Hello beautiful,

I had another piano lesson today, and it was much better than last time. I think the difference was that this time, I came in knowing what I wanted out of the session. Before now, I always thought piano was just about learning songs from sheet music—sit down, master one piece, then move on to the next. That’s how last week’s lesson felt. But after diving into music theory, I’ve realized there’s so much more to it. Music can follow a structure, yes, but within that structure, there’s freedom for expression—for jazz, improv, and all kinds of creative play. That’s what makes it magical.

I went in with a bunch of questions, and Max answered them all. I left the session feeling excited to get home and play again. For the first time in a while, everything felt right with the world.

In other news, I decided to go back on Hinge just to see what’s out there. I ended up talking to about five different guys. And buddy, dating is tedious. Almost all of them asked me what I do for work and where I live—even though it’s right there on my profile. One gave me ridiculously short replies, which made the filtering process very easy. And weirdly enough, a few of them weren’t even in Melbourne; they were in Sydney, Brisbane, or Canberra but still looking for guys here, which just baffles me.

Meanwhile, I’m still sending Suf voice memos every night—about ten minutes long—sharing my day and how I’m feeling, and he does the same. We’ve been doing this for weeks now. Subconsciously, it’s setting a very high bar for the next guy I date. I’m not sure if that’s unfair, but honestly, that’s the kind of connection I’m looking for. Deep, consistent, genuine.

The best part is, I’m not overwhelmed with disappointment this time around. I’m actually enjoying single life—spending time on my own, sending voice memos to Suf, and seeing friends. I don’t feel alone, not like I did a couple of weeks ago when I was still clinging tightly to Phil, thinking no one could compare and that there was no hope. I don’t feel that way anymore. That feels like growth.

It’s a long road ahead, buddy, but there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. Have a good night. Chat soon xx