In 2010 I: ¶

• was a new father

• had been in my new job for nearly a year

• attended my first PyCon

• owned my first home, and was learning to build and maintain it

• was part of a fantastic D&D group

• had a few couples who were phenomenally good friends

• lived in Canada

In 2019 I: ¶

• am a proud father of a ten year old whom I love and who is always finding new ways to brighten my life

• have a son who lives 5 hours drive away from me most of the time

• am in love with and loved by Helen, who’s amazing in every way

• am divorced

• have a fantastic job that I couldn’t even have dreamed of back then

• have watched some of my best friends drift away and it broke my heart

• teetered on the edge of losing one of my great friends but somehow salvaged that

• have made other friends who have supported me when I needed it most

• own a gorgeous home in Seattle

In between those points are so many things that this blog barely touched on. Looking back at the decade that was… it’s been a ride. I got married. Emigrated to another country. Took a terrifying job that continues to excite me. I learned what it feels like to recognize being abused. I became a feminist. I watched my son grow into from the baby I adored to the boy I love. I met my partner. I traveled to some of the most amazing places. I found career success. I rode more than 200 miles in a weekend on my bike. I got a tattoo. I found new music and old, and new friends and old.

The world continues to spiral into … fascism, I guess? It’s hard to say. We are seeing the effects of ignoring global climate change comining home to roost. The USA is in a bad place, but it’s hard to say if it’s the leading edge of a political wave that might sweep 3/4 century of peace away in a spasm of nationalistic violence, or if it’s a last gasp from an old order that is dying and knows it.