It’s been an interesting few years. Went abroad to do filmmaking on a plastic recycling open source project. When I came back home, I found the local chapter and was swiftly made president of the forming non-profit. Also joined the board of our local burner org. So it was a lot of learning about governance, managing volunteer projects etc… And then I got hired as the second ever employee of a makerspace my friends started. I never really considered getting a real full time job, but with COVID I was getting stir crazy sitting at home and all projects were on hold. It has been tough - working with a good friend as my boss definitely fucked up our relationship. Especially when some tangential feelings got involved during his long term relationship breakup. A shitshow. But in the 1.5 years I worked there I definitely made the place better. Made major moves in optimizing systems, did a bunch of IT migrations, set up a ton of new workshops, increased our media visibility by a ton. Also learned I stay in situations that are shit for my mental health for loyalty.

I picked up some new skills and confidence building art projects with friends. Did a giant hamster wheel, a flame poofer, a 360 seesaw and a bunch of fixing around the country house and the 500$ trailer we converted into our room. Did some basic welding classes and want to learn sewing and basic electronics soon. I’ve been in a skill-acquiring mood lately.

Just passed the cap on 10 years with my partner. We’ve been through a shit ton and an ever changing relationship. But it may have run it’s course, had some really rough talks yesterday. We’re insanely different people than when we met… And somehow we had managed not to grow appart all these years until recently.

I’m incredibly lucky with the friends I have. I can rely on them, confide myself, have fun and explore. I feel real friendship is vastly undervalued in our society. Even looking at my high school friends, everyone else looks so lonely. While I’m feeling like the luckiest person in the world with epic caring thoughtful interesting friends.

Sitting in a bar in SF airport right now, on my my to Reno to help out a friends camp at burning man. I can tell it will be a rough year already. I’m going with a heavy heart, hoping to be able to disconnect and avoid my problems for the next 2 weeks, enjoy good moments with friends and see cool art.

Then it’s back home for a month at my job before the end of my contract, possibly a separation that will tear my world appart and then… who knows? But my dream trip to India is seeming unlikely since I’m probably not gonna go alone. There is still good chances for a 3 week hiking in Nepal and Taiwan round the island bike trip :)