2025 is over, and thank goodness for that! This year has felt like an endurance test, all the way through. Where to begin…
Work, and the lack thereof
The start of the year saw me passing probation at my startup in Tokyo. I was excited to begin a new working year with the team, as I became more confident in my role as lead designer.
Fast forward to July, and I’m facing redundancy alongside many of my colleagues. Whilst it’s incredibly unusual in Japan, the company was struggling to reach profitability, with layoffs seemingly being the only way it can continue to operate.
I’ve written a little more about my situation in a previous post, and whilst I was able to secure a contract in the UK shortly after, that has now also come to an end, creating a looming uncertainty as I move into the new year.
Adventures in Japanese healthcare
In February, I finally had surgery on my long-broken toe.
An old high-school injury, it was starting to cause difficulties with running, so I pursued medical assistance. The same day I had various scans and x-rays, my doctor presented the option of surgery, and I was booked in the next month.
The procedure would see them shave down the bone, which had overgrown following the break years ago, reducing mobility and eventually becoming uncomfortable to move on.
It was pretty interesting from start to finish, and whilst I’m not gonna share feet pics (you gotta subscribe for those 😤), the scarring is negligible. I’m grateful for the work of all the doctors, nurses and rehab team who helped support the procedure.
Location, location, location
I saw the previous year out in Kumamoto, going to the castle for the first shrine visit (hatsumode), and celebrating the new year with many others who had made the journey there.
I continued travelling, with a trip to Okinawa for my birthday in January, staying in both Naha and Ishigaki Island.
The scenery was beautiful, and whilst it was recognisably the off-season when I arrived, I was still grateful to escape the city for a long weekend. The people there are friendly, and the food was delicious. I was well looked after.
I also spent a little time in Kansai during the BitSummit festival. I stayed in Osaka for a change, and took a trip to Arima Onsen, in an attempt to explore a new places.
By contrast to the start of the year, I’m closing the year out in my house in chilly Scotland. It has been nice to spend time with friends and family here, and I’m very much looking forward to an epic New Year party with my Edinburgh pals. 🎉
Hopes for 2026
Smashing the job hunt?
Finding meaningful work is a struggle for many just now, with tech layoffs making the news on what felt like a weekly basis in 2025. With companies pushing for AI as a cost-cutting measure, competition is not only against those coming from big companies, but with an all-knowing(?) machine which never sleeps.
I’m hoping to continue contract work for a little longer, but I’d like to secure something permanent, and long-term later next year. Design contracts pay well, but the nature of the work is temporary. It becomes difficult to form deep product knowledge, or significantly improve work over time as your understanding of products/services and its users develops.
Of course as with any skilled profession, I’ll continue to develop my own abilities and understanding. I have a few side projects lined up which will take advantage of new tools, and push my own comfort zone a little to create something I’m proud of.
Travelling
Although this naturally takes a backseat to finding work, I’d love to take advantage of being back in Europe.
It’s been years since I’ve been to Germany, but it’s a favourite travel destination for me, particularly Berlin! I’d like to visit for a week, or even a long weekend, taking my camera and capturing some of its iconic scenes.
A little further north, and way overdue, I want to visit Norway for the first time. With no fixed agenda, I’d like to relax and eat well in Oslo, visiting some museums and galleries, before travelling further north to take in the beautiful natural scenery.
And then, back to Japan
It is my intention to return to Japan, permanently, at some point later in 2026.
Being back in the UK, I realise how much I miss Tokyo and the life I was building there; and a lot of the things I want to do in my lifetime would be just as achievable in Japan as they are in Scotland.
After I prepare my belongings and finish up things before renting out my house back here, I’ll make plans to return to Japan.
OZARIN and other side projects
I’ve spent a little time recently with OZARIN creating calendar automations. For a long time I was manually adding events, and calendar updates were sporadic at best. Using publicly addressable APIs, I’ve added game releases, which as much as anything helps me to keep track of what’s coming and when. I’m hoping to create similar automations for releases on home video (tv/film/anime) and anime tv schedule.
It’s about time the site’s branding was brought up to date, so here’s a preview of the new logo I’ve been working on. As much as I love the chunky logo (which was created by Sven, many moons ago), I wanted something new. I’ll roll this out alongside other site updates some time in Spring.
App development
After my contract ended, I decided to spend some time building tools to help with design research. Whilst I’ll keep it a little vague for now, over the next few weeks I’ll be inviting some folks to try out the new service. If things go to plan, I’ll launch a microsite to host the first of the new tools I’m developing too.
Mentoring
This year I’ve continued to mentor on ADPList, and whilst I’ve clocked up a decent number of hours and sessions – those are just numbers.
Instead, I want to say thank you to everyone whom I had a chance to mentor this year. It means a great deal that my mentees placed their trust in my experience, brought genuine curiosity and a strong desire to develop their own design abilities.
I’m so grateful to work with a variety of people from different backgrounds, which allows me to learn from many unique perspectives and experiences. I hope we can keep growing together in 2026! 🚀
Cabinetry!
It’s something I’ve long wanted to try my hand at. Having done some joinery for outdoor projects (fences, chicken coops, planters), I wanted to make more intricate and accurate woodwork for indoor items.
I don’t think it’s the simplest place to start, but using my experience building software, I’ve split the project into smaller parts. I’ve already cut the wood for the wardrobe, and the next step will be assembling these and mounting them before getting too carried away.
I’m taking my time with this, because I want to build it to a good standard. I also hate working outside when it’s cold, and there’s no chance in hell I’m sawing MDF in the house.
Wrapping up
This year has been full of unexpected challenges, and whilst I make it sound unbearable, I’ve tried to make the most of my situation, no matter how dire it initially seemed.
Being back in the UK has allowed me to reconnect with friends and family. I’m able to rest in my own house here. I have a car again, and can easily get around and visit some of my favourite spots.
And most importantly, I have the the time to enjoy it. I’m not on holiday; I don’t have a return date. I can take things as they come, and adjust accordingly. And when I’m ready, I’ll head back.
To my friends who are reading this, have an awesome 2026. Stay safe, and as always…
