01/02/2026
2025 was full to the brim with old and new friends, so many more than I could tag. The relentless onslaught of dystopian headlines could only be balanced by my communities in New York City. I started the year off seeing one of my childhood friends finally marry his best friend as a groomsman, I jumped deep into the depths of as a triple-duty puppet builder, puppet wrangler, and actor onstage. I became fast friends with a cast member and kindred spirit on that show who would very soon become the executive director where I am now honored to contribute as a marketing consultant. I continued hosting hobby nights at my apartment in Flatbush, and I took up carnatic violin again since dropping off during the lockdown. I attended an iconic music festival in Barcelona with two people I love dearly. One of my best friends married his best friend, and I had the privilege of standing beside him as a best man while playing violin for the ceremony. I taught puppetry to two incredibly imaginative and motivated groups of students in Vermont, where I lived and worked alongside some of the most inspiring and dedicated teaching artists I've ever met. I had the most action-packed birthday week in recent memory and I was humbled to see so many friends from throughout my 13 years in New York pull through. I began an exciting new storytelling project at the New York Aquarium with a dear friend and reliable collaborator. Another old friend finally married his best friend and invited me to sing for them at what was certainly the most elegantly produced wedding I will likely ever attend. It was a year of boardgames and RPGs that brought together the loveliest people I know to conventions and weekly gatherings. And I closed out the year with my beloved for our most epic concert yet as we've grown season by season. I recently started an incredible new job as a creative director that might grow into a career-defining role as 2026 progresses. We now have a mayor who looks like people in my family. A mayor who understands and deeply respects the arts. I have hope for the first time in almost a decade. I believe New York will lead the way.
