throwback – T E S S

(written a couple weeks ago, when it was actually June)

Do you ever have a 5-second moment where you have a memory of a period of life that’s so vivid and sensory? Where you feel all that time of life was?

I keep having flashbacks to months ago, when I had no idea what life in June would feel like. Zero. I had some thoughts, and some hopes for what it would feel like, but really no idea.

I remember getting a fresh order of contacts back in the winter. I wear daily disposable contacts, so I got (I think) a 9-month supply. I also have a different prescription for each eye, so when I get a new order I like to open up all the little boxes and pair the right eye with the left so I can just grab a set when I need them. I distinctly remember sitting cross-legged on my bed at my house back in Provo, pairing my contacts together, and thinking about how some of these contacts were going to be experiencing life on my eyes in June, and how I had no idea what the life with those June contacts would be like.

And now it’s June. Almost July, actually.

I also vividly remember the morning of my interview with the agency that I’m at right now. (Lol, if any of my coworkers ever end up reading this, YES, this is a sentimental human you get to work with hahaha.) I skipped my stats class so I could take the call at my house, without anyone around, since all my roommates would be gone for the day by then.

My confident interview outfit consisted of my green Tweety bird sweatshirt and black leggings, with curled hair (RIP my all-over platinum blonde…give me 2 more weeks and you’ll be back!) and multiple rings on my fingers (because rings make me feel legit, idk why???). [blessings of a phone interview: being able to wear leggings and a sweatshirt. Also being able to talk with my hands as much as I possibly wanted to because no one could see me.]

And even back then, in February, I had no idea what June would feel like. Would June be in Kansas City? Or New York? Or LA? Or somewhere else entirely?

And then in March, Kansas City became a reality. So that’s what June would feel like.

It’s surreal now, sitting in June, almost in July, to think back on those days in the winter that were characterized by a lot of poignant emotions—uncertainty, hope, restlessness, the feeling of being on the edge of something mysterious that you know is going to define you in a way that nothing else ever has.

Being here was nowhere on my list of options 6 months ago. Nowhere on my radar at all. But I’m so grateful for the series of events and doors opening that led me here, because this place and this situation is perfect for me in a way that I would have never anticipated.

Life in June is really, really good. Also hard, and a learning process, but still really, really good.

I didn’t do my usual “favorite things” post on Saturday, since I’m in the middle of this whole “blog every day in February” thing with set prompts and such, and I kinda missed it! This past week was quite solid, and chock full of little moments of goodness, but I’ll narrow it down.

1. BLOGGING. Holy cow I have spent so much time on it lately. With writing a post every day, plus tweaking with the overall design of this here blog, it’s been a lot. I’m not sure if I should call it wasting time, or being productive. It makes me feel better to think I’m accomplishing something, so we’re going to go with the productivity description. Plus, there’s some serious enjoyment going on over here with all of this, so it’s a win-win in my eyes. I talked about my future blogging hopes in this post, and I seriously wish that work and an education didn’t have to happen all the time, because I totally have the capacity sit at my laptop for hours doing blog-related things. I’d say finally buying my own domain (lifeandloveliness.com) was one of the highlights of my week, mainly because now I feel super-legit (although whether I really am legit or not is quite debatable).

2. THE OLYMPICS. Yes, I know I already mentioned this in another favorites post, but guys, it just keeps getting better! I’m about ready to become a figure skater over here. And if that doesn’t work out, then Plan B is the ski jump. The thrill-seeking side of me is making its appearance, and flying through the air, without anything holding you up, or holding you back, just looks like some serious fun. (image source)

3. THROWIN’ IT BACK. I watched “Camp Rock” on Saturday morning, and “High School Musical 2” last weekend, because, well, they were on Netflix, and why not. I was in the mood for some nostalgia and a throwback to the days when Disney Channel original movies were my favorite movies ever. Since this was back before the popularity of Facebook and Twitter and all of that, my best friend and I sent each other emails full of lots of colored font, all-caps sentences, and numerous exclamations of excitement for weeks before High School Musical 2 was about to come out. Let’s just say that watching those movies this time around was a bit more amusing than it was when I was in middle school… (image source)

4. UNEXPECTED COMPLIMENTS. They’re just the nicest, you know?

5. BLUE SKIES AFTER RAIN. I’ve actually really enjoyed the torrential rain the past few days here, and it has made for some epic running adventures, but today the sky is a medium-soft blue and I love it. The world is beginning to hint just a tiny bit at spring, and it’s wonderful.

What are your favorite things lately?

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