1. As per usual I fell off the face of the blog for a month. Not because I didn’t have things I wanted to share, but I just couldn’t muster the motivation. I have two more summer hikes I want to share (because this is my online diary and I like to refer back to my posts after time has passed), but I cannot be bothered with those right now.
Instead all the things in between.
2. I’ll start with my most funny tidbit…for Halloween this year I decided I would go to my coworkers party. And by “I decided” I mean Duncan wanted to go. This is out of character for us both, but I happily agreed to go. I knew I wanted to do a couples costume, but after I couldn’t figure anything out Duncan suggested something I couldn’t say no to.
The party was meh, I wouldn’t do it again, and I likely won’t dress up again for a while, but this costume will go down in history as my favorite.
I also dressed up at work this year because I was able to recycle the costume I bought last year for a Halloween themed 10K run. Can you find me?
3. I am stoked to report I have a new vet for Little. If you’ve been here for a while you will know my most recent vet left the clinic we went to, and I was planning to ride the wave for a while without a vet. Duncan ended up helping my coworker/friend with some plumbing a few months ago, and my friends wife happens to be a vet.
We were able to hang out for a full afternoon and she later offered to do a home visit for him in order to legally prescribe him drugs. Little is an absolute tyrant at the vet, so this was such a blessing. She did want us to come in for some blood work (we did that this past Wednesday and she was so good with him), but she is willing to do simple stuff in the comfort of his own home.
This is a huge weight off my shoulders as I was worried what would happen next after he ran out of his meds.
4. Speaking of the black fur ball, I bought a window bird feeder over the summer specifically for him to watch the birds. He barely noticed it until just recently, and watching him watch the birds brings me so much joy. My friend Caitlin is a big bird fan, so I have been able to ask her to identify birds for me along the way, and I can now identify a handful on my own. This is adulting.
5. I recently discovered the “the five year stranger theory” which says something along the lines of: “in five years, most of the people you see every day will be strangers again.” I can’t stop thinking about this, and I often find myself thinking about people who have come and gone in my life. While this is a normal part of existence, sometimes I find it sad.
I’ve also been thinking a lot about friends I had when I was young, and how I no longer talk to any of them (I often miss my high school best friend, but I wonder if we would have anything in common these days.) I can’t remember the last time I talked to some of them, and of course in the moment we never realize it will be the last time. I look at some of my coworkers right now who I greatly enjoy being around, and I know in five years the reality of us still speaking is low.
Unless of course I am still working where I am working…
6. Which leads to me to this…I have been working at REI for five years. What in the world happened. When I moved back to America from Germany in 2020 I wanted a job that I would work for maybe 6 months while I figured my shit out. Five years later I am still there, and still figuring it out. LOL. In all reality I don’t want to move my cat, my job is flexible, and I get the workdays/hours I want. So it just works.
It was a bit of a running joke with two other girls who were hired with me that we were all going to hang on until we got our five year pin. We got our pins…and we are all very much still staying for a bit. LOL
7. Over the summer Duncan and I went to see my favorite artist Gregory Alan Isakov play beautiful music. During this concert we discovered a new to us artist named Dean Johnson, who happened to be Gregory’s opener for the night. We enjoyed him, he is local to Seattle, and my friend Caitlin adores him. Dean was playing a concert in Seattle recently so Duncan, Caitlin, and I went because tickets were cheap.
The concert was great, but he had way too many openers (three of them.) This caused the concert to run into the late hours of night, and we didn’t get home until after 1 a.m. I think it took me a full 24 hours to recover from being awake that long. This is also adulting.
8. I don’t frequent Goodwill, but after a recent visit I found two items I could not pass up. It was as if they were placed there just for me to find. Ironically I had to debate if I really needed them, because I don’t like having too much stuff, but in the end I am so glad I bought these.
9. If you are a Trader Joe’s fan I suggest you run, not walk, to buy yourself a bag of their Maple Brown Sugar flavored almonds. These are some of the most delicious almonds I have ever had. The experience of eating them reminds me of the scene from Willy Wonka where Violet chews a piece of gum that tastes like a full course meal.
The almonds taste like I’m eating a waffle. At first chew I taste the butter, and then the flavor morphs into pure maple syrup. Thankfully I don’t turn into a stick of butter like Violet turning into a blueberry…
10. Duncan and I ran a Turkey Trot this year. Last year I ran it solo, but this year I wranged him into doing it with me. He’s not a runner, but he did great! He insisted we take our photo after we ran, and the rain mixed with sweat had us looking like swamp creatures.
After we ran we of course ate a feast for dinner courtesy of Duncan’s mom. This was the first year in as long as I can remember where I didn’t cook 50% of the meal myself. It was a treat having someone else cook, and Duncan’s mom could give Gordon Ramsay a run for his money. All right, ta ta for now.
Q: What’s your confession? I think I need to start asking: “what’s your tidbit?” Doesn’t need to be a confession, most of my “confessions” are just random blobs of thought.
Blissfulbritt 
27 thoughts on “Early Morning Confessions”
matt
“He’s not a runner…. … … yet”
I was in my mid-30s when I started running and enjoying it.
Brittany
I would LOVE to add “yet” to the end of this sentence. Right now he hates running, but enjoys how he feels after. So I’m hoping he can remember that post run bliss more and more.
I’m trying to encourage without forcing, because I know if someone made me run when I didn’t want to I’d be upset. LOL. He also has a bum knee so I tread lightly. 🤣
I’d say I was also mid 30’s. I started running in my early 20’s, and I ran for years, but I don’t know if I actually enjoyed it. After a long break and coming back to it in my 30’s I enjoy it much more now. 🙌🏻
matt
The ‘encourage without forcing’ approach is a good one… the forceful ones in my youth were USMC Drill Instructors. They’re not known for their being reasonable.
Brittany
LOL. I think if you asked Duncan he would compare me at times to a drill instructor, but maybe more of one who doesn’t spit in your face by yelling. 😅
At the end of the day I know someone has to want to do something for it to stick! In the mean time I know he will agree to the occasional 5k with me, and the longer races I will happily run solo!
matt
You’re right — you have to want to do something to change. When do runs together, do you run together? Or do you blitz your run and go back for him?
Brittany
Well I am not a fast runner so there is never any blitzing (lol), but I stay with him. I think it would be worse to be like: “will you do this run, but I’m going to leave and I’ll see you at the end.” 🤣 So we run together. I’m a bit too focused on making sure he is comfortable and not pushing too hard because I don’t want him to hate it. LOL.
I normally wouldn’t pay to run a 5k, so these races are more just for fun (well all the races are for fun, but I mean like I just take them easy to enjoy running together.)
matt
Ah, well that’s nice… It’s cool that you make it a ‘you guys’ thing when he does run with you.
Jennifer
I relate to your comments about the five year stranger theory so much. I never heard of the theory, but I often think about my old friends and what they’re doing. I’m still connected to many of them through social media, and will randomly chat with a few here or there about something from the past or present. It’s just wild how I can call back to certain times of my life and be like wow, I spent EVERY day with that person and now I haven’t talked to them in years. It reminds me of the quote “People come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime.” If I look at it that way, I can often assign people one of those connections and it all makes sense. It’s still so strange.
Brittany
I’m also connected with a handful of people through social media. Some I actually hung out with regularly, a lot I didn’t. I have been falling into a sort of existential hole thinking about how much time I’ve spent with old friends who are essentially strangers now. It makes me feel really sad, yet I don’t see it any other way if that makes sense? It’s a very weird feeling. 🤣
Liz H-H
Your Halloween costume with Duncan gave me chills and giggles! I startled the cat. Well done!
Brittany
Ahhhaha! Sorry kitty, but I’m glad you got a good cackle. I almost peed my pants seeing Duncan in the wig for the first time.
Rootchopper
Great costumes!
I’ve heard different versions of the five year theory. I agree with the concept. I went to my 50th high school reunion and my brain kept saying “Who are these people?” I suppose life is about moving forward. There’s only so much you can fit in your life luggage.
Brittany
My 10yr HS reunion was in 2017. I didn’t go, and I dont foresee myself going to any of them. With the way social media works these days I think it’s somehow made reunions feel less…interesting? I can see what anyone is up to if I want to online so I don’t know why I’d want to go mingle with them in person. Plus I think I’d feel uncomfortable unless I had one other person to go with who also graduated with me.
I have one friend from high school currently, and ironically we didn’t become friends until six years after we graduated. Truth be told I couldn’t care less about most of the people who would likely show up. 🤷🏻♀️
Rootchopper
There were 40 guys in my high school class. Other than reunions I haven’t had any contact with any of them in over ten years. In fact, several of these folks with whom I spent thousands of days back in the day were unrecognizable to me.
Brittany
Oh man, much smaller class than mine I’d say. Although I’m curious and may go count my yearbook to see just how many graduating seniors we had. Likely double what you had.
Even so, it’s a bizarre feeling to realize these people we once spent so much time with, are like ships in the night now. I think the only person I really think about often is my HS best friend. We had a weird falling out, which happens, but it was still odd to go from being inseparable to no longer speaking. Such is life!
Thistles and Kiwis
Sounds like a great month of activity – and great costumes! I have two school friends I keep in touch with regularly but think if I met a lot of them now we would have very little in common.
My confession this month? I live in New Zealand, and so saying I don’t like the dessert pavlova is almost grounds for being asked to leave the country 😀
Brittany
I laughed out loud at your confession. Honestly, while I have never eaten pavlova, I know I wouldn’t like it. I don’t care for meringue of any sort. I think it’s foul. So I stand with you!
Thistles and Kiwis
Oh so glad someone else doesn’t like meringue!
Brittany
It’s like eating crunchy air when it’s a cookie, or eating sponge like air when it’s a pie…it’s just…not good. 🤣 add lemon to it and I’d sooner eat paint chips. (Ok I’m being dramatic there.)
gpavants
Brittney,
Good to hear from you, enjoy your fall in the woods. Merry Christmas, too. Gary Gary Avants Forbear Productions * *garyavants66@gmail.com garyavants66@gmail.com
Duncan
The party may have not been what I had thought, but any excuse to wears those costumes was good enough for me!
I too am thrilled about your new vet, mutually beneficial friendships are the best, and hopefully longest lasting!
I am also in full support of the bird feeder, I think a hummingbird feeder may make a fine addition to that window area
And lastly, yes I did learn that a photo before a race is a must, I look awful lolol
Brittany
You do not look awful! LOL. But before is always the move. Love you. XoxO
niall
Love the news about Little and the costumes were fab! Sounds like a great month to me 👌😊
Peg
Great blog, good to catch up with what’s been happening with you, Brittany. Hope you, Duncan, & Little have a great holiday and I look forward to your post all about it.
Amy
You have the best Halloween costumes! I love how you put up a bird feeder so Little could watch the birds — and how you take him on drives in the car to see more of nature too. You’re such an amazing cat mama!
Vet trauma is so real… I had to take my pup twice last week (she’s fine, thank goodness, just an annual exam and follow-up lab tests), and she shook so hard with fear that the strangers in the waiting room all felt bad and tried reassuring her that she would be fine. I’m SO thrilled for you that you found someone really kind and willing to make a house call! That makes a world of difference. I hope that continues to work!
Congratulations on your REI work anniversary!!! I immediately thought of you when I bought a new rain jacket from REI last month too! (I hadn’t purchased one since… umm… middle school? And that one still fits and works perfectly. Being the same height and not growing whatsoever since I was 10 comes in handy sometimes! 😂)
Pree
I did a local half marathon this past weekend and all I wanted to do was NOT do it lol. It’s gotten super cold for Texas and I was already feeling tired. But I’m glad you got to run a 5k with Duncan and he woke up early for it and to run with you! No one i know will willingly run a race with me 😂
Grace @ Cultural Life
I hear you on working somewhere for much longer than you expect. I’ve been at my first job post-university for 10 years – that’s roughly a third of my life. Scary stuff! I never intended to stay so long.
I’m so glad you found a vet who is sympathetic and willing to treat Little in the comfort of his own home. That makes such a difference!
I imagine that your work at this time of the year is particularly frenetic, but I hope you’re able to have some downtime and peaceful moments this festive season 🎄