Ins and outs for 2024
Not a New Year's resolution in sight.
Hello my beleaguered followers! It’s been a while.
Starting this blog last year was such a joy. But like the neglectful parent I am, it fell to the wayside when other responsibilities loomed.
It’s taken me a lifetime of dilettantism and many half-arsed projects to realise I can’t focus on more than one big creative project at once. Maybe two. On a good day.
In the back half of ‘23, I had, uh, AT LEAST FOUR big creative projects to wrangle. I…
Got married to my partner of 8 years!
Including designing all the stationery, paperwork and *aesthetic* for the wedding… the subject of another post.
Sang at the Barbican with Dr Andre Thomas and the LCC, then auditioned for and was accepted into my first ‘serious’ vocal group- Vocal Shack!
Both these required me to put in the hours to get my voice up to performance standard, and learn two new large repertoires outside of my comfort zone, gospel and pop a capella. What many of you don’t know (unless I’ve dragged you to a karaoke booth) is I’m a classically trained mezzo-soprano. Fauré and Kurt Weill are my usual jam!
Grew my freelance business, from console game UI design at Glowmade to early phase UX troubleshooting with Moo Yu, and even a few bits of illustration and infographic work with Games User Research.
Yeah, it turns out when you’re working >5 days a week and also doing all your own invoicing, paperwork etc... there’s not a lot of time for elaborate design blogging.
I am lucky to have more than enough work (I had to start turning down clients) but I wish I had some more time to build more business relationships.
There is only so much you can do as an IC. I see now how easy it is to burn out doing freelance- or the temptation of hiring a minion…
Went on our honeymoon to New Zealand for over a month! This was a bucket list item of mine since the lovely folks at NZGDC had me as a keynote speaker all the way back in 2018. How baby Cait has grown.
Like the wannabe fashion bitch I am, here’s my pronouncements for what’s out and in for 2024, in the land of Cait and Thrifted Design Leadership.
Out for 2024 🙅♀️
Doing four big creative projects at once
Nuff said. I’m very happy I never have to think about seating charts ever again.
Comparing my career to others
Going solo has helped me realise what I love, and what I hate, about being a design professional. And that’s very different to the people around me. Returning to the craft has changed the path I expected to follow- and I’m happy for it!
Full time freelance
Fuck it, I’ll say it. There’s no point being a freelancer if you’re working only for one client for years at an end. It’s just being an employee with fewer benefits. This year, I’m either taking on more clients for shorter projects, doing fixed-term, tangible goal consulting or saying ‘I do’ to a FTE role.
Climate nihilism
Going to NZ, visiting nature reserves and historic sites showed me first hand the impact of climate change (and colonialism).
As designers we have a responsibility to try to solve the problems of our time. I’m seriously considering how I might be able to use my skills as a designer and leader to tackle climate change, and the real challenges in the world.
Yes, we are carbon-offsetting our trip.
Short-form, algorithm-driven social media
Time out of the rat race shocked my system. I don’t need to mindlessly consume negative, depressing media. Even if it feels like a compulsion, you always have a choice.
When I realised I spent an hour every morning scrolling Reddit feeling shit about the world, an hour I could be reading a cool book, walking in nature or, idk, the gym??? As opposed to just making myself feel bad? Yeah I don’t need it, I’m done.
In ✨
Exploring British design history and motifs
I know, I know, I just said how much the impact of colonialism shocked me travelling New Zealand. But going to a brand new country, taking a few hours to see niche museums, drive to a cool looking rock, do a walking tour- you can do all these things at home. In fact, I’ve lived in England for almost five years and I’ve barely done any of them.
If i’m going to live surrounded by Tories I might as well see what’s so great about England and the makers of our past and present. It’s the least I could do.
Unapologetic purchasing of interesting books
The first thing Callum and I did upon returning to casa Goodale-Hall was donate around 70 books that have been sitting in our to be read pile shelves. Travelling helped me realise books are (relatively) cheap. Media you’ve consciously chosen to consume is always going to be more impactful than whatever the algorithm decides to serve you. And there are so many good books out there.
Do you remember the last tweet you read, the last Reddit thread, the last Tiktok? Something to think on (I couldn’t.)
Design for good, for meaning, for impact
You have one life to choose how you want to impact the world and the people around you. A year of putting my career on the back burner has helped me realise I am too young, to afire to live a small life.
With all that said and done, it is my final wish for 2024 to nurture this lil space we’ve carved out, and I hope you stay along for the ride! What are your ins and outs for 2024? Peace!
Reading 📖 Cosmos by Carl Sagan Watching 👀 Casablanca Listening 👂 You Will Be Found SSATBarB arrangement (performing on Thursday!)
love it all, Cait! And I concur with a lot of it :) Good luck exploring England and beyond in the year ahead and your design ambitions: )
Love love love this! Thanks for sharing! And can't wait to read more from you this year!
Congrats on the wedding too ✨