I'm a recently made OTB B-class tournament player and just haven't found many A/expert/Master friends so far!  Here is a loss I had a few months ago, for which I'm not sure I'd play much better now.

No matter your rating, feel free to leave feedback, or questions about what I was thinking during a particular move, etc.  Thanks for reading!

Many thanks for your comments in advance!

I believe that 5.Bd3 is a bit more popular that 5.f4 these days. 5.f4 is very committal, since White attempts to grab all the space on the board while falling behind in development. Black, of course, is trying to blow White's center wide open and exploit his lead in development. It can get quite sharp. You might find 5.Bd3 more comfortable for your style.

11.O-O was a mistake. If it's any consolation, I made the same mistake myself. But 14.Nxe5 made things much worse. I think 14.Be3 would have limited the damage. In a video on Chess.com I heard one of our young IM. either Shankland or Daniel Rensch, say that whoever initiates an exchange loses. He was half-joking, but I think there was some truth in it. Luckily, he returned the favor with 14...Nxe5 instead of 14...Nxd4!

I think you missed a better move with 20.Nc5. As you point out, the Bh7+, Qg6 maneuver was really a bit of a bluff. But a beautiful N on c5 is a joy forever. In fact, after Qg6, you're in quite a bit of trouble

I think Black might have considered 25...b6, denying you the use of c5. But even with the good Knight, you're behind.

This was a difficult game, and you played some good moves, but you were lazy about analysing the position that would arise after 21.Qg6. If you had spent a little more effort on that position, you would have realized that not only did you lack any way to continue the attack, but that your own Queen was in real danger. From the moves you made earlier and from your comments, it's clear that analysis was well within your ability.

see if you like this setup more:

I'd still rather play black on that side, and often do, although 6...cxd4 seems to relieve tension too early, no?

@Paul, thanks for the comments!  I appreciate your positive outlook on my ability.  20. Nc5, which I considered at the time amazingly enough, looks ridiculuously more strong at this point.  What is my N doing on b3 beside defense, and that's not changing unless I change.  I had the initiative and need to use it properly.  I do and have done a lot of puzzles, and I think they led me to want to look for a combination when there was not one there.

hmm I dont think you ever had the initiative...looked to me like black had the initiative the whole game honestly.

ive just started to play the exchange french a lot but that is not for everyone.

Regarding to your comment on move 8 about gambitting the d-pawn I doubt if it's viable alternative in this position. There is a well known variation in French Tarrasch where white gambits this pawn: 3. Nd2 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. Bd3 c5 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ngf3!? Qb6 (7... g6) 8. 0-0! cxd4 9. cxd4 Nxd4 10. Nxd4 Qxd4 11. Nf3. However in your game f4 has been played and this will make it very hard for white to castle if he sacs d4.

After f4 white usually tries to hold the centre by taking his other knight to f3 with 6. c3 Nc6 7. Ndf3. However, I must warn you that in these variations white usually doesn't seem to castle (maybe he has no time) and black often sacrifices a piece to blow the centre open.