August 26, 2026
Well. I guess I'm back.

Somewhere, there's a psychiatrist having a total field day with me. 
Observing the specific periods in my life where I feel the need to come 
back to this specific space, this specific format. Like _Brokeback 
Mountain_'s "I wish I knew how to quit you," Gopher's always there, 
beckoning from the shadows of my nostalgia, promising me that everything 
is going to be better *this* time around in my text-based hidey-hole.

That being said, it's been *checks watch* THIRTEEN YEARS since I was last 
in this space. And a heck of a lot has happened in thirteen years. 
EVERYONE is on the Internet now. What used to be the "cool club" with my 
close friends will now bring my cousin's ex-husband's second child leaving 
scathing comments on my social media posts. The world seems scary and 
divisive. Add to that being a newly-diagnosed AuDHD person in an AuDHD 
family, and add to that being non-binary and queer in a very queer family 
-- there just seems to be less and less that I feel comfortable sharing in 
those crowded public spaces. But I've been writing online since 1997, and 
I don't know how to stop. So, here I am again, Gopher my old friend.

We'll see how long it lasts this time. I'm wanting to come back to it 
primarily as an exercise in my own writing capability. Parenthood and work 
and AI and exhaustion have robbed me of my words lately -- this is a place 
where I can assure myself that they still exist, that I can get out the 
oilcan and try to move the rusty bits around. I don't want to lose this 
part of myself. It's been too important to me for too long.

So. If you're out there, thanks for coming along for the ride.