Hello World!

I’m Cipher, and let me be the first to say, “Welcome to my blog!”

Fair warning: this is going to be chaotic. Have you seen Everything Everywhere All At Once? Yeah, that’s basically my brain. This blog is your inside peek into the beautiful insanity that is my mind. But before we get into all that, let’s tackle the most complicated question I’ll ever attempt to answer here:

Who is Cipher?

Great question. I’m a:

• woman,

• cat-mom (the only kind of mom I plan to be),

• lesbian,

• feminist,

• software engineer (yes, the "Hello World" title is a pun—I couldn’t resist),

• ex-Mormon,

• ex-ballerina,

• recovering perfectionist,

• coffee lover,

• deep thinker,

• swiftie,

• lover of words,

• amateur artist,

• avid reader,

• and probably a dozen other things.

My life? About as exciting as anyone else’s: wild and messy to me, but pretty normal in the grand scheme of things. I’m well-acquainted with depression, anxiety, and grief. Therapy? Been there, done that, and I can confirm—it actually helps. I’ve had horrible friendships, amazing friendships, family I adore, and family I’ve intentionally kept at a distance.

And let’s address the elephant in the room: no, my real name isn’t Cipher. I’d be a disappointment to software engineers everywhere if I just handed you my name. (Something software engineers and fae folk have in common.)

“Ok, we get it,” you say. “You want to be all dark and mysterious. Fine. But why Cipher?”

Another great question! But I think I’ll let you work that one out on your own. (Trust me, it’s not that hard.)

So … this introduction. Clear as mud, right? Oh well, I hate intros anyway. Let’s jump straight into the chaos! See you out there.