2025: A Retrospective

What went well

  • I fully stepped into my artist era ✨ I created more art in 2025 than I have since I stopped acting and writing poetry. I made photographs, completed a project about what makes an image and got into acrylics and collage.
  • First calendar year of open-source self-employment: Complete! With the support of many individuals and small organisations, I was able to sustain the open source work I'm doing. Thanks to everyone who's donated!
  • I began Accessibility Compat Data in May and have been able to spread the word, raise some money and work on the implementation in 8-ish months. Thank you to everyone who has supported!
  • I was elected on to W3C Technical Architecture Group and became a co-chair half-way through my term. Thank you to Tetralogical for funding!
  • I won my first government bid, in 2026 I'll be hosting a series of workshops for policy students and professionals about how policy and web standards can collaborate.
  • Gave my favourite talk at All Day Hey! in Leeds about using alt-text as an artistic medium. I also gave 4 more talks/panels around the world incl Paris, Hong Kong & Kobe.
  • The UK Green Party has seen a surge in popularity without compromising their stance on capitalism, Palestine, cost of living, etc. I have a renewed hope in the British public.
  • I was more physically active this year than last year.
  • I enjoyed branching out into horror (very slowly) and really loved Sinners by Ryan Coogler and Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia.
  • Keith and I have put in more than 25 hours of browser engineering study this year. Thank you Keith!
  • I completed a 5-episode podcast, What the Spec?! about web standards and the people who build them, and it did far better than I ever expected. Thanks to everyone who listened!

What could be improved

  • The government needs to fund the NHS in a real way. I'm still unmedicated for ADHD and on a sort of pre-waiting list and have been for over a year.
  • We could use another general election to be honest. Get Labour outta here!
  • Trying to stuff myself into the neurotypical box of what it means to be consistent is doing more harm than good. & I need to figure out how to map my form of consistency to the expectations of other systems.
  • I should start showing more of my art.
  • Realistically, I need to make more money.
  • I want to get better at tracking my health - headaches, energy, etc.
  • I want to do more independent browser engineering study. I want to ramp up more than I have this year.