Ah, the ’90s—an era of dial-up internet, boy bands, and the silent judgment of junior high classrooms. Picture this: September 1997, a time when Tamagotchis were the closest thing we had to AI companions, and the Spice Girls ruled the airwaves. I was a semi-chubby Asian girl with long black hair, a fanny pack that screamed practicality over fashion, and a penchant for video games and anime—two interests that, back then, were the social equivalent of admitting you enjoyed taxidermy.

In our tiny town, entertainment options were about as varied as the local diner’s menu: you had your meatloaf, your meatloaf with gravy, and if you were feeling adventurous, meatloaf with ketchup. Social media was a distant dream, so our social interactions were raw, unfiltered, and in person. The nerve-wracking ordeal of introducing ourselves to the class was a rite of passage.

When my turn came, I stood up, heart pounding, and proudly declared, “I like video games.” I expected at least a nod of acknowledgment. Instead, I was met with the most deafening silence you could imagine, punctuated only by the sound of a pin dropping somewhere in the distance. The girls before me had giggled and shared their love for boys and makeup, things I had no clue about. My revelation, it turned out, was as socially acceptable as declaring I enjoyed eating white paste.

That moment marked the beginning of my double life. By day, I was an aspiring songwriter, passionately scribbling lyrics and pretending to care about the latest boy band drama. By night, I was a fearless gamer, exploring virtual worlds and leveling up my characters. Anime was another secret passion, one I justified with the flimsiest excuse: “It’s to practice my Japanese.” Sure, because nothing says “effective language learning” like watching magical girls transform to fight evil.

Fast forward to today, and how times have changed! Video games and anime have shed their nerdy stigma, blossoming into mainstream obsessions. That awkward girl with the fanny pack? She’s now a proud game developer, creating a game about a cat running a cat shelter. It’s a quirky, heartwarming concept born from a blend of childhood dreams and a love for all things feline.

Why a cat shelter, you ask? Cats are enigmatic creatures—independent yet affectionate, quirky yet endearing. Much like the nerd I once was, they don’t conform to societal expectations. Creating a game where cats run the show feels like poetic justice. It’s a celebration of all the things that make us different, a nod to the passions we once hid and now proudly flaunt.

So here’s to the nerds, the gamers, and the anime lovers. We’ve come out of our basements, swapped our fanny packs for VR headsets, and turned our passions into careers. We can now say, without a hint of irony or shame, “I’m a game developer.” And trust me, it’s cool.