(re)introductions
Dear Ciara,
Who am I? A reader of mine recently sent me an email recently asking more about who I am. When I first began sharing my letters publicly, I decided to construct a digital persona that is mostly anonymous. I feared sharing information about myself publicly. While you, Ciara, obviously know who I am, it occurred to me after I received that email that my readers deserve to know a little bit more about me. Thus, the purpose of this letter is to (re)introduce me.
You can call me The Gardener.
I grew up just outside of Sydney and had lived there for most of my life, that is, up until the beginning of 2024 when my fiancé and I drove 26 hours and relocated to Tropical Queensland.
Speaking of which, I am engaged to an impossibly creative, talented, handsome man that I refer to as The Organist.
Dear Ciara consists of letters I am sending to a dear friend who lives in Greater Sydney. Ciara and I grew up together and have been friends for over a decade now. My letters are inspired by the diarist and poet Kate Llewellyn.
I have just completed working on my Honours thesis. Now, I am preparing to return to full-time work in 2026. I have mixed feelings about this. I won’t lie—I have really enjoyed working part-time these past two years.
I am a proud father to three birds. My landlord (who lives upstairs) also owns two dogs and two cats who The Organist and I consider part of our extended animal family.
My mother is Welsh, and I am attempting to reconnect with her background by learning Cymraeg. I am not the best at keeping up with my study, though. My job is quite demanding, and I often find myself too tired after a day’s work to complete any study.
My passions in life are reading and writing. I also enjoy creating music, gardening, and bushwalking. I’ve recently found a love for birdwatching. See bird photos #1 for some of my snaps.
I am currently on a “fitness journey”, focusing on exercising to a) improve my mental health and b) prepare my body physically so that when I age, I am still able to do the things I want to do. This has been a tough journey for me, though, as I struggle with the resilience needed to push myself at the gym.
What else would you like to know?
The song for today is:
Leave — Jake Minch
I absolutely adore this man's accent. I know nothing of American accents, but his just tingles my scalp. I've been really enjoying his album George.
Love,
The Gardener