I have been involved in music for as long as I can remember.
It started when I was a tiny toddler making a lot of noise and not much music on an upright piano. To save my parent's sanity, I started formal piano lessons shortly after. A highlight of those early years was playing at Disneyland Paris to support my school choir. A low point was my piano teacher kicking me out because I wasn't practicing regularly enough (I eventually went through 3 different teachers).
As well as the piano, I picked up several other instruments in my childhood, including the guitar (piano wasn't cool enough for a teenager), french horn, military drums, and the triangle △. I chose to study audio and video production at university; this felt close to music but with slightly better job prospects (read: none).
Time has vanished since graduating. I have held many random jobs to pay the bills, including: nightclub promoter, door-to-door charity fundraiser, and mobile phone salesman. I got my first real job in marketing, pivoted into tech as a Product Manager, and for the last 7 years my career has, from every concievable perspective, blossomed.
But at 30 years old, I am having a major life crisis.
Despite my successes, I have always felt like there was something missing. Reading this back, it seems clear to me that it's music, and that music is far more important to me than I have given it credit for in recent years. There is a part of me that is yearning to create, and music is the medium which has always spoken to me the loudest.
This post marks a turning point. From this moment, I will play an active role in making composing a priority in my life. I will upload and share my music. I will participate in game jams. I will find local filmmakers. I will write, create, and imagine.
If any of this has spoken to you, I'd love to connect and hear your story.
And if you happen to be reading this in 2-3 years time and I have done none of these things, please remind me of this post before my next life crisis happens at 40.