So it occurred to me that I haven't been active around here for a long-ass time, so here's a kind of general update.
I don't expect to get a lot more active, as I'm nowhere near as 'chronically online' as I used to be, which I see as a plus.

Anxiety

About 2 years ago now I was put on an anti-depressant (Cipralex) to help me with what my doctor called an 'overwhelming anxiety disorder'. While I know that SSRIs can take trial and error to dial in for a lot of people, I was fortunate that this one met my needs.

I've found a massive change in my coping ability, my mind is calmer, my thoughts are clearer. The best part for me? Things that used to be huge anxiety triggers barely register as background noise now. I used to have multiple social triggers that would set me into paranoid thought spirals for days or weeks at a time. Stuff that used to really stress me out just don't matter anymore.

Work

About a year and a half ago I landed what seemed like a dream job to me in the company I've worked for over 12 years. It's challenging, varied enough to keep me on the move, and I feel like I make a difference. Even if it's not a big difference, having an impact on things in a positive way has been rewarding.

Early 2022, this became a real dream of a job for me. I've always wanted to help others grow and learn, and I've been fortunate to now co-manage a development program for aspiring analysts. I went though this program myself, and it totally changed my life. If I can enable others to change theirs, I can't think of anything more gratifying.

Catto!

Just over a month ago, my partner and I added four paws to our household. Working from home has been really lonely for me, particularly now that I'm not even in the same city as anyone on my team. In light of this, I started badgering him to let me adopt a pet. Well, I have heinous animal allergies to both cats and dogs, so the route I chose was to go to a breeder who specialized in sphynx cats. (Note: Without allergies being an issue, would 100% have adopted. This was not an option for us.)

We picked up our little man August 7, and he's already an ingrained part of our lives. Within a week, I couldn't imagine the home without him!

He has an amazing personality, chill and cuddly for the most part, great with new people, with spurts of chaotic goblin energy for spice. Even when he's naughty, he's very loved, as well as very spoiled. My best friend even commented that I, 'put more thought into buying a cat than most people put into buying a house'. She's not wrong there, haha.

Anyway, he's my tiny gremlin child now, and I couldn't be happier. I sort of understand parents a bit better, having this tiny creature depending on you changes how your brain works. For me, it's been a massive change for the better, there's so much more love in my life than there was without a pet.

Conclusion

TL;DR?

I'm alive! Life is good! Mental health is better than it's been in a decade!
Work is awesome! I love my new hairless alien baby boy!