Since the last post on this page, I have moved into my own apartment for the first time in my life and I’ve celebrated a birthday. This is my first post in this apartment.

It’s a strange thing to walk into a home and know that everything inside of it is yours alone. It reminds me of when I was a kid and started working for the first time at 15. The Playstation 2 had just come out and I had seen the groundbreaking Grand Theft Auto 3. A game bigger than anything I had ever seen before, with 3D graphics and it allowed you to go anywhere.

I wanted it so badly. I had saved up enough money from my part time job at McDonalds. I was so scared and nervous back then being around people. I would honestly want to do that again now. There were so many big personalities.

But anyway, I was a little bit persistent for my dad to drive me to my local video game store. He eventually did and then we had to go get the composite cables for it. My dad was a good sport about it. But I remember holding that PS2 in my hands and I said to him.

“This is mine. I earned this. No one can take this from me.”

And that’s how I feel sitting in my apartment. I took a risk going back to school and through some hard work and a lot of luck, I’ve landed a job that can keep me afloat. The apartment is mine to do with what I want. I’ve built a reading nest in my living room. The temperature is mine to control. I can walk three feet into my apartment after work and my pants are gone. It’s a wonderful feeling.

The other thing I can do is be creative in a way that I never was before. I got self conscious playing my guitar when my roommates could hear. Now I can play whenever I want as long as I don’t bother my neighbors. Fortunately, the soundproofing seems to be pretty good. I haven’t heard anything from them but I don’t want to push buttons.

It’s a nice feeling and I’m going to chase it.