Dear friends,
Wishing you a Happy Christmas from Jon, Serena and little bean.
It’s been a busy year for our family - full of change. In March, we moved to Norwich, a city in the east of England.
We were ready to leave London after 18 years, and we had a blank map - we could have moved anywhere - so we made a list of criteria. We wanted a small walkable city, with culture and character that is affordable and not too cold. Norwich - a place I’d never even visited - topped our list. And after lots of research and a couple of visits, we decided to take the plunge - not knowing a single person there.
Norwich is a remarkable city. It’s been such a pleasure uncovering it day by day, and finding exactly what I was looking for in a home. It’s teeming with history - it’s got two cathedrals, a Norman castle, and you can’t move for medieval churches - there are 31 still standing within the city walls, which is a little excessive.
The city centre is pedestrianised, and I love wandering the cobbled lanes. There’s many more independent shops and restaurants than average here, each with hand painted signs. They make it feel different to other towns and cities I’ve known. And at its centre, is a thriving market that’s been on that spot for 800 years, selling tapas, tacos and fish and chips, amongst other things.
Its best feature is how practical it is - Norwich is a 15 minute city. It has everything I need, and it’s on my doorstep. I can cycle to the nursery, the library, the board game night, a pilates class, my new studio, the shops, all in five minutes. It’s a far cry from getting a 30 minute tube to be anywhere useful.
The most daunting challenge was making new friends, but we faced it head on. I’ve never been one for chatting to strangers - but we forced ourselves to start up conversations in cafés, and ask people for their numbers, and it’s worked. People have more time for a chat here compared to London, and it really helps you feel less lonely, when you don’t really know anyone.
Finding gaming friends was a financial necessity, so it required some real commitment. I met my first one before we’d even moved - I found someone selling a copy of Obsession on Vinted, and saw they lived in Norwich, so I struck up a conversation, and he’s become a regular at my table. I met another one from my daughter pointing out a kid from nursery in the park - I started talking to his dad, who had a friend who likes games, and two days later that guy was round for game night!
Our little bean is now 2 years old, and she’s everything they advertise for a toddler. Adorable and happy half the time, until you make one false move and it causes a full on meltdown. At a distance, I feel for her and her fizzy brain, but in the moment it’s infuriating when I make a vague move towards the fridge when “she wants to get the milk” and it derails the whole morning.
At the moment, she’s more excited by puzzles than board games, but I’m hopeful she’ll come back around - I’ve got some Bluey games for her for Christmas. She loves opening up my new arrivals, and helping me punch out the pieces.
It was a year of firsts - I tried improv for the first time. It was hard, but fun! I had my first ice bath, which I lasted longer in than I thought I would. And I found a publisher for my first game design (coming Spring 2027).
Health-wise, I’m still struggling with the sesamoiditis I had last year, which means I can’t walk or do much on my feet for long periods. It’s incredibly frustrating - I’m on my fourth custom insole, and can’t find the right solution. It’s been hard to carve out time to look after myself with everything else going on.
As for work - it’s been an underwhelming year. It’s hard not to compare the stats to years gone by. And nothing came close to the heights of 2023, which I worry I’ll never reach again. I blame myself, but I also read that other channels are struggling to find their usual audience, and I’m glad I can at least creep towards 100,000 views with my Couples Games video. My biggest disappointment was my “Why Board Games Are So Good For You” video, which I put my heart and soul into, and it failed to break through, despite some lovely feedback.
One positive has been my new Shelf Help series, which feels like a fresh angle for the channel. I hope the upcoming second one has a similar response, and it can become a semi-regular feature. It’s ready tomorrow, but I’m saving it until after Christmas, for when people have more time to watch it.
And to you, I’m sorry for going quiet at times this year. I’m not very good at juggling all the plates, and I’m quite single-minded in “getting the video done”. But, there’s good news coming on this front that will bring more Patreon content back. Expect an announcement in the new year. There was a hidden visual clue in my last video, but not a single person noticed it 😂
The first video in the new year will be my usual “Best Games of the Year”, and I’m still finalizing my list as I get my last plays in - but it’s been a good year games wise. I’d love to hear which games have lit up your tables this year.
Thank you so much for your support this year. I hope you get to play some games this Christmas.
Actually yours,
Jon, Serena and little bean