This is my story.

"Be soft; do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place."

[justanotherniceguy]

Finally, fInancially stable.

Been 13 years since I've graduated, and I've finally gotten my first full time job offer at a big company that compensates well, with a team that actually gives a shit about their coworkers. Another long journey that I've finally reached. This is by no means the end of the journey, but the first step into the place I've wanted to be for so long.

I hope I continue to grow and become more financially successfully at this place. I know everybody's replaceable, but I hope this is a place I can stay for a long time.

Achieving another life goal. Free of another burden. Ability to provide in a meaningful way.

I am living proof that you can make good money without causing unhappiness for someone else. There's absolutely no need to take joy or needs from others, and try to profit from it.

[justanotherniceguy]

Engaged.

It has been a long journey. Through many years of heartache.. suffering.. exhaustion..

I've finally found joy. I've finally found happiness. I've finally found peace. I've finally found pure love.

Today, I proposed. Today, she said yes. Today, I got engaged. Today, I have a fiance.

I've realized that much to my surprise, this is it. This is the answer to fixing a damaged soul: persistence of faith despite all odds, persistence of love despite all the pain, and as Iain Thomas said:

"Be soft. Do not let the world make you hard. Do not let the pain make you hate. Do not let the bitterness steal your sweetness. Take pride that even though the rest of the world may disagree, you still believe it to be a beautiful place."

I believe that I let the world change me for the worst. I mean, how could you not after going through all that? But without realizing, I was still walking towards the light.. despite being submerged in darkness. It's all a matter of how you adapt to that darkness.

I'm quite in awe of the peace I feel now.

It has been a long journey... ...but we're finally here.

[justanotherniceguy]

I sold my home away from home.

And he asked, "after all this time?" And I replied, "Always."

It has been a long time coming, but I let go of my second home - and the box of memories in it too. This was a really, really hard "goodbye". To the Shunnie that doesn't exist anymore.. I kept you in my heart. And forever there, you will stay.

[acupofkeen]

Sometimes I’m afraid to write how I really feel  on here because I feel like if I do, I’ll finally be admitting that things aren’t okay. Putting it to words would mean having to face it, to address it, and to eventually believe it. 

[justanotherniceguy]

I miss the days when we wrote what we want, because we knew what we wanted.

I miss the days where I had a goal, and didn't wander the world aimlessly.

Nowadays, I just feel so tired. I spend every waking moment worrying.

About what?

Everything.

-- Like K said --

I don't want to write what life feels like now, because then I'll finally be admitting that things aren't okay. I don't want to face it. I don't want to address it, because it's already always on my mind. I don't want to believe it, because if I do, it means I failed.

It'll mean I failed my younger self, in every way.

[justanotherniceguy]

I'm so tired.

Not physically.

Not mentally.

But spiritually.

I'm so exhausted.

I don't know what to do anymore.

[justanotherniceguy]

You can’t find love in the same place you lost it. That’s why I left. #oldThoughts

[justanotherniceguy]

Don’t be a fool, Kin. You’re setting yourself up for failure.

You know deep down nothing good will come from this.

– But the heart wants what the heart wants.

[justanotherniceguy]

Followup: Yup, I was right.

[justanotherniceguy]

[justanotherniceguy]

This glass was dear to me.

RIP Willis Tower Champagne Glass 4/15/21 - shattered by Val when she opened pizza box.

[justanotherniceguy]

Hello World.

Wow, it’s been quite a few years since I’ve written here. I wanted to leave a note on what has happened so far, without going too far into details. Just so there’s something for me to remember when I come back and read this years later. It’s Jan 2021. I’ve moved into Soho, my favorite place to live in NYC, finally. It’s a big step for me and I’m finally in the place where you “live like a New Yorker”. Shocking that it took this long for me to get here, since I’ve been stuck in Queens for 4-5 years. I wouldn’t call it awful but it definitely took longer than I wanted. Oh well.

The year 2020 was absolutely crazy. The pandemic has caused almost everybody’s lifestyle to change, and living a 10-min walk away from the epicenter of the epicenter of Covid wasn’t exactly fun either. Yes, the hospital with the most infected in NYC was right around the corner for me.

Aside from that, I’m decently happy. For now. Maybe I’ll write more again in the future.

Hope everyone out there is doing well. Stay safe.

- K

[acupofkeen]

I wonder who still dwells during moments of nostalgia and find themselves rummaging through old photographs, old texts, and even old ramblings from a blog full of youth, promise, and unrealistic notions about love and adulthood. 

[justanotherniceguy]

Although life has moved on years after, I still catch myself reminiscing of the old days. Once a year I’ll also look through my terabyte of old photos. And somewhere in my home in Miami, I still have a box labeled, “Memories.”

[justanotherniceguy]

Today I learned..

that my mind and its thoughts jump to a very dark place, very quickly. It happens within the third jump or so, where I think about ‘x’ and then it leads me to ‘y’, and to the dark ‘z’. Is this considered trauma?

6/22/2019 4:23am

[justanotherniceguy]

There's nothing quite like Central Park in the Fall 🍁🍃 #iloveNY (at Central Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/BqJG9SFAgfC/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=hwzgfyj483b0

[uneventfulness]

[justanotherniceguy]

She likes flower fields. Lavendars.

[uneventfulness]

[uneventfulness]

[theartofanimation]

[justanotherniceguy]

Don’t be a fool, Kin. You’re setting yourself up for failure.

You know deep down nothing good will come from this.

-- But the heart wants what the heart wants.