I learned that I’m a runner-up for a jr graphic design job, which is both discouraging and encouraging. I’m wrestling with this feeling of frustration by being second but also appreciative. I was commended and told if they had a second position available, they would’ve greatly considered me further. And yes, perhaps there were bureaucratic words littered in, but it did seem genuine, and that being put in second place was most likely a close call. I feel fairly optimistic about my relationship with them despite the circumstances.

Overall though, I’m just continuing the job hunting grind and planning some projects I’ve put off since university. Still going strong!

Starting with my lessons on computers. You may say starting on my computer literacy.

It’s like starting off on a new journey, whenever you learn something new.

Starting job applications, continuing to write, hiking. So far so good.

One of the striking things about leaving academia was how much stress reduction has improved my physical health. My face is starting to recover from the stress and overwork. My body doesn’t feel tired all the time. My eyes aren’t on fire. The bags are, less baggy (poetic description, I know).

I hope I can stay the course and not replace one bad career with another.

I got up with the alarm at 4:55 a.m. today, having not made it to bed until 1:30. The final outcome of the past three years was 60 miles away. I’d resurrected my starter batteries Saturday, and one of the bartenders from the brewery I park near came by Sunday to flip up my liftgate, then biked off (I really need to regain upper body strength – I was flipping that thing up daily while building out the van.).

After which I canceled my internet service and returned my 5G hotspot.

So, nothing left tying me to Austin, plenty of diesel in the tank from when last I drove in August 2024. And without A/C, it was imperative that I do the drive at the coolest part of the morning.

I got here at about 6:30, having gone on an accidental minor excursion before arriving at my new home. Then the malaise set in after getting on the bed. I’ve been mostly useless all day, but I managed to scarf down some Hamburger Helper one of the parents had cooked. This is the first time since 2023 that I’ve had fixed housing and all my possessions in tow.

By 11 a.m., the heat index was already 99F, so I think I timed this well.

Our demo/reno that was supposed to start a month ago is due to start on Monday of next week… 😑

Turns out code enforcement gave us incorrect and incomplete information, then waited til the last day before his two week vacation to inform us that we needed to get a variance, since our house was built nearly twenty years before the town adopted zoning codes (no “grandfathering” here). Then he gave our contractor the wrong appeal form, which caused a ruckus at the appeal meeting. After the appeal was successful, he told our guy that literally anyone in town could appeal our variance in court (that’s not how it works). So our guy is spooked and drew up indemnity paperwork in case an impossible thing happens and now we’re five weeks behind schedule.

Bright side, almost everyone on our dead end street wrote very kind letters of support for us and our appeal was successful and our contractor has all of our permits in hand. I’ve also been asked by two different board members of our local land trust to participate in an educational program they’re launching centered on native plants, biodiversity, and conservation efforts anyone can do with just a few plants. And someone at my Sunday market called me “the real deal” while telling his friend to also buy some plants from me (he came back later to give me some of his own plants for the sake of genetic diversity.

Oh, and we raised over a thousand dollars for our town’s library with this past weekend’s plant sale. “We”, I should mention, is myself and all the wonderful people who donated plants and volunteered their time to help folks pick out plants for their gardens and give planting advice.

I have a child now??? Whoa. It’s day 12 and I’m still shocked.

Childbirth is such a wild and beautiful event and I feel like a different person, so blessed. My wife did so well, I’m so proud of her 🥹

And to have a little son and be a parent… Wow. Different life ahead of me for sure. But I’m also still me??

Anyway, bright days ahead I think. Sleep deprivation sucks but on the other hand my baby is very cute!

Unexpected but unsurprising: friends and family visits are really confirming how much more chosen family is to me and my wife. I’m sure our bio families try but they’ll never be to us what our chosen family members are (sorry mom). Our friends are such great help and support, again feeling blessed!

It’s weird alternating between visitors that I am out to as non binary vs those where I am not. It’s nice not having to pretend I feel spoken to when family calls me a dad. At least hospital staff was mostly nice about it which made for some very special moments.

Not great. Not terrible, but not great.

Good stuff: got my permanent residency in Germany.

Bad stuff: pretty burnt out (on a sick leave atm), but going to interviews instead of resting. Also I’m being sued in my home country, cause a friend who lives in my apartment may or may not have flooded a neighbour downstairs and I don’t have the energy to fight this properly to prove that it wasn’t my fault.