Love Letters

Well! The second half of February has been quite the couple of weeks of firing on all cylinders over here. Had I shown up 'round these parts, my posts would not have been the least bit fun. They would've looked something along the lines of:
asdfj;ds
merp
halp
ksieijdmzzzzzzzz
someone buy me a DRINK please
I went to grab coffee with a coworker yesterday; he took one look at me and asked apprehensively, "... are you okay? You've been looking a bit... frazzled."
Duly noted. But there's really one thought that stuck with me through the month, and wait for it because this is going to be cheesy AF - but it's pure gratitude. Every blah feeling was accompanied by twice as many things eliciting pure joy. I don't mean to discount negative emotions, but you guys. I was sitting on my couch with mac and cheese and an SVU episode, really leaning into the bad day blues, and there was this one persistent thought in my head: I can't remember the last time I had a really bad day. And if that doesn't bring the point home, then I don't know what will. So, a few love letters to those keeping me afloat. 

Dear out-of-towner best friends who always bring such light into my life, is it time for a return visit yet? I need more coffee and pasta dates and quality catch up sessions as well as late-night antics (with one, it was a ghost wreaking havoc in our apartment; with the other, it was difficult yoga lessons that came close to injuring more than one roommate.) and reminiscing about years gone by. 
Dear conversations about love languages and social / cultural psychology, GAH this stuff gets me goin'. I guess it's a good thing that I have a degree in it?
Dear Valentine's, You've got nothing on my Galentine's. I came home from a work drinks to candles lit, 50 Shades on the screen, freshly grilled steaks, Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie, plenty of antacids, and two of my very best friends. Who could ever love me as much as they do?!

Dear MoviePass, BLESS. YOUR. EXISTENCE. Granted, we haven't been using it for Oscars research and instead have leveraged it to watch The Greatest Showman twice (and Game Night once) but I feel like it's really revitalized the practice of going to the movies and "watercooler talk" is once again heavily based around the movies everyone has seen, which has been fun! 
Dear The Greatest Showman, you really are the greatest show, man. The music, the cast, the cinematography, just... everything. I'm trying to find people to go with me for a third time, that's how amazing I thought it was!
Dear local lasagneria, so first of all, thank you for being in our neighborhood. Although we can never seem to catch you when you're open, the times we do make it are all the more special. You've made work-from-home days so incredibly lovely with a sneaky glass of wine, your delicious, fresh burrata and charming Italian mom-and-pop vibes.

Dear coworkers, The running theme of 2018 has been how amazing you guys are, and getting to know you outside of the office - whether it's all of us together at dinner post-company kickoff, or meeting up with former colleagues at a bar, or dishing at a cafe, or out and about on walk-and-talks. Two thoughts here: 1) I don't know if it's a tech world thing, but I find that in this day and age, coworkers really are closer than ever before. 2) Considering that these are the people I see more than my own friends and family, I'm so grateful for how supportive, hilarious, and smart you all are! 
Dear Girl Scout cookies, ugh, yes.
Dear wineries with a view, you beaut. I can't wait until summer days when we can spend warmer evenings with ya, but even despite the bone-chilling winds, you're a pretty stellar hangout spot now.

Dear FaceTime, thank you for letting me play virtual babysitter to my nephew whenever my mom needs to do the dishes or fold laundry. I've developed a real talent of making all sorts of sounds to keep him entertained, a truly under-appreciated lifeskill! 
Dear SVU, Give me back my Barba!!
Dear spontaneous adventures, you give me life. How a hunt for yellow flower fields resulted in eating too many donuts at Dunkin, a wayward drive along the Pacific Coast Highway, a secret beach on the Ritz Carlton property, and then purchasing fresh seafood, I'll never know, but thank goodness for all the stories you help to create.
Dear March, you be a little kinder to us all, eh?