2014
The Blog is Born
Views from a Man in the 6ix is born.
About
Just a mid-30s Canadian navigating life one blog at a time
Thanks for checking out my unofficial guide to handling life's problems. Whether it provides you a distraction, a laugh, or a solution... I hope each of you gets something you are looking for out of it.
The Unofficial Guide to Being an Adult started in 2014 and is written from the messy middle of adulthood. I'd say I am old enough to have learned a few things and honest enough to admit to you that they may or may not be the way you want to tackle life.
Back in 2014, the blog was actually called "Views from a Man in the 6ix" as I was a mid-20s fboy living in Toronto who thought the name sounded pretty cool. Looking back, it didn't, and it's actually kind of confusing if you don't know what the 6ix is. Regardless, this blog became a place for me to process my relationships, ambition, unemployment, grief, family, friends, self-worth, and the overall pressure I was facing to look like I knew what I was doing in life.
My writing became a reflection practice; part notebook, part conversation with whoever is reading. My goal wasn't and still isn't to sound like an expert, but rather to tell the truth about situations I've gone through in my life and the lessons I took away from these experiences. If I can help at least one person with my writing, that's enough. So here's my attempt at casting as wide a net as I can.
Origin story
Timeline of the Blog
2016
Welcome to California
The "Man from the 6ix" moves from Toronto to LA and has an identity crisis.
2019
The Unofficial Guide to Being an Adult
The blog is rebranded (for the better), with a new design and outlook on life - aka the first time I finished therapy.
2020
Covid Dreams
The concept of the book came from being locked down with nothing but time to think, but the dream was born.
2022
The Book is Done!?
Finished near the end of Summer 2022, the book in its first raw form was finished.
2026
OK Is It Serious Now?
After four years of the book sitting on a hard drive and Google Docs, Tyrell decides it's time to get back to writing, upgrading the website, and maybe publishing the book.
Book connection
Why the book exists
The book is my attempt to expand the blog into a resource that can be more supportive for life's journey. While I know that our attention spans have been reduced heavily due to social media, it's hard to discuss the death of a family member, the loss of your job, and the accompanying lessons you can apply to these situations in 1200 words or less.
Learn About the BookPoint of view
Credibility, but not the LinkedIn kind
So what authority do I have to tell you how to handle life's problems? I technically don't, but I have done the work for years: writing publicly, going to therapy, and turning lived experiences into something more useful than a highlight reel. All of this work is in an attempt to figure out better emotional tools that support these situations, and I'd love to share these tools with you through the blog and the book.
In no way am I offering a replacement for therapy, coaching, or any sort of "official" positions that could help you with whatever you are going through. Instead, my writing is aimed to offer reflection, honesty, humor, and a hand on your shoulder from someone also figuring it out.
Newsletter
Never miss out on a new essay
Get new essays and occasional behind-the-scenes commentary on the book progress. Sign up to get new essays straight to your inbox, in case you don't want to come to this website all the time.