Earth goes around Sun and so do I

 

If you want a peek into my brain on this good Tuesday: 

 

So today (the day I'm starting to write this) is my birthday, the official best day of the year. It's so important to me and so ultimately insignificant, I know. I'm not 25 anymore starting today. Can't be having any more quarter life crises, but I still am a cowboy without a clue. 

 

The past two years of my life have both been tough ones in different ways. I think 25 was less tumultuous than 24, but I can't exactly do a side-by-side comparison. I've gone out of my comfort zone at least once or twice in the last year, but some people might still say I haven't suffered enough to be growing. 

 

Here is my May 2025 to May 2026 year in review:

 

I've made a handful of new friends. Maybe I've distanced myself from one or two as well. I've also met some new people that have notably *not* become new friends. 

 

In May 2025, I had one gray hair. Currently, I have at least three more.  I like them; they're cute for now.

 

I went to a whole lot of bookstores and purchased a whole couple of books. Favorite books I've gotten:

• Star Trek: Lower Decks—Warp Your Own Way (favorite book of the "year", happy to find it in a store) -- Barnes & Noble in Natick
• The Warrior's Apprentice and Brothers in Arms by Lois McMaster Bujold (it's so rare to see Vorkosigan books even at used bookstores) -- Annie's Book Stop of Worcestor
• Mort by Terry P (it's so prettyyy) -- Waterstones in Oxford (in England, not New England)
• My Brilliant Friend (so I can continue to look at it and think about how I would like to read) -- Blossom Book House in Bangalore

Favorite bookstore was Sweet Pickle Books in NYC. What a wonderful place.  

 

I went to two author events and four concerts in the last year (this is not even counting half•alive in April 2025). I might be becoming a Live Music Person™.

 

Went down a Star Trek rabbit hole and then escaped it. I hope to return soon 🖖

 

I went skiing seventeen times (though four of those were snowboard days). More than I've ever been before, because I had a pass and my own skis. Did my first "double black diamond", which sounds a lot more impressive than it actually was. Rode a T-bar for the first time (thanks to shitty weather at Saddleback)! I had a Valentine's ski date with my buddy Amelia and accidentally ended up inviting 3 more people. 

 

My current personality is: Cheez-It + dinosaurs + skeletons. I'm still gonna get married at the Museum of Science, just wait. Event of the decade (which decade, though?). (The Cheez-It thing is a not-very-long-but-still-concerning story that I will not get into.)

 

Notably, I did NOT learn how to juggle pins. Carryover task for this year. Did not make any unicycle progress at all. My journey to becoming a Quincy Market clown has stagnated a bit :(

 

Since REAL ID has been mandated for domestic flights, I've only been on one domestic-flight trip. A few road trips and two international-flight trips, but yeah I took my first US domestic flight of the "year" on March 27. I traveled on my own twice. Has not been a travel-heavy year for me compared to my other years being a real adult, but two solo is pretty good, actually. 

 

I posted on Instagram 4(!) times and found a new favorite movie.  

 

I spent a lot of time by myself and a lot of time with other people. Wild, I know. Took myself to a lot of cool places and will hopefully continue to do so. (Polly's Pancake Parlor in the near future, I hope)

 

I bought and was gifted a whooole lotta fun socks. I am happy to be the resident fun sock person. 

 

I finally rode the Mattapan trolley. That was a happy public transport day. 

 

I did not cook very much, but I did learn to appreciate the simplicity of scrambled eggs with a duck-ton of butter. 

 

Almost killed my plant (and it makes me sad just thinking about it), but she's slowly coming back. Thank you, Ranjani, for the advice. I don't know whether I'll send you this post, but the thanks are here either way. 

 

I did the work to find my next apartment in the laziest way possible. Remains to be seen whether I will actually successfully move.

 

I got so much sleep, and I lost so much sleep, and it was all 100% my own fault. 

 

 ___

 

I feel pretty positively now, but my existential crises usually happen in the summertime. I'm sure summer 2026 will be no different, unless I start hiking or playing tennis or pickleball or badminton. Maybe I'll go to a gun range. Training for a 5k is also still (barely) on the table. Kayaking...? Should I try sailing again? I have been soliciting opinions, and these are the main options so far.

___

 

I was recently reunited with a certain Harvard Museum of Natural History skelly. A picture was not taken, but I'm telling you, I was there, and I have no reason to lie.