Where were you ten years ago?
No. 73 Living in the past and present all at once.
Without a doubt, having someone else wash and blow dry my hair is one of my most-favorite gifts. It is such an arduous task and it 100% looks way better when done by a professional. In a dream world, I would have this done for me multiple times a week. In reality, I went to the salon yesterday and I am trying to determine just how long I can go before needing to *gasp* wash and dry it myself. For what it’s worth, I’ve been annoyed about washing my hair since I was two. Never change, folks!
Friends, we are already halfway through January and today marks just seven months until my new-decade birthday. We shall not yet discuss it. I cannot. But if you have a grand idea for a way to celebrate, I am all ears (and opinions).
Speaking of time, I have been deep in comparison mode lately which is horrible but that’s what happens when one watches a show literally titled, ‘Younger.’ Have you seen it? This show debuted in 2015, ran for seven(!) seasons, and then disappeared for a while. Thanks to Netflix (ha), the entire show is now available again for our joyful consumption. Or comparison. OOF.
If you are not familiar, the show is about a 40-year-old woman (Sutton Foster) who wants to return to work after getting divorced and raising her daughter who goes off to college (and she has not worked for at least a decade). So, to get an entry-level assistant job in publishing, she lies about her age and says she’s fifteen years younger on her resume.
Somehow she passes for 25/26 and no one suspects a thing - gotta love TV. She then keeps up the lie and dates someone who is in their mid-twenties. Shockingly, the guy doesn’t notice either!
Eventually the secret gets out and things begin to fall apart. Admittedly, we have not yet finished season one, but we are very close. I’m really enjoying the show because it’s light, funny, and easy to watch after wicked busy work days. And it got me thinking quite a bit about my own life 10+ years ago.
I had a few quirky jobs right after college and then my first, big “grown up” role began right after I turned 25 - about two weeks later. It was a fairly entry-level job in healthcare fundraising. I was naive, hard working, and wanted to fit in with my co-workers who I thought had been there for years given how busy they all were. In reality, I bet it was only one year, but regardless, they had much more ‘experience’ than me. However, their experience was probably just confidence. And good outfits! Everyone always looked so put together in that office. J.Crew was probably making a fortune.
Time passed, my experience (and confidence) grew as well, the job hummed along and then a year later I met Seth right before I turned 26. We moved into a few different apartments over the years, work changed a bit, and then in spring of 2015 we got engaged (a few months before my 30th birthday). Ten. Years. Ago. Whoah.
Life happens when you’re not paying attention. I was clearing out a closet in the attic yesterday for a hearty few bags of donations and all of the clothes I was packing up were from this time period. I could not believe it. The wool skirts I used to wear to work every day (including that very first job) were over ten years old. The dresses I thought were from something more recent? Nope. Ten years ago. Jackets I assumed would still fit and be good additions to my current work attire - ha! Not a chance. They do not fit and yes I am giving everything away.
I could feel myself quite literally clinging to this time of life - a full decade ago - as I carefully folded everything into the donation bag. I knew it was the right thing to do, but I had tsunami-size waves of memories flood my brain as I continued to add more pieces to the bags.
Let me be clear - I refuse to get rid of clothing with significant meaning (i.e. dresses from our wedding weekend, a dress I wore to my sister’s bridal shower) because I am the most nostalgic person you will ever meet. If you haven't realized that yet, then, well, I cannot help you. Welcome to my world.
I managed to get through about two-thirds of the stacks of clothes in the attic. Why are they in the attic you may wonder? Because when we bought and moved into this house - four years ago this weekend to be exact - it had already been six years since any of it had been worn. I was clinging to the past even then, thinking I may wear some of it again. Nope. Not a single piece up there has been worn since moving here. It is time to move on from my younger, ten-years-ago self.
I do not mean to ramble, but I keep feeling in shock about how ten years has gone by just like that! A significant number of my current co-workers are between 25 and 30 and I’m just like…how?! Aren’t we the same?! No. We are not. I have already been through that time of life. It was fun and grand and life-changing.
Not only am I grappling with what life looks like now, a decade later, but I am the comparison creature once again trying to remember if my life at that age was as great and carefree as their lives come across now. Holy happiness, I need to stop. Attempting to act younger and live in the past has never helped anyone. It’s best to just be yourself. Right now.
Life is good. Aging is inevitable. And I have gotten to where I am today in 2025 - personally and professionally - through a heck of a lot of hard work, fun times, and good outfits. ;)
I commented to Seth this morning that my gripes of the day (how charming) is that coffee seems too expensive and that I need to buy more wool socks because my feet get too cold when walking to work. He said, if those are your primary problems, then you’re doing pretty good. And he could not be more right.
Given the issues of the world today, my energy is far better spent focusing on the now, and the future, and leaving all of those precious moments from 2015 right where they should be. In the past. I’m thankful for the Google Photos app because I loving nothing more than scrolling back whenever I want a trip down memory lane, but those bags of clothes are being donated immediately. I may still be anxious about the next decade, but I’m working toward feeling it will be a great one.
Gaining confidence is a big part of growing up and I’m confidently stating that the paywall has returned for The Sunday Six. My stories are here for everyone, but my fashion tips come with a small fee. Thank you for your support!
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