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20/10/2025
I blame Tetris for my organisational obsession. I don't mean in some clever, metaphorical kind of way. Literally, Tetris.
I've played it obsessively most of my life. Hours have been lost ever since I was 9, 10 years old, huddled in the back of a red Volvo Estate, button bashing on a Gameboy .. Building patterns, and trying to solve problems.
Tetris won't let you succeed without thinking ahead - quickly. Every group of blocks you place either sets up the next move, or leads you into mass chaos. Leave gaps in the wrong place, and you're immediately fighting against those earlier [bad] decisions.
This compulsive thinking has followed me into every project I work on. I can't help it at this point - it's kind of just how my brain works 🙃
The first thing I do when I open up After Effects is either fix, or start the file structuring .. Not because I'm trying to be 'special', or 'virtuous' in any way, but because I know - three weeks from now, the client's going to ask for a couple of quick amends .. In six months, I'll need to jump back in again .. Or, another freelancer will inherit this - and project karma is real.
The same thinking applies to the actual work. It's not about just making something move - I try to build with the intention of flexibility .. Because, 'We need this sent over in the next 5 minutes,' isn't a hypothetical - it's a Tuesday. And I'd rather spend the extra time building that flexibility upfront, as opposed to tearing everything apart and scrambling as the minutes run down.
I don't remember this ever really being talked about at any stage of my education 🤔 This is purely 'Tetris brain' - always trying to anticipate what's coming next .. Always planning, making sure that there's room to manoeuvre.
Whether it's packing a suitcase, loading the dishwasher, or an After Effects project .. My brain is playing Tetris with everything.
