Work
Language teaching got pretty intense for a while.
For a few months, lessons were taking almost all of my time and energy, and there wasn’t much left for anything else. I’ve slowly been reshaping the schedule since then, trying to find something more sustainable.
For now, I’ve managed to move all my students into the mornings. That already feels like a big improvement. By autumn, I’d like to free up another full day, maybe two, and get to the point where I only teach three or four days a week.
The goal is simple: make enough money to live, without giving the job all of my time and energy.
Creative Projects
The consequence of teaching so much is that almost everything creative stalled.
I haven’t written any music, barely practised, and haven’t moved either of the book projects forward.
The plan to film more things around the EP also went out the window pretty quickly, so Running Down Dark Alleys Blind has become another project that I released and then mostly abandoned.
It is what it is.
Creatively, I’m still really happy with it. Marketing-wise, I failed yet again. Maybe one day I’ll finally crack the code of promoting the things I make.
Videogame
The only creative work I’ve consistently made time for has been game development.
And I think one positive side effect of having the money/job part of life mostly covered is that I’ve stopped constantly thinking up new businesses and schemes.
I’m much more aware now that my free time is limited. If I get a few hours to myself, I don’t want to spend them inventing another way to make money.
I want to make things.
So lately, when I have creative time, it goes into the game. No new business ideas. No giant new projects. Just the thing already in front of me.
That feels healthier.
Running
Still running, obviously.
When the lessons were at their busiest, even that became difficult to fit in consistently. But things have improved over the last month and I’m back to around 40–50 km a week.
I’m also back on the trails, which I’m loving.
Finding trail shoes that actually work for my feet continues to be an absurdly difficult side quest. I’m currently trying the Altra Experience Wild 3+.
Exercise remains pretty non-negotiable for me. If that disappears, my mind goes with it.
Life
One thing the last few months have confirmed very clearly is that I have no interest in a life where I make a lot of money but have no time for myself.
I already knew that, but the frenetic pace of teaching earlier this year really drove it home.
I want a job that gives me enough money to live. That’s it.
I want the rest of my time available for creative projects, exercise, family, friends, and whatever else makes life feel like mine.
So that’s what I’m trying to build now: a smaller working week, enough stability, and more space for everything else.