend. Scraped data from all major Romanian cities with the help of a free Google API subscription.

  • Somewhat consistet — Kept up daily journaling, 1-hour side project daily sessions, and zero Netflix throughout the month.

  • Health — back at the gym, plus home workouts and pilates when my wife forces me to accompany her. Went through a full round of medical checkups (dentist, ophthalmologist, pneumology, etc) —
    seems like all clear.

  • Reading — Haruki Murakami (Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage) and the Elon Musk (by Walter Isaacson).

  • Started the year in Maramures — after New Years eve, family time, snowy drives, planning the year ahead.

    By the Numbers

    • first 2 paying customers of my life
    • 2 books finished
    • 1 new product launched
    • 15 gym/workout sessions
    • 0 Netflix hours
    • 20+ daily habit check-ins