Originally posted on isobelthorne.com
It’s funny how, in the final months of a year, I start thinking, “This year is almost over, and I feel like I have done nothing this whole time!” I don’t know what that is about because it’s clearly untrue. This year, I feel like maybe I did so many things that it’s almost hard to comprehend that all of them were this year…or perhaps it’s just hard for my brain to save memories when it’s constantly working at its maximum stress level. Yesterday was Spotify wrapped day (for those who don’t know what that means, it’s when a music app tells you the top songs, artists and genres of music you listened to that year) and looking at the music I was playing was like looking at an audio history of my year, remembering when I was obsessed with a particular song or album and what was going on at the time. So, with that in mind, I thought I would tell you about some of the highlights of my year…
1. Buying my apartment
Obviously, this is a significant milestone for me. I keep getting confused and thinking it was last year because of how long the process took. From the moment I first spoke to my broker to the moment I finally moved into my place, it must have been at least 6 months, and now that I’m in my apartment, it feels like this is where I’ve always been. Getting out of the city has also been a good move for me. I feel so much healthier being a bit further out in a place that’s quieter in the evenings and has more nature. As much as I still love working in Surry Hills, I think it was time to stop living there. Also, I am pretty proud of myself for pushing through the whole mortgage application process, saying “sex worker” as my occupation. It would have been so much easier just to lie, but I wanted to try to tell the truth first because I hope that if enough escorts fight to get treated equally by banks, then one day, it will no longer be a fight.
2. Starting back at uni
Okay, this was maybe not the most fun highlight. This has been a huuuge adjustment, and I’m grateful to everyone who has been patient with me while I adjust to working out my new scheduling and prioritising woes. I deferred uni at the start of 2020, and what was meant to be a one-year break somehow became a three-and-a-half-year break. Returning has been strange adjusting to the post-COVID style of recorded lectures and Zoom workshops. I think I am finally used to it now, though, and I’m looking forward to my next unit starting this Monday.
3. Taking up jogging again
I think the last time I consistently jogged was when I was 19. I’m not sure when or why I stopped; I imagine I just got busy one day and never stopped being busy. Last year, a friend and I started playing tennis for fun (another thing I hadn’t done since I was younger). Trying to run around a court for half an hour non-stop made me realise how terribly unfit I was. I started jogging again so I would stop embarrassing myself and somehow came to look forward to my afternoon jogs. My Fitbit now tells me my cardiovascular fitness is “very good” for my age. I am aiming to get to excellent before New Year’s.
4. Going on a holiday with my friends
We decided to go to Splendour in the Grass this year because only a few tickets had sold. I know from other friends in the music industry that the Australian music industry is struggling to come back after COVID. Turned out we were way too old to be outdoors in the middle of winter, wandering around and listening to bands. But the rest of the week, when we went to restaurants, got massages and sat in front of a fire, was lovely.
5. Forgetting my age
I’ve been asked my age several times this year, and my brain has needed to take a moment to buffer. I am 31, which is not that old in regular society, but when you’re an escort, you’re constantly being told that your expiration date is 28, and if you get to 30, that’s embarrassing. I have been pleasantly surprised by the truth that as you get older, your clients improve, and you have more fun. Something about forgetting my age a few times, though, makes me really feel like I’ve made peace with getting older and embracing the reality I’m living in rather than letting anxiety about getting older ruin it.
