Open-hearted joys 開開心心 41
While I started 2023 feeling balanced, calm and recalibrated, this fortnight has felt busy, chaotic and a little all over the place. I feel frazzled from packed work days and long and delayed commutes, but with Lunar New Year around the corner, I’m excited to find that refreshed feeling again.
There’s a lot to be said for appreciating the smaller, not necessarily finer details of the everyday mundane. Here’s to another list of petite, open-hearted joys, the moments that’ve brought and woven poetry to my days, this fortnight:
一. Watching NintenTalk’s Animal Crossing: New Horizons Hard Mode streams – I’m very tempted to join in, but I can’t bear to delete my island. I’ve had it since the release date!
二. I took my new telescope out for the first time on Sunday night, and it was absolutely magical to moon-gaze and hunt for Mars.
三. How good it feels to tie your hair up, away from your face. Equally, how great it feels to release your hair from its knot after a long day (or workout).
四. Prepping my work bag and lunch box for my first day back in the office in five weeks. I’d really missed going to the office, but I do not miss those sketchy train schedules and unjustified extortionate pricing.
五. The anticipation ahead of my boyfriend and I’s first trip of the year. I love travelling with him, just as much as our cosy weekends.
六. Laguna Beach and The Hills being on Netflix. Perfect to accompany the respective Back to the Beach and Was It Real? The Hills Rewatch podcasts. I grew up loving these shows, and arguably my Lauren Conrad adoration is what sparked my motivation to become a fashion writer.
七. I beat Pokémon Violet! The story was so cute and, while unflinchingly easy to play, I just adore the Pokémon franchise. I’m not ready for Ash’s farewell later this month… Next? Playing my ongoing titles before Atelier Ryza 3 comes out in March.
八. Our weekend away in Bath – the first of the year and a dreamy, very ‘us’ trip.
九. Frost seemingly sprinkled on every rooftop in the villages as I commuted to work.
十. A heartwarming catch-up with Ria on Wednesday night; we talked boys, books and blogging, and it was great.
What’re some petite joys from your life lately?
