Oh, this one's gonna be good. Usually they just plot openly right in front of me

And just for the record, 30 isn't old. Or too late. Or any nonsense like that. The only reason I'm hung up on it is (1) it's the year that marked my resolution to Do Something About This, and (2) that's over 90% of my life so far and it feels detached from everything else, and that's a bit daunting.

We got here, and we're nowhere close to done yet! Which is! Scary! And a little daunting! But also, exciting! There's so much yet to do and be, and you know I'll be cheering you right back!!

And that's kind of the thing, isn't it? One of them.

Would I trade my high school and college years? ...I mean, maybe.

But I've made so many incredible friends here, it's my absolute pleasure to know so many of you. How could I ever really regret the path that let that happen?

Oh! Well...w-well, that sounds very nice, actually...

It's supposed to be a doll doing the comforting, but...there's probably no harm in a reversal on occasion.

heLLO? Oh my GODH

But I'm here now. I've found joy the likes of which I never imagined in just a couple, humble years. And I've got a couple thirties yet to claim if I have any say in the matter.

And even if it still stings sometimes, that's enough. Because it has to be, yes, but also, I think, because it is...

Thirty years trying to be someone else. Slowly imploding. Too slowly.

I don't think about what I missed. The good and the bad. I can't. I'd get lost in it.

In a lot of ways, those thirty years don't even feel like mine, and I don't think I'll ever fully grapple with that.

Yeah. It's...a lot.

I think about sometimes. By all accounts, I should have figured it out sooner. Somethings would have been much easier. Others impossibly difficult.

I try not to dwell on the past. Life can so easily seem a string of missed opportunities if you let it.

I guess they're like a god or whatever, but I keep them in a bottle around my neck, don't you think it looks darling on me?

.......ominous, but there's no backing out now. And I fear she likes the...fear.

We take up so little room, after all. A veritable eager collection...

A-also, hey, rude!

It really is, is the thing. Which might be a big part of why it didn't dissuade me.

I-I mean, hey, fishbowl's not my preference, but humanoid creatures isn't a terrible list if it comes to it, you know?