2024 in review

I gave my first talk. I wrote a post about it. I'm really proud of my project and the positive feedback it received. I was especially delighted to be featured in the Django Newsletter!

I appeared on my first podcast. More on that here!

I started a new job in February. I like it!

I improved my React knowledge and skills. A challenge to be sure, but I like that as well!

I started writing poetry again. Prose is my go-to when I write, but I'm always surprised by how free-form — and freeing — poetry can be.

I deleted Twitter/X for good. I mean, it was already pretty awful there, so I mostly kept my account deactivated anyway. But past a certain point there was no more avoiding how it represented the worst of humanity, so I decided to pull the plug. One more cortisol trigger, gone!

I saw a Patrick Wolf concert for the first time in 15 years. He was a particularly important musician to me in my teens and he'd been on hiatus for a while. It was so magical to witness his return.

I got two new tattoos. My go-to artist has now left Berlin so I'm in the market for a new one, I guess.

I changed my hair. I dyed it and also got a fringe, both for the first time since around 2017.

I went to different cities. Copenhagen for the first time, Manchester for the first proper time. I revisited Cologne (for the second, third, and fourth times!), Leipzig (for the second time) and Athens (for the second time — and I am even more in love).

I read 47 books. I may have only rated it 3/5 on Goodreads, but turns out the one that's stuck with me most is Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.

I went back to therapy. Some may think this out of place to mention here, but I want to break the taboo. Psychotherapy can be expensive and it can take a while to find a practitioner who is the right fit for you. But when you finally do, it will transform your life. (I would also like to specifically encourage any men reading this to consider seeing a therapist, even if you don't believe you are especially struggling right now. You may be surprised what good it does you to be in a space dedicated to safely expressing and working through your emotions.)

I listened to Brat more than any other album. I'm just like the other girls 💚