New job. New love. New home.
I moved to Seattle with Matt just over a year ago. It felt like the start of the next chapter of my life. I made a few new friends in Seattle, but I haven't really connected with them all that much.
I actually started to reconnect with a lot of friends from the Bay Area instead, after Matt essentially moved out of our apartment and in with his new boyfriend (with my encouragement). My Bay Area visits have been finding me missing my friends more every time I fly back to Seattle.
The end of 2021 brought me to the end of my time at my old job. I started off 2022 with a new underwriting job that gives me great benefits that I never imagined I would earn. I can now plan a little better for the future. It boggles my mind. I'm learning something completely different from my last job. So it's slow progress, but I'm doing decently well after two months. And my colleagues are all wonderful people who are super willing to help me. I'm so grateful to join such a collaborative and genuine team.
EDC 2021 in October was a new and old experience for me. I didn't go with Matt. We flew in and out of Vegas together and I stayed in his hotel room before and after EDC, but I did RV camping with Nick and Jamie's group. Matt met up with me once each night to check up on me though :) Camping with the new fam was fun. I barely got sleep, but it was nice not to deal with traffic after each night. I was usually not alone, and I appreciated everyone's company. EDC gave me new memories, new friends, and the start of a new love.
The love was gradual and unexpected. It was kinda ideal how it developed. I think I was in denial because I had fully believed I would be single for the rest of my life. I had made my peace with that belief. But this person just kinda made a home in my life. The start of 2022 then hit me in the head with the realization of what had happened right in front of my oblivious face haha. I was confused and uncertain. But after thinking and talking about it, I realized my feelings were genuine, and so were Mark's.
This love isn't like my past crushes. My feelings in the past were typically intense and thought-consuming. My feelings now are not that intense but definitely gentle and growing as we get to know each other better. There are no impossible hurdles or unrealistic expectations. We talk. Not perfectly, but we're willing to discuss things and learn how to navigate this relationship. And honestly, I had some worries about dating a guy because my limited experiences didn't really give me much hope about men. But so far, Mark has proven to be someone with values and needs that align with mine pretty well. We don't always get each other, but we both try to be understanding. I'm quite happy with him. Weird haha.
2022 is busy for me. In 2021, I had made 2022 plans for myself to get back into the swing of things and enjoy my singleness more. This year, I've been readjusting some plans to include Mark or to spend more time with him. We're gonna go to a few events or festivals together. I always wanted a rave bae haha. Then I can retire. Maybe haha.
The biggest change of plans happening in 2022 is that I'm no longer going to stay in Seattle when my lease ends. I had originally planned to stay in Seattle for at least three years. Now, because he lives in the Bay Area (Why the heck did it take me leaving the Bay to finally meet someone I connect with? Haha), I'm going to move back after less than one and a half years in Seattle. I like Seattle, but I miss the Bay vibes. Seattle gave me enough of the break that I needed from my family and the Bay. And now, I got a love back in the Bay, and I don't think I can do the long distance for too long.
I can't wait to move back to the Bay. 2022 has been an interesting year so far, and I wonder what else it has in store.
