Writing
Notes, letters, and longer thoughts about games, play, and whatever I’m noticing.
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What Does It Even Mean to Be a Mom Gamer?
Gaming after bedtime, guilt about joy, and the identity shift nobody really talks about.
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I Think I Need Closed Loops Now
I broke my no-buy challenge for Pokopia. It stresses me out. Dragon Quest doesn't. I think I've changed.
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Where Backlog Explorer Is Heading in 2026
A refocus on effortless imports and recommendations that feel right.
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Playing in Seasons
Tracking games alongside my cycle revealed shifting needs for comfort, curiosity, and depth across inner seasons.
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My App Died When a Real User Showed Up
A power user with 1000 games broke my app, forcing me to learn pagination, query tuning, and real-world scaling fast.
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I can build an app, but can't land a job?
A candid look at job hunting after my contract ended: rejection fatigue, self-doubt, and staying hopeful anyway.
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A confession
A rambly admission about using ChatGPT for posts, losing my voice, and deciding to write in a messier, truer way.
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Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Day: Giving Myself Permission to Be Excited
Switch 2 launch day brought joy and guilt: a personal reflection on wanting something just for me, right now, at launch.
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More Than a Console: What the Switch Means to Me
How the Switch became a thread through grief, change, and motherhood, and why its joy feels personal and grounding.
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Lets get technical... and hormonal?!
Refactoring during my inner autumn: slower energy, deeper focus, and the moment testing finally clicked for me.
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Why I Let Go of Backlog Buddy (and Built Backlog Explorer Instead)
Why a simple tracker evolved into Backlog Explorer: a shift from finishing lists to understanding moods, memory, and play.
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Why I DNF Games (And Why That’s Okay)
Why I mark some games DNF, the freedom it brings, and the titles I'm letting go of without guilt or apology, on purpose.
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Sunset Stories: Interconnections in a Tiny PICO-8 Game
Behind the scenes of Sunset Stories, a tiny PICO-8 game where small tasks ripple through a connected world at dusk.
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Reflections on My First Dev Role
What my first dev role taught me about speed, impact, and myself after taking a big leap into startup life and shipping fast.
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From Spielberg’s A.I. to Fast.ai: My Personal Deep Dive into AI
A movie spark turned into a fast.ai deep dive: playful experiments, messy data lessons, and the patience it takes to learn machines.
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The Infinite Side Quest: Trying to Beat My Game Backlog
A candid look at my ever-growing game backlog, the thrill of new releases, and the question of how to play what I already own.
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The Coding Adventure: Building My Blog Step by Step
Building this blog from scratch taught me frameworks, databases, and patience, all while juggling mom life and learning in public.
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A Hobbit’s Tale: The Long Journey to the Last Page
A lighthearted account of my slow, snack-filled journey through The Hobbit and the joys of finishing anyway, at my pace.
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Why My Move to France Put My Coding Journey on Hold (And How I’m Reclaiming It)
Moving to France paused my coding path, but an unexpected project pulled me back and reminded me I could do this.
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Recreating Pong in Godot
My first Godot devlog: choosing a challenge, getting unstuck, and rebuilding Pong one tiny step at a time with lots of learning.
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Classes and IDs Made Easy!
A friendly, non-technical explainer of classes and IDs, using everyday metaphors to make HTML and CSS feel approachable.
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My Bootcamp Learning Plan
My bootcamp learning plan: goals, supports, boundaries, and how I hoped to balance study with family life and uncertainty.
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Reflections on Core Learning
A core learning reflection on self-belief, comparison, and what I learned about my ego during bootcamp foundations.
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The Art of Problem Solving
Thoughts on JavaScript katas and what they revealed about my problem-solving style, patience, and mindset shifts.
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Unlocking the Potential of Your Brain: Neuroplasticity and the Growth Mindset
An intro to neuroplasticity and growth mindset, and why the brain's ability to change matters for learning and resilience.
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Strengthening Wellbeing with Te Whare Tapa Whā
A simple plan for holistic wellbeing using Te Whare Tapa Wha, with small daily practices for each wall and base.
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Understanding JavaScript: A Non-Technical Guide
A non-technical guide to JavaScript basics and how it works with HTML and CSS to bring pages to life for readers.
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The Power of Emotional Intelligence: Understanding EQ vs IQ
A plain-language look at emotional intelligence, how it differs from IQ, and why it matters in daily life and work.
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My First Week at Coding Bootcamp
Notes from my first bootcamp week: learning tools fast, managing focus and fatigue, and building early confidence.
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How My Identity and Values Shape My Learning Journey
Reflections on how culture and experience shape my values, and what those values look like when tested in real moments.
- Jan102026
To: Chiara
Dear Chiara - January 10 2026
- Jan62026
To: Joan Didion
Dear Joan Didion - January 06 2026
- Jan52026
To: Oli
Dear Oli - Letter 02 - January 05 2026
- Dec232025
To: Oli
Dear Oli - Letter 01 - December 23 2025
- Dec192025
To: Donkey Kong Bananza
Dear Donkey Kong Bananza - December 19 2025
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I've gone back to do post game content but then realized that it requires going back in time in the game and that you lose memories and the bond with your party and stuff. And I really don't want to do that. I had emotional closure. But now it's asking me to undo that closure for a chance to bring her back and I'm not sure I want to. It's like a different experience than the one I have spent all this time in until now. Which version of the experience do I want to live with? And if I choose 'my experience' and don't go back, does that mean I haven't played the game truly? Does that matter?
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Dear diary, I guess...I'll start keeping record now.
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Its kinda crazy how a game needs youtube tutorials in order to get you hooked to it. But I am fully hooked on this game now. Even though I've tried this game's demo on several occassions and found it too obtuse. But after watching a good youtube tutorial, I am totally hooked. Does that make a game bad or good?
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Everyone praises how this game looks but the character models don't do it for me. I am not as convinced by how it looks. But maybe it's because I'm playing on Steam Deck.
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I do like how Meredith remembers little things about places as she drives past them...like 'oh this is where I had my first kiss.' Also the awkwardness between her and her old best friend...wow. It reminds me a bit of when I reconnected with an old best friend. Its like you have all this history together and yet, things have changed between us and we're different people now.
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Did two days of work.I do wish driving was more like Euro Truck — let me do blinkers and stuff. Right now it just feels like moving between conversations. I guess this is a genre of game I don't really play often...walking sims. The driving is just a transition screen to what would've been a 'choose your own' type of narrative
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Started this for cozy game club and won the key giveaway. That honestly warmed my heart.
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Everything suddenly feels grindy. The wood just will not spawn, and I can’t move forward with Toby’s house. I’m starting to feel stuck instead of cozy.
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I want to build all the villagers’ houses. Right now it looks like Toby is the only one left. That feels close enough to be motivating. But also… not close-close.
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I picked this back up for cozy gaming club and realized I’m way further than I thought.But I also know myself. If I don’t make a plan, I’ll just mill around and make no real progress.