Nostalgic December: A Playlist

It’s December 2002. 

You’re sitting in the rear-facing seats of your mom’s station wagon, fighting off motion sickness made worse by the beaming headlights of the trailing car. The fact that headlights are necessary at 5 pm is a consequence of winter you can’t pay any mind to at a moment when practicing optimism feels like an extreme sport. 

You hear the faint chord’s of Avril Lavigne’s newly-released hit Complicated and reflexively begin mouthing the words: “Chill out, whatcha yelling for…” 

You ask mom to turn it up to an unreasonable level. The nausea begins to give way to the catchy medley of french horns, piano, and guitar. Mom momentarily turns down the music and announces to the car that she’s making pizza rolls for dinner, igniting an impromptu dance party. You are instantly made whole, restored with optimism. 

Life is Good.

Fast forward two decades to December 2022. 

In the wake of Taylor Swift’s record-smashing album Midnights, you log on to a ticketing site in an effort to see Tay perform in concert for the very first time.

You become immediately aware of the unforgiving laws of supply and demand when the cheapest balcony tickets are going for $94,000. While you believe in your heart of hearts that the experience would be worth every penny, this price tag is a bit steep for your taste, especially around the holidays. 

Your optimism levels take sudden nosedive, and at the moment you let out a deep sigh, your bestie (a fellow Swiftie) texts you: “Wanna come over for wine, cheese, and a Taylor listening party?”

A wave of gratitude floods your entire being. What a gift it is to have friends who know exactly what you need, especially when you don’t. 

You grab your coat and your dancing shoes and dart out the door. 

Life is Good.