It's funny talking to both tabletop game devs & video game devs because apparently they have two entirely distinct understandings of how games are allowed to work despite being related spaces. Devs I've met tell war stories of how different implementation vocabs lead to communication issues. Wild.

Drives me crazy that when older people talk about the "good old days" it usually refers to times where there were no upheld social standards and they didn't think about other people when interacting with them.

When I talk to [traumatized] elders and [depressed] youths, they feel too similar. Suffering, bullying, ignorance, get normalized to them and destroy healthy relationships. Yet they often can't help each other because their worlds are different. Time creates a cultural language barrier. It's buns.

Asked if they were a scammer/bot and the account instantly nuked itself. Personally haven't seen that one before. Hopefully that means they won't be using that account to phish more people. Stay safe online lol.

It's hard to work together when using different base definitions for everything. Trying to reason terms of engagement takes up most of any conversation. Dealing with people who struggle to accept redefinition of ideas always feels like insanity. It's taught me how deeply important communication is.

For my birthday I want you to do something good for someone else. Don't care who or how big that something is. 2 words, 5 seconds, go do it. Here's to another year of life.

The road to [severe interpersonal conflict] is paved with [failed communication].

I'm constantly reminded that age doesn't necessitate experience, and experience doesn't inherently mean learning happened. I just watched an old person I care for do something very clearly dumb and face the (mild) consequences. I respect the elderly, but many still have lots to learn and discover!

Going to talks and conventions (Game dev, Art, TTRPG) and meeting lots of people has been awesome. Everyone just wants to engage, create, do. There's a lot of inherent anxiety to that, but the common ground helps people share their experiences and enjoy the process. Start stuff, community follows.

It's hard to sleep while the concentrated wills of the power hungry burn down the lives of the people you love. But we must. (I say, sleep deprived.) Have to trust. Gotta rest. We'll each do our part to build a better future. It's a marathon, and everyone needs the energy to keep moving forwards..

No thoughts, only feesh.

Building a healthy bond with your sibling is easy and fun. Talk honestly and be nice to them, and they'll be nice back. Be generous, give them food, and they'll randomly drop you a piece of tiramisu at 1am. Piece of cake (literal).

Every person I've ever met who's an ass or bigot: 1. Doesn't know any better 2. Is scared of the consequences of being wrong Holding others accountable is a hopeful act. Hoping they override fear, accept consequences, become better. It's our responsibility to each other. Have this pic of Vancouver.

As my friend groups age, most recent discussions seem focused on what being friends means. How we act in reference to each other, and why. I see a pattern of relationships lasting through honest discussion, with active accountability from all parties. Maturity displayed as care, effort, acceptance.

Community cures fear and isolation. The lonely become selfish and vulnerable because they're all they have. When you talk to people around you, learn more about them, and create lasting relationships, you never feel alone. Make friends. Look out for each other. Prevent kings before they happen.

I lied reflexively as a child, feeling unsafe with myself and the world. Lies mold themselves to expectations, spreading like a virus and getting you and everyone else sick. Be honest with yourself, care about others health, and make safe spaces for discourse. It empowers everyone to do their best.

Pride is knowing you do your best for those you care about. That you're yourself in a way that your future would approve of. I hope you each can feel proud. If not now, then later. 🏳️‍🌈

But have you tried Rubber Duck Debugging your moral code?

Note to self: Stop talking to the narcissist like they care about anybody but their own interest. It doesn't matter how well they mask it, they're always going to misconstrue every point towards their self obsession. All regardless of conscious intent, and you shouldn't fault having empathy to them.

Forcing myself to write things down over the past couple years made me engage in more active thinking. Iterating on concepts tangibly has helped me organize, plan, and memorize better. Ideas can be anything in your head, but if you can't describe them to others through any medium, they aren't real.

May unfortunate circumstances never kill your desire to do, create, and experience cool things.

In my experience people harm themselves/others because they're scared of changing themselves. Do the [familiar, normalized thing] rather than face new viewpoints. Latch onto the "easy" solutions because adapting is perceived as hard. Kill bigotry/patriarchy by teaching people that change is normal.

Up late thinking about how undersupported youths develop into isolated & fearful adults. Their experience is one of insecurity, which is then imparted onto everything. Loss aversion mindsets, inflexible world definitions, attachment to propaganda. I know too many. Wish they had known love as kids.

Being outside clears my brain.

Consent is possibly the most important part of relationships. Clearly communicated social boundaries prevent unfortunate assumptions and help steer towards positive engagement. Play games under the same set of rules, and have more fun for it. When things aren't fun, discuss rule changes together.

There's lots going on and lots to do. It's easy to get overwhelmed so try to break down problems into smaller actions. Plan simple, doable tasks. Find out what you can work on, and complete those tasks one by one. Keep steady pace. That's all we can ever do, so map it out and keep moving forward.

Fear is False Evidence Appearing Real People are hostile to what they fear. Looking at and listening to others experiences replaces fear with familiarity and understanding. Mutual understanding brings everyone safety. Love and safety to all my trans/marginalized friends and peers. May you be seen.

Be thankful to those around you. Say it so they can hear it. Appreciation is often understated, as there's a lot of invisible effort behind the scenes. Letting others know that you're aware of and respect their efforts is easy to do consistently and makes everyone feel better. Here are some birds.

Take advantage/enjoyment of the little things, and life gets much easier. Identify little decision moments in your life and use them to build and maintain momentum. You can use the extra energy you gain to give yourself and others impulse to tackle challenging things. Have a lil bird made of snow.

Time is strange. Short events become memories that last lifetimes. Small words can spread to influence entire populations. Simple acts of appreciation can give people new leases on life. Spend a few minutes or hours on someone else, could save them the rest of their life. Worthwhile trade I'd say.

Check your work. Feel comfortable showing others things. It's just good practice, and you never know when someone might forget someone or overlook something important. Trust the process and don't look down on others mistakes. Friends don't let friends directly push to main without checking it out.

I have a bit to maintain. Send me SP nicknames to use please and thank you. Submission form: forms.gle/WU8gBXdZtszZ...

It's really easy to become a bystander. It's also really hard to live that way. Own the responsibility to learn about life, people, and what actions you can take. Taking interest and agency is freeing. Know where/why to exert effort, and empower yourself and others to do so. Have a snowy stream.

I cannot stress the importance of dedicating spaces for yourself. The right environment is empowering and comfortable. A quiet office and comfy bed make productivity skyrocket. Surround yourself with encouragement and love, and people who show you care. You're worth it Have this shot of Whistler.

To start this year I said goodbye to one grandparent. To end it, another. Life goes quicker than we realize and slower than we give it credit. Doesn't matter where you start, or even where you end. You have plenty of time, live your life. Do things you love. Embrace change. Have this little river.

"[When things are hard] I like to remember that everyone is living for the first time." is something my sister told me a while back and I can't agree more. Have patience with everyone (including yourself) when they make mistakes. It's a complex world and people are always learning. Have the ocean.

Kit 'n' Ink is officially out! You can download it at the VFS Arcade, link below! Have fun and share your best times! vfs-gdpg.itch.io/kit-n-ink

What's in a name other than the meaning we put in ourselves? Nothing. Like all words, in any language, the meaning changes as people do. Your identity develops meaning into your name. Not all will understand and thats okay. Choose your name. Your life can teach others what it means. Have a park.

A teacher of mine once advised to "Say the obvious, for it isn't obvious to everyone." It's so simple yet so necessary. Everyones understandings and experiences are different. Clarifying your thoughts/intentions creates accessibility, and avoids conflicts of misunderstanding. Have the moon light.

Happiness comes from within. Do what you want, become who you want. When you struggle it's best to reorient yourself and find what you want(need) to do. Sometimes it's hard or confusing, but set yourself in an environment where you are empowered to learn and grow and you will. Have some flowers.

Having the freedom to post 300 characters of whatever comes to mind to the entire world at any time is a rather scary system to have unmitigated access to. These digital opportunity spaces for engaging in asynchronous interactions provide such wonderous and profound experiences. Here, have a slug.