Hey there, lost ones, I’m so glad I found you again! If you’ve noticed I’ve been absent here for the past few weeks (or more!), I apologize for the lack of posts. I confess that it hasn’t been easy, and this post is a way to share a little of what’s been happening, the challenges I’ve been facing and, most importantly, my plans to resume activities here and in other projects.

I’m not going to lie: I’m not having the best of days, and the simple act of reading or writing has been a huge challenge. There was a big block that lasted, I think, more than a week. Getting back to creating has been a battle.

A time of discomfort and personal challenges

Nothing extraordinary happened in the sense of a major isolated event, but lately I’ve been feeling a persistent discomfort that has been affecting me.

Illustration of a person sitting on a couch, looking uncomfortable, thoughtful or tired, in an indoor environment.

This feeling of discomfort is not something easy to describe in detail, especially because I myself am not 100% sure of the main cause. What I do know is that I was recently diagnosed with gallstones. I know that it is usually not something serious, but after doing a little research (yes, I did a basic “google”, checking the location of the gallbladder and some symptoms), I noticed that it matches the discomfort I feel in the right region of my belly – so far, without intense pain, fortunately.

This discomfort has been getting worse in the last few days, and so I will go to the hospital nearby tomorrow to investigate further. I don’t want to cause any more worries for my family, especially my mother, who already helps me so much.

Between financial challenges and family support

Speaking of my mother, she gave me a new cell phone because my old one was already asking for a break (the screen was peeling off!). I was very grateful, but I confess that I wish I had been able to buy it on my own. Currently unemployed and without immediate funds in the accounts, that is impossible.

I do have some money saved, but it is invested and the withdrawal is only expected in September. I mentioned to my mother the possibility of withdrawing part of it, but she preferred that I reinvest it, and so I will do (with a heavy heart, because I cannot contribute or have my own financial independence right now).

New projects on the horizon: YouTube, the Deviagames blog and more!

Despite everything, the desire to create and produce has not disappeared. One way to try to turn things around is to focus on new projects.

First, I will try to reactivate the YouTube channel that I already have. Even if it’s just to make simpler videos, like gameplays with commentary (or even without commentary, “Goulart style”, as I joked). I just need to get over this “unfriendly look” that discomfort has left me with!

Second, and this is a new blog that is already online: Devia Games. The idea is to explore the intersection between Dev (Development), AI (Artificial Intelligence) and Games. I’m thinking of using it as a kind of “job”: research a subject in these areas, add my opinion and publish. The blog is already online, so the motivation to make it happen is great!

In this wave of new projects, I even tried using the Cursor IDE (the one that became famous for helping to create a game from scratch with AI), but I haven’t been able to move forward yet. But it’s on my list of things to do!

Rebuilding the routine: A plan to get back to work

To reconcile all of this – taking care of my health, finding financial solutions, starting new projects and simply getting out of this state of inertia – I realized that I need structure. I need to rebuild my routine.

Also on my to-do list is getting back to doing exercise, even if it’s just an initial walk, as we discussed in the previous post. Who knows, maybe I can reconcile all of this?

Based on this, I drafted a daily routine that I intend to follow:

  • Wake up (at a reasonable time)
  • Initial care (personal hygiene, etc.)
  • Read something (even if just a little, to unwind)
  • Exercise (walking or something light)
  • Tasks for the Deviagames blog (research, writing opinions, publishing) - including lunch during this period. * End of day tasks (playing games, reading something different or writing for this blog)
  • Final care (nighttime hygiene, getting ready for bed)
  • Sleeping (trying to get a good night’s sleep)

This is the plan I intend to follow to get back into the swing of things, both personally and in my projects. I know the road back won’t be easy, and the possibility of “giving up” is scary, as happened with my exercise routine. But the intention and desire to change are here.

I’ll keep you updated on how things are going (or not!). I appreciate your understanding for my absence and the affection of those who follow the blog.

Now, with the smell of pizza hanging in the air here at home, it’s time to try to rest.