2021 Year in Review

Personal

This year, I tried to put my personal life before the professional. I didn't always succced, but my resolution for this year was to "stop the hustle". I was sick of the after-hours work, the weekend work, the fifteen side gigs, the many extra projects and presentations... I used to feel like this hustle was necessary to get ahead in my career but now that I have the perfect role at an amazing company, I feel like I need to re-train myself to realise I can spend my weekends socialising, exploring, and resting.

Family

The best part of my year was the time spent with my beautiful little family. Dakoda and I had a fantastic year together, despite all the external stress. I am coming to the end of 2021 feeling like our relationship is happier and stronger than it's ever been.

The other members of our family were also a source of joy—and some sorrow—this year. Despite the successful surgery last year, Gremlin's tumour returned in January and grew until she was unable to have bowel movements unaided. Around the same time, Shade began to have trouble breathing and slowed down significantly. They spent every waking (and sleeping) moment together and we realised they were holding on for each other. Ultimately, we made the incredibly difficult decision to allow them both to go peacefully together at the vet's office. The benefit of this decision is that we got to spend their last night totally spoiling them. (You can see in one of the pictures below, Gremlin is having a bath while Shade is eating the six inch sandwich from Subway they got to share.) They fell asleep in my arms, and Shade chattered happily the whole time.

Dakoda and I weren't the only ones to miss our beautiful girls when they passed; Chip struggled. She'd lost three of her sisters in as many months and gained two more. At first, she didn't want anyone to talk to her—human or rat. She grew into the role of top-rat pretty quickly, caring for her younger sisters Fig and Willow, but it took longer for her to be okay with Dakoda and I. She bit me several times this year—not just playful nips, but proper blood-drawing bites. Through persistence and a lot of treats, she's content again now and happy to sit and cuddle with us.

We added another furbaby to our family this year as well. Biscuit is a Schnoodle (schnauzer x poodle) full of mischief and chaos. We adopted him from a family who had originally bought him from a breeder but decided they couldn't keep up with the needs of a puppy. And boy, he's been a lot of work! But he's also been the best decision I've ever made and I love him immensely.

Home

In April 2021, we put in an offer on an apartment! This meant the first few months of my year were spent researching, updating spreadsheets, and trekking between apartment inspections.

We settled the apartment in May, which was perfect timing; housing prices in Melbourne have been increasing ever since. We ripped out the 10 year old carpet and replaced it with floating floorboards, we added wallpaper to a couple of rooms, and we switched the dome lights with modern in-built fittings and some glamorous pendants. Moving inbetween lockdowns and renovations was an ordeal, but now that we've settled in (including drilling some holes in the walls to hang shelves and artwork), it feels like we've lived here forever.

Our new apartment has been especially wonderful with lockdowns easing. We are close to everything: plenty of cafes and restaurants, the gym, a park, the art galleries, the tram line, and the new office I'll be moving into next year. As game industry events start again, I'll be walking distance from a lot of the common venues. As life becomes more varied again, I'm excited to experience it from my new home base.

Health

When I moved into my new apartment, I joined the gym downstairs. Despite lockdowns getting in the way of my routines a few times, I've finally found a bit of a rhythm. I've been going a few times a week, including cardio, resistance, hybrid, and stretch classes. Next year, they're also starting a selection of pilates and yoga classes. My goal for 2022 is to go to classes six days a week. On my "rest" day, I'm going to try to go to the meditation studio a couple of blocks away. I only managed to go once this year, but it was a lovely experience and I'm hoping I can make it part of my wellbeing routine.

Regular physio check-ups have been a part of my health routine this year too. I've been to the physio the first week of every month since I moved, and I'm finding it really helps with my fibro, as well as the general muscular discomfort you get from regular gym sessions and working a desk job. I've also been to the doctor fairly regularly, getting blood tests to keep an eye on my health. I had my first ever iron infusion this year, which helped with my fatigue and got my iron levels back to the normal for the first time in a couple of years. I had quite a few fibro flare-ups of varying intensities throughout the year of course, but it's been nice knowing exactly what it is that's causing my discomfort, and to have some meaningful strategies to treat my pain.

In COVID news, I'm double-vaxxed now and will be eligible for my booster next year. Hopefully the omicron variant doesn't shut us down again in the meantime.

Adventures

During the times when we've been out of lockdown this year, I've managed to sneak in some adventures. I went to a high ropes course in the Dandenongs, and proved to myself that I could do something that I was always too scared to do as a teenager. I went to an antique store called Hunted Antiques and Collectibles and to some indoor vintage markets in Geelong, as well as witchcraft themed outdoor markets in Bulla. I searched for Uoouoos around the city, did some geocaching, and checked out the Scienceworks (although it was mostly just touch screens, which was disappointing).

In March 2021, I visited QLD for the first time in over a year and saw my parents. It was a weird feeling to walk around places I used to live with the distance of time and space. I went beachcombing at Coolum and Mooloolaba, wandered around the Plaza, and ate chips from my old favourite Charcoal Chicken shop. I played June's Journey with my Mum and Stardew Valley with my Dad, and we did a jigsaw puzzle on the dining table together. As I was leaving, my Dad told me, "I know I joke around a lot but I'm proud of you. I have to joke because I'm your dad." It was a wonderful time and I'm looking forward to visiting again in 2022.

Social

With COVID restrictions easing, I was also able to see people and socialise a little this year. In addition to my existing virtual commitments—like (almost) weekly games and chats with Ben and Jess—I had the pleasure of meeting up with various people for brunches, lunches, and dinners. The people I work with are amazing, and I've been able to form some wonderful friendships with folks this year and strengthen existing friendships with others.

This year, we also attended the wonderful wedding of our friends Merry and Bam.

Hobbies

During the lockdowns, I filled my time with indoor activities. I made art using both methods I already know (like painting and embroidery) and tried new things (like lino prints and marble painting). I learned a little violin and also picked up a new instrument—the tin whistle. I read books, played boardgames, and stared out the window of our apartment to the busy street below.

But my favourite passtime is still videogames, and I played a lot of them this year. Towards the end of the year, I started playing Final Fantasy XIV again, and that has been all-consuming, but otherwise I've mostly dedicated my year to wholesome games like Animal Cross: New Horizons (and the DLC), Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town, Fossil Corner, Luna's Fishing Garden, Cozy Grove, Cloud Garden, Lemon Cake, Alba: A Wildlife Adventure, Haven Park, Potion Craft, Deep Space Gardening, Grow: Song of the Evertree, Wytchwood, Toem, Slime Rancher, and probably more. My Switch got a workout this year, with plenty of cozy couch games to keep me occupied.

Professional

Side hustles were less of a priority for me this year, but my main hustle was still a major part of 2021.

Sledgehammer Games

The project I've been working on at SHG since early last year was announced in mid-2021, and then released in November. I poured my heart into Call of Duty: Vanguard, and grew as a producer and a person by managing a large team to bring one of the campaign levels to life.

I also dedicated a huge part of my year at SHG to diversity, equity, and inclusion work. It's been amazing to finally have the opportunity to do this work inside a major games company, with the influence and resources to make genuine change in this industry. My dedication to DE&I was so strong that I worked with our studio leadership to create a brand new role, which I stepped into in September. I'm now the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Manager for all four of SHG's global studio locations, and my team will be growing next year!

Unfortunately, our parent company was in the news for a lot of disappointing reasons this year, and that has made me feel a mixture of exhausted and fired-up. My hope is that being in this new role will give me the power to make change within our company and within the wider industry. We have a lot of work to do.

Other Achievements

Although I stepped back from my side hustles this year, I still managed to achieve some pretty awesome things professionally outside of my SHG commitments. Represent Me is going well, and our major project—the Best Practice Guidelines—were published this year. We hope that these articles will help bridge the gap between free resources and paid consultancy for individuals and groups who want to do better but can't afford dedicated support. I've been wanting to create this resource since 2018, so I am chuffed that we finally succeeded in building a first edition of articles that were written and edited by people with lived experience who were also paid fairly for their words, time, and skills.

As part of my Represent Me role, I helped with the IGDA LGBTQ+ SIG roundtable at virtual GDC this year. Following that, I stepped down from my role in the IGDA LGBTQ+ SIG. I learned to say "no" to a lot of things this year, including many speaking opportunities and events. I respected my evenings and my weekends more than I have before. However, I did say "yes" to one speaking invitation, despite it being at 11pm local time. In December, the United Nations asked me to speak on a panel for the UN Women's contingent in Europe about gender-based violence in online spaces. You can't say "no" to the UN.

I also managed to do some writing this year. I was lucky to find a publisher who wanted to share the short story collection I wrote as part of my thesis back in 2018, and I wrote an updated afterword for that to share some of my research into queer identities and fairytales in a less academic tone. I hope that the exploration of queer women in fairy tale settings brings some readers as much joy as it brought me writing them.

I also found myself inspired to write for myself for the first time in years. I'm currently working on a collection of non-fiction essays based on the various learning rabbit holes I have been diving into—phytochemistry, Wicca, the history of domestic appliances, tarot, natural medicine, and more. Maybe one day I will share this collection with the world, but maybe it's just for me, and I'm fine with it either way.

Goals for 2022

Looking ahead, I'm trying not to put too much pressure on myself for 2022. I want to focus more on routines than on outcomes. I want to go to the gym regularly, go to the meditation studio regularly, go and see new things, spend time with my loved ones... I don't have "lose X many kilos" or "meditate every day" goals this year; I don't want to set goals that I am destined to fail. I just want to prioritise myself and practice making positive behaviours part of my everyday life. I think that's within the realm of possibility, no matter what 2022 decides to throw at us.

Professionally, I want to continue seeking work/life balance. I want to get better at considering every opportunity with clarity and sometimes saying "no".

And I want to start a revolution—you know, just in my spare time.

26-12-2021