been doing a lot of compare-and-contrasting since moving back home. so far Seattle has scored wins on tap water taste and web design for updating voter registration, but Toronto's firmly in the lead. the judges acknowledge their bias but stand by their results.

in what i have to assume is a last ditch effort to convince me to stay, my terminal at seatac has offered me 1) sky gamerz and 2) boba in my drip coffee

I'm not flying out for a couple more days but 🫡 it's been a slice, Seattle. Let's do this again sometime.

Minute one of PAX people watching I saw an Aerith accompanied by someone in a partial fursuit cross paths with an Aerith accompanied by Solid Snake and at minute approximately sixty nobody else has met that quality bar.

Anyway, here's a handsome fish I met today.

re: last repost: I came to games from the 99% non-union Canadian animation industry and my initial reaction to the games industry was, "oh, it's the exact same thing, just with higher budgets and longer contracts between periods of unemployment." Games are and were somehow more stable for me!

aaa video games trying to move to a project based model without any of the labor support or functioning professional project pipeline or etc etc etc that makes it possible in movies

I'm bumping up my move date goodbye

ariella@agbouskila.bsky.social · last mo.

Jimothy was the last straw. I wish him well but it's a terrible name.

I think I've said it in all the group threads and servers already, but to put it here in case I missed any: Seattle friends, I'm beating a (positive but unexpectedly quick!) retreat to Toronto in the next couple weeks. If we don't have a goodbye hang booked already, this is last call. 🥺🫴

The Immanent — The Last Time We Were Apart My first piece for @ishtarillustrated.bsky.social volume II 🤍 #destiny2 #destiny2art #ishtarillustratedvol2

I went to read the Joanna Russ papers and I wrote about what I learned.

Ancillary Review of Books@ancillaryreviewofbooks.org · last mo.

The Robber Time: @ckunzelman.bsky.social on Joanna Russ in the Archives

the Presto card I bought in 2011, that says it expired in 2016, that I last used in 2023, still works and has my balance active. I will die for my country Toronto Ontario

Whenever I have to explain the concept of a bark to non-game friends, my go-to example is Overwatch's "it's hiiigh noon...". "It's hiiigh noon..." might be the best bark anyone's ever written. It's definitely my favourite. Let's all get in a room together and fight to the death over the best barks.

I've spotted two of these little clay frogs around my neighbourhood recently, and now every time I pass their homes I have to check to make sure they're still there. I live in hopes of finding a third.

In response to the unprecedented number of game developers laid off this year, we have created a bundle on itch to benefit a Game Industry Hardship Fund, managed by @videogameworkers.bsky.social. More than 100 games for 10+ bucks! Please share widely and donate generously! itch.io/b/3802/game-...

Grab your 3-ringed binders, highlighters, and spellbooks. This week we're talking about "The Incandescent," a 2025 academia fantasy novel by Emily Tesh. We've got school and labor fights, demons and bisexuality, plus a fantastic guest, author and organizer @brandoncrilly.bsky.social ! Listen now!

made a pouch matching this tote I made a couple months ago, to hopefully keep myself from losing my keys/earbuds/various tiny items at the bottom of the bag. very pleased with it! except for the sacrifice of a needle to the zipper. 😔

achievement unlocked 🏅 crashed Unreal twice doing the tutorial!

studios should hire in bulk. I could put together a narrative team of former colleagues who work well together and have complementary skillsets in half an hour. as it is we're all forwarding each other the same listings and showing up one by one in the same hiring manager's inbox anyway

Weekend resume polishing: I technically have an IMDB page but it kind of implies I worked on one episode of TV and then fell into a swamp for six years before climbing out again. However. However. I don't want to update it because it sounds like a lot of work. And the swamp thing makes me laugh.

I'm putting off filing for unemployment for one day to hang out at Paper Pushers and do some lino printing, come do some lino printing with us!

Alright so the process of texting friends at affected studios to ask if they're safe sucks from both sides ☹️ I wish things were otherwise. What else can you even say. I wish things were otherwise!

Jay brought a ton of experience and knowledge to the Avowed team. The core concept of Galawain's Tusks came from him, as did my favorite grumpy survivalist, Marius, whose story ended up being one of the most touching in the game.

Jay Turner@silopolis.bsky.social · 3mo ago

I and a good number of very talented game devs were laid off by Obsidian as part of the Microsoft sacrificial rituals this morning. If you or anyone you know is looking for a Senior Writer/ND with more than two decades' experience in titles like Dragon Age and Mass Effect, please let me know!

Katie joined Avowed and immediately started writing some of the funniest stuff in the game. If you liked Yatzli, Tira Nui Hajime, "The Wasteland Courier" quest—you liked Katie's work.

Katie@kaitrielle.bsky.social · 3mo ago

So many amazing, wonderful people - and me - were laid off today. All of them deserve the world and I hope they get back on their feet soon. As for me? I suppose I'm open for work once the shock wears off.

I'm very sorry to announce that I was one of the devs affected by the Obsidian layoffs today. At least for four years, it was a beautiful dream. If you need a writer with experience in everything from the fog of war to romance - especially if you're open to remote - please get in touch.

Proud to announce our HARDSHIP FUND: uvw-cwa.org/hardship-fun... If you've been recently laid off and need support, we got you.

I got into Destiny 1 and accidentally swerved my entire career when I got hit by layoffs in animation (Ms. Frizzle, I'll see you in hell), and now everything I might get into now feels freighted. I could read Dragon Ball for the first time since my childhood, but am I ready for a career in Goku...?

‪a final old work post before I go back to occasional bird pics: I'm thinking fondly of the dumbest (affectionate) name I got into D2. better than Boondoggle. better than the gunpla joke I had to explain word-by-word to loc. I was convinced I'd have to rewrite it. but she endures... Wee-Woo Shell.

Johannah approaches her writing with a depth of thought that amazes me. She grasps complicated topics in a way not many can, and then explains them in a way that doesn't leave anyone behind. I would walk through fire to work with Johannah again. For the love of god someone hire her immediately.

Johannah O.@ohalloranjh.bsky.social · 3mo ago

Moving forward -- Heresy was a dream to work on. The character tensions were exquisite, and we got to work with Oryx, to bring that voice forward from Destiny history. The privilege is truly unmatched. And, yes, I worked on Heresy's final mission: I had the honor to write Oryx's final monologue.

While I'm just saying stuff, I would do anything for a gig that let me move back to Toronto. I have come to love Seattle but, with affection, it is a toy city for children.