According to the WHO’s Motor Development Study (2006), most babies learn how to walk between 8 to 18 months old.
But what does it feel like when, in your late 20s, life suddenly forces you to learn how to walk all over again?
Hey—nice to e-meet you. I’m Jeff. A corporate guy who’s spent around six years building a career across several multinational companies in Jakarta.
As of today, it’s been 8 days since my ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) surgery. I’m currently in recovery mode, and soon enough, I’ll be relearning how to walk—at an age that’s inching closer to 30.
Too old to learn how to walk again? Maybe.
But this isn’t really about age. It’s about dealing with boredom—being stuck with limited mobility for the next 2–3 months.
Learning to Walk Again
According to my doctor, it’ll take about 2–3 months before I can walk normally again, and around 6–10 months before I can return to more intense physical activities like futsal, running, or martial arts.
Thankfully, my company allows me to work from home during this recovery period.
Outside of work, though? It’s pretty repetitive. Reading books, watching history and political podcasts on YouTube, or diving into astronomy documentaries. That’s about it.
And honestly, it gets boring—especially when the world outside feels anything but calm.
As of March 22, 2026, the global situation feels… tense.
There’s growing concern about a potential large-scale conflict involving the United States and its allies like Israel, facing off against Iran and potentially drawing in major powers such as Russia and China. While it hasn’t escalated into a full-scale global war, the geopolitical tension is real and closely watched by analysts worldwide.
Financial markets are reacting too. Global stock markets have shown volatility, gold prices have been climbing—partly driven by continued accumulation from countries like China—and oil prices are under pressure due to instability in the Middle East. The Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical oil supply routes, is always a key flashpoint; any disruption there could send oil prices soaring dramatically (historically, even speculation alone has pushed prices up significantly).
As someone with a bachelor’s degree in International Relations—and also a swing trader in the Indonesian stock market—this is actually a fascinating time.
There’s a lot of fear in the market. And where there’s fear, there’s always two possibilities: opportunity… or disaster.
That’s exactly why—caught between a boring recovery phase and a very “interesting” global situation—I decided to build a personal portfolio website.
Partly for professional branding.
Partly to get back into writing.
Learning to Write Again
I’ve always loved journalism.
For context, I was active in blogging from 2014 to 2022—until my domain expired. During that time, I won a few blog competitions and once dreamed of becoming a writer.
Back in high school, I even submitted a 100+ page manuscript to publishers… multiple times. None of them made it through.
This time feels different.
Now, I’m building a new website—this time as a portfolio—with two main goals:
- To strengthen my personal brand as a professional
- To share my thoughts on pretty much anything that interests me
Is Having a Website Still Relevant?
If your goal is pure engagement, then honestly—no. A website can’t compete with platforms like TikTok or Instagram.
But for personal branding? I’d say it’s still very relevant—especially if the design is clean and well thought out.
Relevance also depends on the audience. From my experience, millennials and older generations still see personal websites as something credible—even impressive—in a professional context.
So yeah—this is my personal portfolio website.
Nice to e-meet you!