2025, a year reviewed
2025 was a difficult year for me. There was loss, change, and a sense of things not quite settling. There were good moments too. A meaningful trip to Norway with my parents. Creative work that kept me engaged. New tools at work that shifted how I think about making. But overall it was a year that asked more than it gave.
Looking back, a lot of it comes down to doing things with my hands and showing up when I could. Making art. Travelling. Saying yes to radio, gigs, and trips even when it would have been easier not to.
January
At the end of 2024 we welcomed a new cat, Captain, also known by many other names. He arrived as a tiny, chaotic kitten and by mid-January had already grown into something recognisably cat-sized. Still full of energy, just larger and more capable of disruption.
January was dominated by my Axidraw pen plotter. I spent a lot of time making typographic and generative work. Some pieces sold, others became cards and gifts. There was comfort in producing physical objects and sending them out into the world.
A surprise visit from a friend travelling from abroad was the highlight of the month. I took them to my favourite shoemakers and then to a locally legendary restaurant. It was a reminder of how much I enjoy sharing familiar places.
February
February took me to Toronto in genuinely horrible weather, including the first time I had ever heard of snow lightning. After a week of meetings I nearly did not make it home, with the plane going through the de-icing process three times before finally leaving.
Cold weather pushed me briefly into a skincare phase. Cleanser, eye gel, serum, moisturiser, SPF. I am not convinced any of it made a difference and once it ran out I quietly abandoned the obsession.
Toronto still delivered comfort. I went back to Saffron for Sri Lankan kothu roti, the spiciest food I will eat and absolutely worth it. I also managed to get a last minute ticket to see Kumail Nanjiani before flying home later that evening, which felt like a small, welcome ending to a long week.
March
March began with Andy Zaltzman, sharp and relentlessly funny, the kind of show that leaves you feeling slightly smarter. It was a good way to start the month.
We took a trip to the seaside with friends just as the weather shifted into something more forgiving. It was one of those trips where we mostly walked, talked and watched the boats.
My pen plotter work changed again, this time drawing over antique encyclopedia prints. I liked the contrast and the feeling of adding something new without erasing what was already there.
I also started making semi regular appearances on Saturday Brunch on Future Radio with Tom Lorenzo. Writing segments and jingles reminded me how much I enjoy audio and the particular intimacy of radio.
Later in the month we saw Peter Kay at the O2. It remains my least favourite venue, but the show was good. The real bonus was the hotel next door, which meant a short walk back and a surprisingly good view.
April
April was calmer. A lot of Helldivers 2. A lot of pastries from Dozen bakery, now closed and missed. Another seaside trip followed, this time for mini golf and fish and chips. I was aiming to get a Martin Parr-esk photo of Terrys and Nickys.
My generative work continued and I made a piece using metallic gel inks that really stuck with me. It was satisfying in a quiet, personal way.
May
May brought more movement. A visit to my old college town of Framlingham, followed by London for Figma’s Config conference. I met up with an old friend and wore a loud Hawaiian shirt, which felt appropriate.
We also visited a beautiful old house and gardens on an open day. I keep noticing how much I enjoy places that invite you to slow down and pay attention.
June
June meant another Toronto trip, this time over my birthday. Later in the month we visited more open gardens, which turned out to be a nice counterbalance to travel and work.
The standout moment was seeing Derren Brown perform another astonishingly precise show, layered and controlled in ways that feel almost unfair.
July
July was defined by a cruise along the Norway fjords with my parents. It was calm and genuinely special. The fjords were breathtaking, and moving through them slowly by ship added a sense of scale and stillness that stayed with me.
Around this time I started journalling with an AI illustration generator. I could take the worst photo and turn it into something nice. It might look like slop to others, but it helped me keep a record when writing felt harder.
August
August felt full but slightly unsettled. A London work trip put me in the worst room inside a beautiful hotel.
Back home, food became a small bright spot. I discovered two genuinely great things in Norwich: the Dishoom-esque naanwich and the roast dinner at Green Pastures, both memorable for how unexpectedly good they were.
Music and radio threaded through the month too. I saw Chris Moyles live in Norfolk, something I had wanted to do for years, and watched Blossoms support Stereophonics, which felt like a proper summer night out.
By the end of the month, a few things quietly ended. My Tuesday morning Future Radio appearances with Tom Lorenzo wrapped up, and Dozen bakery closed. Neither were dramatic moments, but both left a noticeable gap.
September
In September I visited a local nature reserve with a new lens and captured this photo of a blue tit. Not rare, but deeply satisfying. Alongside a deer photo from a few years ago, it remains one of my favourites.
The larger trip was to Vancouver for a full team meetup. Spending time together in person mattered more than I expected.
Towards the end of the month we saw Hamilton when the touring company came to town. We had excellent seats and the energy was infectious.
October
October meant another Toronto trip. At this point I could probably justify moving back. This visit managed to deliver three seasons in one week, from warm days to snow.
The highlight was getting almost front row seats to James Acaster for a preview work in progress show back home. I will not give spoilers, but it is exceptional.
October also brought the loss of a young family member. It was devastating and not something you ever really process. The weeks that followed were filled with funerals and family, and it quietly reframed everything that came before it.
November
November pushed me slightly outside my comfort zone with two standing gigs in cramped student union venues. Wet Leg and The Last Dinner Party were both excellent and entirely worth the aching legs.
December
December brought a new hobby with the purchase of a 3D printer. Since then I have been printing brackets, hinges, and cases for anything that looks like it might benefit from one.
We put the Christmas tree up and it immediately became the cat’s favourite toy. He knocked it over twice and climbed it at least once.
In ratings
- Helldivers 2 5/5
- From The Pyre by The Last Dinner Party 5/5
- The Ballad of Wallis Island 5/5
- Dozen’s cinnamon roll 5/5
- Cafe 33's Naanwich 5/5
- Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros 4/5
- Claude Code and Cursor 4/5