This doing something every week is hard! I thought about this post a bunch of times and then just did things like being productive at work and read a book instead of writing.

But here we are with my Monday Joy for this week. While last week’s was a very specific thing that everyone can experience, this week’s is a little more existential.

You see, I turned 54 yesterday. I am fine with that. Time marches on, and I always have the option to stay immature. This week’s Joy comes from how I celebrated. I went on a trip all by myself. That’s my Joy.

I did celebrate on the actual day with my wife and daughter. We had a great brunch and ate an outstanding cake my wife made (peach upside down, I highly recommend it). But all that came after an amazing trip I made to New York to see some very funny people.

I have traveled by myself for a while now. My wife just doesn’t have that bug like I do. I first did it to Las Vegas, which is a great place to travel alone because things never close so you can do whatever you want, whenever you want.

My old job had me travel solo some, which was fun. But this trip was the first time I did something like this since Summer 2019.

I took this opportunity to go visit a bunch of people who I met doing online improv over the past three years. We performed together in person and hugged and drank and talked, and I could not have been more filled with happiness. I also saw an improv friend who moved up there a few years ago, had coffee with one of my nieces, and explored the city on my own a little.

After two days, I was ready to come home, but the Joy of being in such loving and fun company is the thing carrying me through this week.