Now

Updated January 25th 2026, from the Alfa Pendular from Lisboa -> Porto. One of my favourite offices. Today I did a hiking in Alcochete that I have been looking forward for quite some time. It was great.

I had some travels in the ending of last year. To Madeira and then to Évora, two Erasmus+ projects. At the end of the year I experienced SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder). I didn't even know what it was, but I was down, really down and told some friends and family. One great mentor told me to analyse my vitamin D levels and other things. I started supplementing it and got back to a proper gym routine and getting sunlight daily and it fixed it. It was hard and I am simplifying here, if you need help feel free to contact me and I give you more information or write a post about it.

I quit my skeeled job to focus on my goals which did not align 100% with skeeled ones. Especially the one that I want to go to Paraguay, for example, 3 months a year to get out of the winter season in Portugal and to make investments there. This is a big one for me and I have some opportunities popping up that allow me to meet this goal.

I am in the process of finding clients for Timeless Relic or to find a remote work that allows the 3 months at Paraguay and aligns with what I want to learn and focus. Posted with some regularity to LinkedIn and got some companies interested.

Two of which, Apple and Volkswagen group (makes Porsches, Lamborghinis, SEAT, and others). Both these companies are interested in opening offices in Paraguay. And it aligns perfectly with my ideas of investing there too. Paraguay is an hidden gem for technology companies wanting to expand. There are some Luxembourgish companies well established there already (such as Tigo). Long term it looks to me better than UAE, some are saying it will be the next Sillicon Valley. I see the potential too.

Besides that one, I received yesterday a email from Secjur showing interest in making me an offer. It's a very interesting challenge. They are in the stage skeeled was some years ago, and need someone to help with the infrastructure. Also the culture seems very similar to skeeled and a bit of the vibe I had at the team I work with in Farfetch.

There are other opportunities too, these are the ones that have my biggest interest. I also have been helping a bit my mothers business Relíquia Flores. She asked me to be CEO and help her grow it to a luxury brand. Which is an option too.

I am still waiting for the documents and all the legalities to being Chicorita, our cat that my now ex-girlfriend and I rescued in Paraguay. She's in a shelter at the care of a friend I met in Hostel Nomada in Asunción. People are super nice there. I'm impatient in this. I want to see that little kitty back soon!

Still working for skeeled some hours a week for maintenance and helping them find a person to take over the infrastructure work. If you're interested, shoot me an email. You must be able to go to the Porto office twice a week.

All these challenges, especially the SAD thing in the end/beginning of the year, taught me I have an amazing family and group of friends that help me and really care. I'm happy that I was open about what I was experiencing and that I received so much help! From everywhere. So, if you are having an hard time, do tell someone. It's easier with help.

Last now update I wrote that I wanted a more stable routine and less travel this year. This month of January has been exactly that. I joined the gym again and I setup my StrongLifts app with a split routine. Pushing my body to the limits first thing in the morning feels amazing to start the day with energy.

So, since I am free to do whatever schedule I want with my current clients. Here's my morning routine:

• Leave the phone charging at the living room and go to bed before 22:45. (Yes, the morning routine starts the day before). Sometimes earlier since I'm usually exhausted by 21:30.
• At bed I have some papers I can write something I forgot to do, to do next day. This allows me to relax fully.
• Then I paint something or just journal whatever I feel like.
• Usually wake up by between 6 and 7. Some days I've been out of bed before 6, yet when that happens I need to wait for the gym to open. Worst case scenario I set up my window covers to open a bit before sunrise so I wake up with the motor working or the sun shining in my room.
• Eat something light, like a banana with honey or banana+orange+bolacha Maria which is really good. Head to the gym and do my training. iPhone in do not disturb and I avoid email, slack or any chat. Just StrongLifts. I've been been testing no AirPods and no music while in the gym. Just focus on the training.
• After training, I've been going for a swim some days, sauna others, or directly home.
• Usually I see the sunrise while I'm leaving the gym. It's refreshing to see the city waking up after I've done my workout.
• Have a breakfast (which is not a break in my fast because I ate the pre train, in Portuguese we call it pequeno almoço, small lunch).
• Work 2-3h with deep focus, still in do not disturb mode on the iPhone and MacBook.
• When I finish the most important tasks for the day, usually by 12:30/13h I go for a small walk before lunch and have lunch with my family.

This morning routine is really nice for me and has been doing wonders in my mental and physical health. It also leaves the afternoon free for whatever I need. Go on a date, go for a walk, meetings and interviews, go birdwatching, cycle, enjoy the sun, learn some new skill, being a tourist in Porto or Rio Tinto, writing, etc.

I've also been spending some time in a small forest near my house where I grew up. It brings childhood memories. I have been planting some stuff at home, such as Chia seeds, strawberries, flowers as I'm curious about it. When I buy a piece of land/house I want to have a small food forest where I can pick berries and other types of food for my meals or snacks. Freshly picked food tastes so much better!

Finally, I bought Hytale, a game I've been looking forward to play for years. It reminds me of Minecraft and the mods I did for it. I want to make a server to play with friends and family, and I want it to be only playable from X time to Y time, in order to maintain my discipline without even trying.

That's too long for the now page. Hopefully next winter I will be able to spend it in Paraguay and even fly my family there for our first Christmas in summer.

This is a now page, and if you have your own site, you should make one, too.