Game Development here we go! --- Constants and Variables - 1/8/2023

It's been a long time, and life has changed a LOT since I first went to GDC 2015:

1. I got married on 8/28/2016.

2. I quit do do real estate full time in December 2016.

3. I moved real estate brokerages to LIV Sotheby's February 2017.

4. I moved real estate brokerages to Redfin in June 2019.

5. There was a MASSIVE feast-and-famine in real estate which made me think I should learn coding.

6. My now 2-year-old son, Connor, was born on 1/2/2021.

7. I made the taunting change from a career in real estate to full-time Software Engineer 1 on 10/26/2021.

8. My wife and I are expecting our second son on 2/3/2023 (and she could go into labor any day!)

And now here I am, blogging for no one but myself and feeling good about it! My mental health has suffered, returned, died, wavered, and been revived many times through the years --- but I am doing better than ever AND am happier than ever.

As I write this, I am on Day 5 of COVID-19 quarantine (womp womp), and miss seeing my family but am grateful for the time I've had to work on my passion: GameDev!

The constants that have remained with me throughout the years have been all areas of Video Game Development and THAT is what this website is now dedicated to. And, well, er --- my wife and family, obviously --- and my hobbies: sports, music, playing video games, movies, TV, and family-oriented activities!

Now that I'm a Software Engineer 1, I can make this website WAY more effectively and hopefully maintain it as it deserves. My plan is to include video samples, came files through GitHub repository links, and welcome any and ALL feedback to improve where I am.

One thing I've learned is that NONE of us can go through life alone; not that I've ever tried, but I always feel like I can only trust myself and give up on the idea of collaboration. When, in fact, collaboration is what makes everything worth the effort! Showing things off for friends/family/interested web-lurkers/target audiences lets me share my passions with the world and see if there's anything worth pursuing.

So that is where I am today! Welcome back to the "Derek Chisholm" universe (if anyone is even reading this at all besides myself), and let's see what we can create together =]