one year til thirty
(image by SpadeHoof)
i'm (almost) old?
It's time for my yearly dose of update-the-about-page-to-increase-the-number. Yep, I'm 29 now.
My 20s have not gone exactly how I expected. Politically, global-health-wise, and personally. But for all the many ups and many downs, one thing doesn't change - time marches on. Another year has passed. What has happened in that year, for me?
I went to yet another Anthrocon, seeing friends with whom I've developed amazing friendships. I also edited a very fun con video just for myself and those friends. (Maybe I'll make one for posting publicly in the future, but this one was just for us). I moved to a new state. I mow a lawn now. I have found several creative outlets that have really helped satisfy the urge to create something. I've continued to be invested in watching hockey. I've started reading more. I've tried to be more intentional with music that I listen to, relying less on algorithms to suggest things at me. I've commissioned some banger art from some amazing artists. I've eased back into livestreaming games. I've (mostly) migrated away from Windows as an operating system (except for my work PC, on which I can't escape Microslop Microsoft). I've played some really impactful games, some really funny games, and bonded more with friends in multiplayer games. I've tried my best to reduce stress, making some positive changes that, so far, have had some positive impacts in my life. I've kissed my partner a whole bunch mwahmwahmwahmwahmwahmwah. I've had a few good cries (crying and feeling emotions? pretty good ngl).
At the same time, I also don't know where the last year went. I feel like I turned 28, blinked, and suddenly I am 29. I don't feel like it's been that long. I feel like I still just turned 25 or 26. How much of this is a strange side effect of how compressed 2020-2022 feels in my head, I don't know. How much of this is that live starts just whizzing by, I also don't know. What I am pretty confidence in is this: I am thankful to be here, I am very thankful for my friends, and I am very, very thankful for my partner.
The things I know to be core to me haven't changed even if my aging body has (Note from future Astra editing this: that sounds WAY too dramatic, I'm literally still in my 20s): I still have a deep appreciation for (human made) music and art and the way can affect a person; friends are always there for me and I'm always there for my friends; remember to breathe and survive because that's how you win.