To be clear, these aren’t ACTUAL views from an ACTUAL spaceship. Nor are they technically photographs, since they’re very definitely screenshots.
But one of the ways I’ve been finding calm and relaxation in this manic world of post-MBA Dublin is in my old game, Elite: Dangerous. Flying the spaceships I’ve optimized, running through the game loops I’ve locked down and understood, it’s nice. Calming. A sense of control in a world that offers me less and less control.
And you’ve got to admit – the views are pretty, whether they’re real or not.
General life outside of adventures – from 2019 ’till present
When I’m not out in the wood adventuring, or at the gym, or at work, or just reading by the couch… I love flying around in spaceships. Not real spaceships, of course, because that’s not a thing. Video game ones – there’s a few games I play, but the one that gives the prettiest views (and thus, the best to share on here) would be Elite Dangerous, the game that got me into spaceflight simulators.
I started playing back in 2019, when I was really in need of a universe to escape into. I’d grown up with Star Trek, so the thought of being able to take the helm of my own starship, literally flying away from earth into the unknown void, was exactly what my soul was searching for. I started with a keyboard and mouse, then got flight controllers, then a better monitor… nothing crazy, and nothing particularly expensive… but solidly servicable equipment. 
It gave me that escape that I needed – I don’t play nearly as much as I did back then, but then again I don’t need to escape quite as much anymore… instead of it being a second world I dive into, it’s more like visiting an old friend. Spending a few hours catching up every so often.
And I’m sure you’ll agree, dear readers, that it’s a rather pretty visit.
