You have found Lost Letters, a personal site and nostalgic homage to girls' y2k-era online subcultures like
pixel playgrounds
, which will forever hold a fond and formative place in my heart. Although I'm just a web dev hobbyist who lacks any formal programming training or education, I have tried to contribute to the
web revival movement
through this site and various like-minded communities, including the 32bit.cafe. I hope that this website can inspire fellow web dev amateurs to see themselves as creators of a delightful and fun future internet that is inclusive, brimming with personality, and divorced from corporate social media monopolies.
Website Disclaimers (last updated: 2023-10-22):
This site is safe for work, but only intended for adults. DNI and leave if you're under 18.
This website is responsive and mobile-friendly because >90% of internet users access the internet using a mobile phone (learn more), and being vehemently mobile-hostile is ableist and classist by willfully excluding folks who many not be able to easily access the web via other means.
Content warnings (CW) are used for discussions of mental health, swearing, etc.
This site uses Javascript for the theme switcher, navigation, webmentions, tool tips, cursor effects, guestbook, blog post reactions, and goatcounter.
There will never be auto-playing music on this site because screen readers are critical to an inclusive web (learn more).
Everyday this past week, Iโve woken up to less bruising from top surgery. Both incisions healed in just one week, creating thin ridges topped with light pink lines that span halfway around my rib cage all the way under my arms. I canโt stop marveling at how incredible my body is, not only for healing so quickly, but also for looking so great post-op.
Normally, I try to hide and disguise my body as much as possible, but, over the past week, Iโve shown my new chest to my wife and three friends already. Iโve never felt so comfortable being perceived. I attribute this in large part to the first person I ever met who had undergone top surgery. The night I got back from my wedding trip in February, I invited my friend over for dinner who brought them along. We were standing in the middle of my kitchen, and, after just a few sentences of intros exchanged, they proudly lifted up their shirt to show off their chest, double incision scars, hyperpigmentation, and all. Until that point, Iโd been wracked with uncertainty about undergoing top surgery, worried that I would give myself a permanent, life-long insecurity due to the massive scarring. Seeing someone post-op, modeling their scarred chest with the confidence and casualness that I aspire to left an indelible impression on me, and I resolved to honor them and their euphoria by shutting down any insecurity that tells me Iโm lesser due to these scars.
As March comes to a close, Iโm so relieved to have the surgery behind me, and Iโm excited for a few things on the horizon:
Next weekend, Iโll be attending my third Tokyo Trans March, but itโll be the first time Iโm going as an out trans person!
We have a few used paperback books in transit to our home. I normally never buy physical books, but, after listening to these audiobooks, I now consider these titles to be lifelong references that I want to annotate in the way you only can with physical copies. They include Polysecure by Jessica Fern to navigate polyamory, How Not To Die by Dr. Michael Greger to understand whole food plant-based nutrition, and How To Do The Work by Dr. Nicole LePera to navigate emotional healing.
Iโve got to get on planning a trip for Golden Week, one of Japanโs largest holiday periods of the year, spanning April 29 through May 5. I might go to either South Korea or West Japan for a few days, so if you have any recommendations for vegan food or stationery stuff to do in either place, please drop me a message in my guestbook or via webmentions.