Diet & Nutrition

After a few years of trying to figure out why my anxiety had been steadily getting worse and why eating seemed to be causing me distress, I finally figured out the issue!

After starting anti-depressants, and the background anxiety was removed, I was still noticing pain, fatigue, anxiety and extreme bloating after meal-time. Turns out, I have celiac disease! Now that I follow a strict gluten-free diet, all of my symptoms have gone away. Barring the occasional glutening, which brings them all right back.

Watercolor & sketching

I used to love drawing as a kid, but fell out of it for a number of reasons. Over the years, I've tried to pick it back up but it never stuck. This time around, I learned about urban sketching, and a new, looser style, of drawing that's really captured my attention.

I don't have any work online, yet. But, I'll update this once I deem my stuff good enough to post. ;)

Learning guitar

Playing guitar is something I've wanted to learn since I was less than 10 years old. I've tried two times in the past to learn, but it never stuck. I always found it too difficult. Now, as an adult with a much higher tolerance for sucking at new skills, I've decided to give it a try again.

It hasn't even been a month yet (Jan 6, 2025) but I'm really enjoying the progress I've made and learning a new, physical, skill!

Reconnecting with photography

After YouTube sent me down the film photography rabbit hole, I got my parent's old 35mm cameras and went all-in. Having shot on digital since I was 13, it's been a wonderful change.

The slow, imperfect and physical nature of it all really spoke to me. Much like how manual pour overs and pulling espresso shots require focused attention, so does film photography.

You can check out some of my work on Instagram → @graingiant.

I've also started posting my work to Unsplash → @alexcaza

Bouldering

I had gone bouldering a few times many, many years ago and greatly enjoyed it. For whatever reason, it never stuck. It wasn't until my brother-in-law fell deep into the rabbit hole, and couldn't shut up about it, that I tried it again. I've only been going once a week, but I'm hooked. It's a wonderful activity.