2024 Wrap-Up

It would hardly be an exaggeration if I were to claim that 2024 is the best year I've had in a decade. It was clearly one of them.  Though it certainly had its low points (healthcare and its related, ongoing financial challenges certainly come to mind), it also revolutionized the way I manage my workload, thanks in large part to my dear old friend Shawna being an outstanding coach and accountability partner. (No disrespect to the other accountability partners who have tried to help me. I know they're dealing with burdens at least as heavy as mine.)

Above all, this year resurrected my game development career.  I made a series of difficult decisions which required me to let go of some old attachments. Fortunately, this is paying off in huge ways so far.  For years, I have agonized and lamented the direction my life took, which carried me away from my relentless passion for game development and onto other failed ventures.  I haven't the words to describe how it feels to back in the swing of my lifelong obsession.  You can expect more on this on my other blogs in the coming year.

Here's how my goals for the year turned out.

Physical Health
Walking and biking distance goal	A (95%)
Weight loss goal	F (0%)
Financial Health
Savings goal	F (58%)
Debt reduction goal	A (100%)
Life Balance
Reading goal	A (92%)
Video game frequency goal	A (100%)
Video game completion goal	A (Pass/Fail)
Board/card game goal	A (100%)
Jigsaw puzzle goal	C (75%)
Professional Development
Make a plan for completing Ph.D.	F (0%)
Complete Unity Essentials Pathway	A (100%)
Complete four professional development programs at work	A (100%)
Start a new game project	A (pass/fail)
Finish card interpreter	F (0%)
Finish game concierge	C (70%)
Rebuild web site	F (10%)
Hobby Projects
Paint Star Wars blaster replicas	A (95%)
Assemble Area 51 model	F (5%)
Epic Duels AI opponent	F (pass/fail)
Storage solution for Tiny Epic Dungeons	A (95%)
Finish Demon Ship components	A (100%)
Reshape D&D and Tiny Epic miniatures	A (100%)

I am more excited than ever for the coming year. I have some incredible momentum going that I intend to maintain for as long as possible, and I hope to share it with you, my friends.  Let's all have a fantastic 2025 full of happiness, health, hope, and headway.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

End of One Era, Start of Another

Today, May 17, 2024, is a big day in my career trajectory.  This day marks the end of my original one-year, temporary, full-time faculty contract at College of DuPage (COD).  This is the end of one of the biggest gambles I have ever taken, stepping down from tenure at Triton College to be a temp at COD.  It seems like a good time to answer a frequently asked question, which takes many forms but essentially boils down to something like this:

"I thought you loved Triton College.  Why make the switch?"

I do love Triton, and I'm not leaving entirely.  But sometimes difficult decisions must be made for the sake of one's career and overall wellbeing.  There are good reasons why I gave up a secure, tenured position -- with outstanding benefits -- for a temporary one with no certain future.  

On the surface, there are some clear and easy ones, such as a substantial increase in income and a shorter, simpler, safer commute.

Digging a little deeper reveals more reasons:  a merciful escape from the infeasible responsibility that derailed my career, an opportunity to become part of a dedicated, supportive team rather than flying solo, and a great deal of autonomy and flexibility in establishing my schedule.

But at the real heart of the matter is this:  Triton's CIS programs are barely a fit for my expertise, while the CIS department at COD thoroughly embraces it.

At Triton, I was continually at risk of not meeting my required teaching load hours.  There aren't many software development courses there, and the few they have are often cancelled due to low enrollment.  I even created an all-new software development degree to compete with other similar institutions, give some of our courses a more suitable home, and create a space where I could fit in and contribute more meaningfully.  However, this program has yet to really take off.  Demand appears to be lower than I was led to believe through both qualitative and quantitative sources.

On the other hand, the Computer and Information Science department at College of DuPage completely centers around software development and game development -- my two great loves.  There is no shortage of classes, so I will never run the risk of not meeting my load.  In fact, I was overloaded last fall due to taking over sections that didn't have faculty.  My time at Triton hindered my software work and completely severed me from my game dev side, and COD puts me in constant contact with these.

So, while Triton may occasionally let me glimpse my happy place from a distance, COD lets me live immersed in it.  This is the real essence of why I took the risk and swapped my full-time and adjunct statuses with these two great colleges.

What does the future hold?

I will have a full-time, tenure-track position at COD starting in August.  In less than two years from now, I'll have tenure in a department where I am a natural fit rather than a tangential one.  My career has already begun recovery, as have my physical and mental health.  

Life is good and getting better!