For a start, I mentioned I have a partner a couple blogs ago; I didn't mention how much their presence in my life has changed mine.

I'm going to bed and waking up at nearly the same time every single day, and it is at a much earlier time for bed and much earlier time waking up. I'm going to bed around 9 - 11 pm, before midnight! And not because of work! Even on non-work days. And I'm waking up around 6:30 am, every single day! Even on the weekends when I'm not working!

I'm still dealing with chronic health issues, so my chronic fatigue remains. But, I don't feel like I need to nap! My lucidity is higher, without a need to nap. And, my food intake feels more consistent, too. Having a partner is helping me regulate my body. I'm showering a little more often, and overall, my life is just...better.

I love my partner so much, and I am more driven than ever before in life. I am taking steps to meet them and am already looking to 2024 trying to move in with them. If that seems a bit fast, I understand. But, this is a love deeper than anything I have felt before, and it is mutual. We want to make it work. This is a relationship that I know others probably won't understand. But, it's one that we know the details of and we are going to fight to make it work.

I want to, when appropriate, be public about my partner. To share where I can, as much as I can. I might not share the details, but I want to share them. Things are going to be changing.

I'm about to go on a call-date, so I'm not gonna say more in this blog, but...I really want this to work, despite how we will definitely face challenges.

In my defense, not all of them were my fault.

The first and second misses, I was too dead tired to write anything basically all day.

The third, I had fully intended to--and then, my internet went out for sixteen hours...coming back a full four after I had gone to sleep.

Sundays this month, to be honest, I'm not sure I'll be able to blog on them at all. There's only one left at this point, but it's likely going to break my blogging streak...again. (I should remind you, this blog went eight years solid being daily without fail, and often multiple times per day. I've fallen off hardcore to be a once a month blogger.)

​On Monday, and bleeding into Tuesday, I just had...things...to think about. Very deep things, very important things, with ramifications that will last the rest of my life, and which will have consequences regardless, which impact others, and just...I needed to air out my thoughts in total privacy.

I have a confessional I use, which allows me to air out thoughts. This is a confessional I've basically said, "this is something I don't want anyone to know while I'm alive, to be taken to the grave". And given the grave nature of the things I had to think about--what I thought about counted.

I couldn't blog, at least not publicly, while in that mindset. I had to use my confessional as a form of blog for those days. It was needed, because I was feeling rather devastated, lost, conflicted, with a lot to think about, a lot to think about which I shan't discuss publicly especially since a fair amount, I swore to secrecy. There's a lot of dark stuff below the surface, which will likely never see the light of day. And I don't think people are gonna like my decisions, my directions, my confessions. Yet, I did figure out a mental picture, even if it's one I don't have the words for.

By the time of Wednesday and Thursday, I could have blogged...

...But then, I just...forgot. WHOOPS.

Ah well.

​Here's to hoping this time, it sticks, for real.

Not gonna lie, life is rough. Work is draining, and I don't have as much time/energy as I used to--but also, to a large extent, I've been prioritizing going to bed more. It's not really helping me get enough sleep, but it's something which still feels nice, and to some extent, I am making a conscious effort to at least somewhat maintain synchronization with my partner.

And my partner being my significant other, I do prioritize dating them over blogging, too.

But today, it's worth blogging about.

You might've noticed I mentioned something there, above.

Yes.

I have a partner--as of today.

I've been talking to a friend daily. And at some point, I began to love them. Today, I finally confessed to them, and they reciprocate.

Yes! I'm dating! I have a significant other. I've got a partner! I love them, and they return my affections. So today, we made it official and are now an item. I'm so giddy. I'm so excited. I'm very, very nervous. I'm sure the future will be filled with challenges. But, I want to make it work. As long as they have feelings for me, I will do anything for them.

I love them, a lot. So now, things are going to be different. Scary, but also exhilarating. My heart is so full of joy right now. So wish me all of the luck. Given the trials and tribulations sure to come...we'll need it.

Work left me with nearly no free time. The little free time I did have, I mostly wasted, mind you. But, I've not touched League or TFT all week, and I'm not doing nearly any of the health tasks I should be.

The good news is, as the month goes on I do less and less work. The first week had the most, the second week the second-most. Last week the least, second-last the second-least. So like. It'll get better. But right now, it's bad. I'll hopefully manage to stabilize soon.

At least the upside is, I've still managed to put in friend time. I've been staying on top of a lot of personal stuff, friend maintenance included. My friend who has been going through A Time recently, has been someone I've deeply appreciated being with every single day. They make me feel happy. I feel incredibly happy when I'm hanging around with them.

This friend is, genuinely, who we suspect brought Talia (our flirtatious facet) forward, where she's instantly become a main fronter for our system. This friend, hanging out with them vibed with us enough that we have awakened things within which have been dormant for years. This friend is someone we really want to keep in our life, because they are worth it. They are someone who we love spending time with. They are someone who just gives us an indescribable joy. So, we will do whatever it takes to keep this friend in our life for as long as they want us to be a part of theirs.

That's both ironic and yet also unironic, believe it or not.

A big "fun" thing happened with my friend, and I changed my plans to instantly help them.

But it was fun, and I got my laptop setup to work so I could actually talk with them.

I didn't do what I was planning to today.

​But, I still had a good time. I enjoy time with my friend.

For both my free time and health.

Remember how I said I had so much more free time?

Apparently not on work days.

Work days are having me go to work, come home and then either nap or shower to survive, and then be left with a maximum of three hours of free time before I sleep and start it all again.

Fortunately, this is the only week where I work four days in a row, but...ouch. I didn't realize how draining work was until it hit me in the face today, the contrast between time on days I don't work versus time on days I do.