The real winner's lounge was the friends we made along the way
In which I say nice things to 58 people and a mean thing to 1 person
In the first week, I made a point of meeting every single resident. Most people did not do this, I guess.
A few days ago, when I didn’t know what to write, a friend suggested that I just list every person and say something nice about them. I thought this was a good idea, then I thought it was a terrible idea, then I started writing it, and now here we are.
Welcome to the end.
Staff
Ben P, absolutely insane that you pulled this off. What an incredible thing you’ve created. Also I really enjoyed listening to you sing that one night. I hope you get to sleep now.
Georgia, it’s cool how you manage to be chill and positive and enthusiastic under seemingly all circumstances. And your paintings are so good.
‘Jamie’, thanks for all the conversations about life, and for constantly telling me that you care about my well-being. I am almost starting to believe it.
Justis, you are an unstoppable blog post reading machine, and your male feminine energy was such a positive addition to the environment. Thanks for bringing your very cool wife and child with you.
Vaniver, it’s been nice having real conversations after being on the periphery of each other’s lives for so many years. You’re weird and I hope you’re my real dad.
Residents
Adrià, thanks for keeping me company when I would otherwise have been all alone. Your whole life is open ahead of you!
Alex A, one time you came to my house for Christmas and brought a scale model of the ISS made of gingerbread and that’s just really cool and I think people should know about it. I want you to know that I liked some of your posts; I tried commenting on your blog but it was too hard and I gave up.
A.G.G., you have a way of bringing people together. You always seem so happy to be where you are, and it makes other people happy too. Thanks for singing in Chinese with me.
Amanda, I like how you step up and help. Your Tengwar calligraphy is gorgeous.
Angadh, extremely impressive that you made it all the way through even after leaving. I nod my head to you. Still no insight into what it could possibly be like to not be an outsider.
Ben G, I did not actually see you that much this month but you know I like you as a person. Great job writing posts that lots of people read.
Ben S, when you wrote that you had read sixty books in sixty days and wanted to be a literary novelist, I thought you’d be a pompous ass. But now I see you are just a poetic soul who loves books, and that’s beautiful. Thanks for the creatine.
Camille, there is nothing I can say here that would be adequate. I would have to write you a song for it to be adequate, but don’t hold me to that. Thank you for being my friend.
Claire, great job, you’re really nailing this.
Croissant, you’re so much cooler than I was at your age, but I have already said that to you many times. You see deeply into people, and your writing style is weird and exciting. If you and your clones take over the world someday, I think that wouldn’t be such a bad world.
Daniel, you brighten every conversation you’re in. Thanks for the music.
David, your energy calms me. Thanks for pitching me your product which I think is a great idea even if I’m your only customer. I hope I see you more now that I know you exist.
Eneasz, your writing is beautiful and thoughtful, and you are a lovely presence in any room. I am glad you moved here.
Harri, wow, what a massive legend. Your posts are deranged and my favorite.
Hauke, I basically haven’t spoken to you because you are always heads down writing effort posts and that’s extremely based.
Human Invariant, thank you for helping me escape a situation I didn’t want to be in. I like your smile.
Jenn, seeing the way you move through the world has made me able to approach my own life with more agency. I have so much respect and admiration for everything you do in every area of life.
Joanna, the authenticity and vulnerability in your writing inspired me to write about what I actually cared about, and not just what I thought was safe to post online. I admire how you show up with your whole self.
Justin K, thank you for your tip about how transitive verbs need objects; I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I’m glad you were here this Thanksgiving and didn’t have to get up at 3am to work retail.
Justin M, it was nice to always see you in the café in the mornings. Thank you for Thanksgiving dinner. May the foghorn not be with you.
Linch, you are earnest, honest, and thoughtful. Thanks for bringing levity and games everywhere you go.
Lucent, thanks for letting us watch the sunset from your balcony. I admire your commitment to wearing a mask everywhere.
Lucie, I can’t believe you posted every day while also doing so much for the rest of us, and also cooked at Thanksgiving, and also found the time to make friends. How does she do it! Thanks for all the hugs. I like the way you dress, you look cool.
Lydia, you seem very serious about what you’re doing, and that helps me remember that just because I’m jaded doesn’t mean that’s a good way to be. Thanks for inspiring me to think about what I really wanted out of being here.
Mahmoud, I’m so glad you performed at the open mic, it was really lovely. I apologize for my subsequent catastrophic failure.
Margarita, thank you for the hugs and letting me sleep in your room. You have beautiful prose and beautiful hair. I wish you all the best.
Markus, you’re a horrible person and your story made me cry. I wish I’d slapped you harder when I had the chance.
Michael, what kind of man writes ten posts in one day out of pure spite? Apparently you! Thank you for defending fruit.
Mikhail, I admire your conviction, your integrity, and your drive to Just Do Things. For someone who’s so disagreeable online, you are really nice to be around!
Raye, I miss you. Thank you for encouraging me to practice leaving before I’m ready. If you like wearing black keep wearing black, and fuck what anyone says about it.
Rob, you are analytical in a way that makes everything interesting, while also managing to be kind, a balance most fail to strike. One time several years ago I showed up in the middle of a jam and had no idea what was happening, and you addressed me by name and told me what chords to play, and then everything was okay.
Sasha, there is a lot we don’t have in common, but somehow you’re still good at making me laugh, and that’s impressive. Thanks for going all the way back to your room to get your phone just so you could show me a meme.
Sean, you believe many things very strongly and enthusiastically, and you are good at drawing. I like how you always smile when you catch my eye.
Simon, I liked your steady, quiet presence in the mornings. Sorry I never called your AI.
Skyler, a girl couldn’t ask for a better usurper. Thanks for holding the torch. I’m glad you like the job.
Tomás, if that even is your real name, thanks for Speedhaven and for letting me take your life into my hands. The first time I met you I thought I wouldn’t like you, but somehow a good atmosphere follows you around, and I like being in it.
Tsvi, it’s sweet how much you like kids. Great job posting way earlier than everyone else, every day.
Vasco, thanks for convincing me that ‘digital minimalism’ is a terrible name, and for telling me when someone said something nice about me, and for all the conversations, big and small. I hope you find a way to settle into a life that makes you happy.
Vishal, you’re the coolest. I wish you were just around my life all the time. I liked that time you sat near me in silence for two hours.
William, I admire your indefatigable smile and equally indefatigable enthusiasm about history.
Others
Abram, I like how you’re quietly smiling every time I look at you. It’s like having a cozy uncle in the corner of the room all the time.
Alexander, you’re so easy to be around that I felt like we’d already been friends for ages. That’s neat. Thanks for causing me to write a short story I never would have written otherwise.
Dreev, I really like the way you speak. It feels calming and measured, like you are thinking everything through.
Gene, thank you for volunteering to drive me home in the pouring rain at midnight, when we had never even spoken before.
Hannah, you are the most unsung hero of this whole thing. Thank you for all your tireless work that was invisible to me and yet super important.
Jack, what an unexpected delight it was to see you! I’m excited for the next chapter of your life and I hope I’ll get to be a part of it.
Kave, I’m so glad we’ve gotten to actually see each other regularly this month. I don’t know how you always manage to be such a steady and loving presence in my life even when you are having a hard time yourself. You are the best, too good for this world.
Leah, you are a joy. Thanks for hugging me in the mornings before work. I hope that you succeed in everything you try, and that you try lots of things!
Lauren A, you are a great listener, and in my professional opinion your child is perfect. I liked what you said about me not building walls. I felt very seen.
Lotfi, I am sorry I only asked your name on day 29. All of this would have fallen apart without you.
Robert, everyone else has given up on inviting me to events after I didn’t show up like ten times in a row, but you haven’t, and I really appreciate that.
Scott, thanks for allowing me to get completely eaten by what I was doing this month and utterly neglect your children.
Sunny, it was such a relief to have someone around who understood what it meant that the house was haunted. Thank you for handing me kittens. I’m happy for you and the life you’re creating.
Valentino, you’re very easy to talk to and have great taste in music. Thanks for the jams.
And thus, unceremoniously, we end.
FIN
thank you, claire, i'm not totally sure what for but i didn't exactly 'make friends' at inkhaven as that wasn't my aim, so sometimes when i wanted someone to consult on a thing, ask for context, etc, i'd be a bit in-the-lurch but i noticed that when you were there i wasn't :) you felt like a snuck-in mvf (minimum viable friend). thank you for organizing lots of things
Claire your End-of-Inhaven song was SO GOOD. I'm always impressed by people having creative skills I completely lack, and your songwriting+singing+guitar completely knocked it out of the park.