Back in Japan! Hello 2012 :D | January 7, 2012

Little late, but Happy 2012, everyone! :D

2011 went by in a flash, but when I think back on it, it was definitely the most challenging and lesson-filled year of my life. It started off with the cries of my newborn son, Nathaniel, as he came into the world on January 15th. Three months of raising a child with our parents and family halfway around the world wasn’t easy, but with the help and support of our amazing friends, care packages, and late-night Skype calls (and Google! ;D) we survived and learned how to be the best parents we could be.

Then, on March 11th, Japan was hit by the 9.0 magnitude Tohoku earthquake and tsunami – the disaster that reminded me just how small and vulnerable we all are. Followed by the Fukushima nuclear scare, March and the following few months were the ultimate test for us new parents. Bombarded by conflicting news reports and wild rumours, we didn’t even know if the air we were breathing was safe or if the water we were feeding our child was clean. But, against all odds, my family pulled through. We stayed strong and held our ground, despite the entire world beckoning us to flee. I will never forget those few months. I will never forget the support we received from my family, friends, and all of you. I am a stronger person now and I know that I can handle absolutely anything that the world wants to throw at me. Everything always works out and I will never forget that.

Raising Nathaniel continued as normal as everything cooled down in Japan. My wife went back to work and I was left to babysit, run The Pocalypse, and make indie games with my friend, Rich, who was awesome and understanding enough to work with me, even with a 14-hour time difference separating us. Green Pixel was born, we made The Pocalypse’s first flash game, and we developed our first iOS game, BlockHopper (which is coming out soon, just waiting for Apple!).

A lot of seeds were planted in 2011. Now, imbued with all the lessons and experience gained from a wonderfully challenging 365 days, I have the confidence, inspiration, and motivation to make those seeds grow into something great. The future looks bright as always and 2012 is shaping up to be another year to remember. Don’t end yet, world, there’s still so much to do ;D

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We made it safely back to Japan from Canada last night and we’re recovering nicely! My batteries are charged and my food cravings have been satiated (I sound pregnant), so, as the crew said, the next scene should be up on Monday! Thanks a lot for waiting!

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