Miscellayneous

 I think Me at 25 is one of my most viewed posts, and I realized I skipped last year for some reason.

I also recognize I have been absent from here for a while, there will be a #CoffeeChat coming on that next week. :)

Twenty-seven.

It's a strange age where I feel young and old. My youth comes into play during work meetings where forty-somethings talk about their kids and reference 80s pop culture and I just smile and nod because I'm unsure of what they're talking about. I feel old when I get a flat tire driving home from Wisconsin Dells with 3 out of 4 of my younger cousins in the car and I am in charge. I feel young because I still live at home and old because people look at me strange when I tell them that.

I have tried to look back at childhood-Layne and see what she would think of where we are now. Not even childhood, but 17-year old Layne, and I can't get a feel for her. I can't grasp her emotions though they once were my nest. I don't know what she would think or how she would feel. I wish I could turn back into her, or speak with her for a few minutes.

You've been doing a lot of pushing yourself to stop looking back and instead to look forward. It's not easy, but you're doing alright. The silver linings of the past are shining brighter each time you look, but don't let them blind you from your future.

You've done some pretty fucking cool things this year.

You started a BookTube channel where you talk about the things you're reading.

You went to the top of the Gateway Arch (and only cried a little bit.)

You went back to Kalahari for the first time in ten years.

You developed a love for Post Malone and saw him in concert.

You graduated with your Masters in Writing and Publishing.

you got this little fella:

and he gets in trouble for playing jungle gym in the kitchen. He loves playing with his cheeseballs, biting feet, and looking out the window.

Your favorite spin instructor tells your class this often:

You've been to the doctor to talk about your weight and overall health. After discussing the likely possibility of PCOS causing rapid weight gain, you started taking cycling classes at Revival Cycle and it's done good for you inside and out. There will be a whole post talking all about that in the #20Things series after your follow-up appt. :)

You had maybe five months of being 26 before the world shut down due to a global pandemic. When you go out, you need to wear a tase mask everywhere, wash/sanitize your hands, and stay six feet from each other. At the beginning of the pandemic, Tiger King was released and everybody on TikTok was making whipped coffee. Now, the economy is on the decline and the election happening in a few weeks is the vital. There's a bizarre balance between don't go out, we're in a pandemic and if I don't go to open places, they'll shut down. The world is in limbo. You've been working from home since March and struggling with your job a bit, but you're grateful to be working and not having to commute to the city for a bit.

Here is a playlist you'll be constantly adding to of songs that have shaped you and songs you don't want to forget.