Straight to it.

First, the general busyness over the last couple of months. It's involved jumping through a bunch of hoops, but the channel is now set up as a business. I'm mostly doing this for tax purposes. I don't make much, but the Australian government still wants its cut. Turning the channel into a business means that I can claim expenses and help keep more of the money I make. America and Australia get their cut before anything touches my account, so every advantage helps.

Second, as part of the channel's continued growth, I have partnered with GOG. Going forward, you'll find GOG discount links to all the games I cover in the video description. I've supported GOG for years, well before they became popular, so this was always a natural next step to supporting their work. When you purchase using those links you're also supporting the channel as I get a small kick-back. On to the meat of this hotdog.

The new video had modest ambitions and has since shifted slightly, broadened in scope. Over the last month I have played Quake Enhanced, Quake 2, Quake 2 64, Doom 64, Quake 4, Doom 3, and I'm currently playing through Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil. You might notice a theme. ;)

I don't think the angle of my video has been covered before. Youtube is a very deep pool so there could be a video out there I haven't found, but it doesn't matter. As I began playing my target games (yes, I'm still being coy about the topic), a broader talking point began to emerge until it was staring me down. This is an opinion piece, sure, but it comes from a place of emotional resonance. Expect logic and research, but also expect that much of it, the general thrust, will ride on feelings and wishes. I also imagine that opinions will be divided (fiercely, if the Stalker 2 critics were any indication). You can't touch games like Doom and Quake without pissing off some corner of the fandom. So much for keeping the video short, hey. Sometimes you have to go where the topic takes you.

I'll be taking a week-long break over Christmas to spend time with family. During this time I may work on the video script if there's free time (and assuming I'm still in the script-writing phase...), but I'm treating this block as a holiday to decompress, so any work done is a bonus. I won't be anywhere near video editing tools so don't expect uploads or action during that week. That also extends to the longplay channel.

What's Blondie playin'?

Abiotic Factor is almost finished (finally!). There are so many games to check out that it's hard to know what to play next. Maybe Escape From Duckov or Darkenstein 3D.

Ambitions

Still working through the backlog of fellow creator videos. They're a fantastic bunch.

Personal Ambitions

Running: The perceived effort is getting better. I clocked a lap PR recently, despite it being in Zone 2. I'm always looking for ways to switch things up to continue pushing gains. I've also noticed a niggling stiffness in my right glute which might be related to my running action. I haven't been stretching post-run, but it'll need to become a priority if I want to stay injury-free.

Food: I've been eating dinner at 5pm this month instead of the usual 6-7pm, and its done wonders for my sleep. I'm getting consistent 80 sleep scores, even if I only get 6-6.5hrs a night. I'm also 'greasing the groove' again (push ups, squats) to burn some of the surplus calories. Portion size is still a struggle, but I'm prioritising protein now, and that definitely helps. Also trying to choose healthier options when eating out with the family. Caesar salads are my go-to, I could smash them every day, so good. Add some chicken and you've got a high protein meal which always scratches the itch without breaking the calorie bank.

I'll drop another post closer to Christmas. Thanks so much for supporting me this year! It's gone by quickly, it never feels like there's enough time.

Talk soon, posse.