You know how sometimes you find out you’ve kind of somehow browned out on an entire block of your life when something weirdly specific triggers a memory response? And then you’re like OH. MY. GOD. It’s like I’m there! I remember everything!
No? Just me?
Oh, phooey, it’s not. I’ll tell you what I mean.
I typically use the curated playlists on Spotify when I work out. Recently though, I haven’t been listening or adding too much music, and I’ve gotten tired of those same playlists. Also, the algorithm is just not picking up what I’m putting down, and that’s annoying, but I haven’t had the time to go in and mess around with it. So, a couple weeks ago, I scrolled into this amazingness by chance – This is The Neptunes.
Y’all. I was instantly transported to 2003.
Do you know The Neptunes? Here’s the funny thing I was talking about – even if you don’t, you do. This is the production duo of Pharrell Williams (yes, that Pharrell) and Chad Hugo. Literally almost every single song you knew and loved in the 2000s was produced by The Neptunes. I’m not even joking.
Justin Timberlake’s first solo album
Britney Spears’ “I’m A Slave 4 U”
Nelly’s “Hot in Herre”
Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot”
Jay-Z’s “Excuse Me Miss”
Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl”
Plus, their own stuff, which is some of my favorite stuff, and a gazillion other excellent hip hop songs you definitely know and love.
As I listened to this playlist and the next song came on and I sang the whole thing, then the next, and the next, I realized The Neptunes were the soundtrack to my entire first few years of college. Every memory I have in the dorms has Pharrell and a beat in the background somewhere. (Well, that or Coldplay or Dashboard Confessional, but that’s a blog for another day.) And that jogged out a whole bunch of memories, the mundane kind that you forget because you don’t need to be using your active brain space for them all the time, but the kind that are fun to think about when you do have a moment.
I’ll spare you the actual stories, but I will share my own curated college playlist (you’re welcome), and this amazingness that was our dorm room door (you’re double welcome). My roommate, Adriane, and I were quite the pair, and we certainly let it show in our door décor! It became quite famous in our hall, actually. We’d often be sitting inside and hear people stopping outside the closed door reading and sniggering. Such a small thing, but we took a lot of young pride in our expression 🙂
It’s tough to see because, hello, 2002 technology was not exactly advanced. But I think you’ll get the drift.

Highlights:
Private property keep out unless you have really big boobies
We are not responsible for lost or stolen pants
Featured porn of the week
Zach Morris
And my favorite to this day – a photoshopped pic of Bill Clinton and Al Gore’s heads on a couple of beefy dude bods
As I said, you’re welcome. Sometimes, we just need a bit of fun and nostalgia and getting in touch with lost parts of ourselves. I highly recommend jogging your hidden memories with a little sense encouragement – your curated playlist, a certain food or drink or smell, an old photo album, a worn sweatshirt (or a new version of an old style!). Just try it. Embrace all the parts of you, enjoy all the mundane memories.
And definitely share your fun stuff with me!
In other news, our new cat (that’s what we call him, even though he’s not really new anymore) has found his way to the couch! That’s a big deal. He never used to head into that territory when Brewer was King of the house. Which was mostly fine, but now I need a snuggle cat, so I’m happy with this progress!

Also, apparently he drinks out of the toilet? Is this a thing for cats I didn’t know about?!? Seriously, life with pets is so endlessly entertaining.

Also, went on a gorgeous hike last weekend with great views of the Denver area. One of my favorite things about local hikes is the varied terrain. We hiked prairie, rocks, forest, and an icy canyon. Those few hours out in nature with my favorite person are my favorite hours of the week.

What are you doing to find those favorite hours each week for yourself?
Finally, I made this video for you over on YouTube about why your inner dialogue matters and what to do about it. Check it out and subscribe for new videos.
Then tell me – what are you thinking about today?
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