Wow, what a month January has been, and where did it go?
After crawling out from the Christmas break cave, I was fired up to get going this year.
The start of 2025 has just flown by already. It has been a very busy month, both in work and personal life.
Work Projects
On the work front, the two main consumers of time were a couple of 3D animation projects through an advertising agency in Birmingham. The first one is for a type of concrete developer, and the second animation is more about security cameras in harsh environments. Very different projects, very different styles to produce, but both quite cool in their own right. The first project is just waiting on final approval from the client, so we can get the sound design and final HD rendering done and deliver the project.
The second project is still in development but is already looking pretty fancy.
There have been a few small website projects, or perhaps I should say tasks, because they really were quite small. But they took some planning and coordination, with one task being to update an existing client website for a national organization, and the second one being for an accountant I work with, who just needed a small online presence. The accountant’s website required a number of different forms to use as client onboarding processes, which was therefore mostly about him being able to capture data from his clients. Therefore, the site was particularly useful to him, as it removed a lot of manual work! It’s always gratifying to provide solutions that make a real difference to a client’s day-to-day operations.
Empire Base Developments
There’s been quite a lot of time invested into my own business ventures this month, specifically Empire Base. I had been creating, after research, numerous blog posts for Empire Base and was quite proud of what I was producing—content that’s adding value to customers and subscribers. In January alone, I prepared another nine posts, which are yet to go live, so they’re in the schedule, plus a two-year content plan just for one facet and angle of the business. I’m quite excited about the massive structure laid out for the content plan and how it all interrelates, which is super cool. I normally spend so much time creating these sorts of things for clients, so it’s been absolutely invigorating to apply my skills to my own business, creating a structured content plan that interrelates various aspects of the company. The sense of accomplishment is truly amazing.
I also spent a little time on email systems and email automation for Empire Base. When a customer signs up for certain services, they receive specific email sequences that guide them through the process and remind them of the details of what they signed up for. This creates a good relationship and connection with those clients when they sign up for services, without me having to do all the work manually. This will ensure a smooth onboarding process for new customers, guiding them through services and maintaining strong connections without constant manual intervention. It’s brilliant to see these systems come together, knowing they’ll enhance the customer experience.
Upcoming Projects
There’s also been another project looking at bloodtest.co.uk again, working on the plans and concepts for version two of the medical results delivery system. This is something that will be updated and replaced in the first half of this year. Getting the plans together is quite exciting, as it will improve delivery for customers and patients.
Networking and Connections
It was good fun this month to catch up with some contacts in the USA and Canada. It’s always great to reconnect and hear what they have been up to in their lives in very different environments from what I’m used to here in the UK. One contact was in Arizona, and the other was in Alberta, Canada—very different worlds. But I love reconnecting and talking to my people, hearing what’s going on in their lives and how I can support them if needed.
Personal Life Updates
Finally, there’s been a lot going on personally regarding our baby. My wife is doing very well, baking this baby in the oven, and he does seem to be growing as expected, with no signs of any troubles. Although there was a slight unplanned hospital visit this month, which meant staying in for a weekend, it turned out to be a false alarm, so everything was fine in the end.
There’s been so much preparation for the baby this month, ensuring we have so many clothes ready, nappies, wipes, and furniture for his bedroom—more than I realized we’d even need. We’ve also been blessed with the generosity of family and friends who have bought various items for this unborn child, helping us get ready.
Hypnobirthing Course Experience
Amongst all that, there was for us both, but mostly for my wife, a hypnobirthing course. Contrary to what I thought it would be, I can actually say it was not a course led by a mystical woman with glowing eyes, swinging a pendulum in front of my wife’s eyes, instructing her to pop out the baby on the count of three. No no! It was actually more about reprogramming the mind around the birthing process. In all seriousness, it was extremely beneficial, and my wife feels very confident, happy and excited now about the baby. Any nerves have been removed, which is a good thing because she needs to stay calm, as anyone would say to a pregnant woman.
So, it’s not long to go now—about four weeks—unless he comes early or late. Really not long to go!
Health Concerns
Lastly, I had a couple of my gout attacks that I occasionally experience, twice within two weeks, one after one another. They’re quite painful but not the worst I’ve ever had. Contrary to all the advice on the internet about what causes gout, mine seems to be triggered by having too much sugar. I’ve come to realize—not that I’m a particular sugar fiend—but it all began this time when I picked up a caramel bake slice from a local bakery, and that was enough to trigger it off the next day.
However, my recovery times have decreased from three weeks to one week, so for each flare-up, I seem to suffer for about a week mostly. It’s not the greatest fun; it does stop you from exercising if you choose to do so because it’s pretty painful, and you have to be aware of the crystals in your joints. Hopefully, the long-term damage isn’t too horrific. I guess I’ll find out when I’m an old man.
Looking Ahead
In the meantime, I am looking forward to a busy February, working on my own business requirements, client projects, 3D animations, web work, and possibly a baby if he arrives early. So, we’ll see.
Catch up with you all soon, and let me know what you’ve been up to!
P.S. Yes, if I look at all close to the image of this post by the time I hit 65, I’ll be quite happy!
