Daily Life Before Gaming: The Unfiltered Version

Whew, I’m all over the place.

The other day I was sitting at my desk, thinking about all the gaming creators I follow, big ones, small ones, and everyone in between. And I caught myself wondering, what do they actually do all day? What is their daily life before gaming.

So, I decided to flip the camera on myself. Weirdest thing ever at first. Setting it up, walking away, then trying to just act normal? I’m far from normal. But I gave it a go. Awkward AF. But it got easier. Plus, I had a co-star to help (Riley).

Do I do more than what you’ll see? Absolutely. But nobody wants to watch me loading the dishwasher. Unless you’re as into cleaning content as I am. (Seriously, cleaning TikTok has me in a chokehold. You buy it, I buy it. I’ve got more sprays and scrubs than anyone actually needs. Doom scrolling at 1 a.m. will do that.)

The Daily Shuffle

I’m slowly trying to get more organized in both life and in my head, while still keeping plenty of time to sit at my desk. Not just for gaming (though let’s be honest, mostly for gaming), but also to finally put some of my late night thinking spirals into motion.

Speaking of late nights. Falling asleep? Is this a battle I’m fighting alone? Waking up? That’s Riley’s department. Between menopause, chronic health stuff, and overthinking, I never know what’s to blame for my lack of sleep. But when Riley’s staring into your soul, I really don’t have a choice.

Morning Kickstart

Every single day starts the same. Shower so hot that even the exhaust fan doesn’t help. If I don’t, my body simply won’t cooperate. Once I’m functional, it’s all about Riley, food, meds, the works! All before coffee and a light breakfast.

Then comes the grocery store. I swear, I’m there more than the employees. I just can’t do a massive “one and done” shopping trip. Instead, I make smaller daily ones. Maybe it’s something to do. Maybe it’s just another thing to complain about. Either way, I’m going. I think I like going.

Tracking the Pain

Recently, I started keeping a chronic pain journal. Why? Because when my rheumatologist asks what hurts more than the usual pain, I draw a blank. Now I’ve been writing it down, and let me tell you, it’s practically a part time job. But it's helping me.

Still, I’m hoping at my next appointment I’ll finally have more to say than, “Yeah, everything’s been okay, just some pain.” At least I’ll show up armed with notes for the first time ever.

Reading & Resetting

I’ve also been diving into a new book, The Freedom of Forward. I’m only about 20 pages in, but it’s already got me highlighting sections. It’s definitely got me nodding my head a lot, in all the best (and maybe slightly overwhelming) ways. Because clearly, I needed more things to overthink.

Finally, the Game Time

After all that, shower, dog, errands, journaling, and trying to organize my brain. I finally get to sit down at my desk. Coffee on one side, controller on the other. This is the part where the chaos shifts from household to digital, where I can shut out the noise and jump into the worlds that make me feel most like me.

Because no matter how busy or messy life gets, gaming is the place where everything comes full circle. And honestly? That’s the best reward of the day.