2025 - The year that did not go as planned
Earlier in the year, I set a few goals for myself . . . and ended up doing none of them. Life, in its unpredictable manner, pulled me in a completely different direction.
The year began with a new job at the forefront of a very niche security field; Android Malware Research. I started working with a team of absolute geniuses, and the impact I’ve been able to make has been deeply fulfilling. Around the same time, I received my green card and moved into my own apartment (my first since relocating) for the job. The transition was jarring, and for weeks I felt adrift. I started going to the gym and reduced my diet to mostly vegetables, fruits, and meat (I’m told it’s healthy, but it was mostly laziness-inspired).
Less than a month later, 5hyl0ck came to visit, and after five long years, I finally met all members of M4xHedRum in person, experiencing a familiar presence in an unfamiliar place was grounding. A few weeks after I traveled to Boston to celebrate a friend I hadn't seen in nearly a decade - it was beautiful sitting across from old friends and knowing we'd each taken different paths that led us to that moment. I also dropped by a friend's wedding, it felt nice being present for one of their happiest moments.
I made new friends as well - coworkers, neighbors, and people from places I regularly hang out. I hope to put myself out there more in 2026 and build deeper, more intentional relationships.
About a year after moving, I visited Nigeria. It was a bittersweet trip that forced me to confront the finality of my relocation. The lack of shared life experiences with the people I was closest to had made our lives to drift apart. I wasn’t the same person I had been before the move, and they weren’t either. That shift fractured some relationships that couldn’t withstand the change, and some of those losses hurt deeply. I realized I don’t handle loss well. I fixated on everything I could have done differently, torturing myself with guilt and regret. Eventually — after a long conversation with my siblings — I understood that it takes two to tango, and that self-awareness should be used to guide future choices, not as a weapon against myself.
Letting go took time. I spent weeks sleepwalking through life, but I’ve finally released much of that emotional weight. When those thoughts resurface — as emotions inevitably do — I remind myself that I did my best. I made compromises, held myself accountable, and tried to mend fractures by shouldering blame, even when it wasn’t entirely mine. Life unfolded as it did, and I’ve come to terms with the role I played. The silver lining is that the disruption also helped me break some bad habits. Not all bonds suffered from distance, though. I spent time with the AB boys and had a great time, stopped by blitzz hangout to party with familiar faces, and hung out with LGx. I do regret not seeing Lulz before leaving the country.
After Nigeria, I traveled to Canada- my first time self-sponsoring a visit to another country - and it was an exhilarating week. I spent time with Tomi and 5hyl0ck (Kunle flaked but that's a signature move). I walked outside the CN tower 1815 feet above the ground, tried an escape room, a haunted house, and a VR game arena, and met a Nigerian DJ while taking in the Toronto skyline. I also visited 5hyl0ck's place (I'm jealous of his setup). I enjoyed my experience and would 100% do it again.
I also officially setup Maxhed LLC (MaxhedRum LLC was already taken). While I haven't publicly announced the launch, I'm already working on the agency. I can't wait to fail again and again until I get it right. I began learning the guitar, tried bouldering a few times, dressed as Toji Fushiguro for Halloween, visited a gun range, learned how to drive (sane way), and signed up for boxing and Muay Thai. I submitted 2 AOSP CVEs (both dupes, T_T ) and a few other CVEs I'm not particularly proud of.
Toward the end of the year, I finally got my driver's license, bought a car, and drove it straight from the dealership to the airport to pick up my mum. Having her in my space and showing her who I’m becoming was a nice feeling I did not anticipate. Her visit was short, and she has a way of cutting through the BS with honesty, but it was grounding and deeply appreciated. I also spent Christmas with Tomi, and it reinforced an important lesson: people who truly care will show it in their actions and decisions. If you don't feel it, it isn’t there. Words alone are hollow.
2025 didn’t go as planned. It was an emotional rollercoaster, but I'm still here. I'm in a better place than I was a year ago, and I feel lighter - unburdened by a past I clung to for too long, and by a future I placed too much weight on. I learned a lot about myself: how I interact with people, how I express myself and how I process loss and anger. I also learned a lot about others, especially the importance of avoiding self-saboteurs and those unwilling to change. Above all, I learned that no love given is wasted and that people are a summation of those they surround themselves with.
In 2026, I’ll unapologetically prioritize myself. My goals will be more internal — who I am and who I’m becoming — and less external — what I do.
2025 in 124-ish pictures here