a nice otb game that i lost

Along the lines of what you commented, I like your position at move 18.
At move 22 I didn't quite like Qd7, maybe 22. ... Nh5. You have the immediate threat of Bxg3 (because fxg3 Nxg3+ picks up the queen). And you have the plan of f5 and f4 trying to open up his king position.