A.H.

8:43 AM

I rush out the door with a hastily and unevenly applied moisturizer, creating a glossy sheen on my face. My shift begins at 9 AM, and I have a 15-minute walk ahead of me to the cafe. This moment is perhaps the most mundane part of this day, a sign that I need to develop better time management skills. Since I can never walk without distraction, I put on Sinatra’s “My Way.” I’ll be the first to admit I’ve been obsessed with the song since hearing it at Adobe Cafe karaoke in late January. A guy with the most Philly aura belted out the lyrics “I ATE IT UP AND SPIT IT OUT,” in which I shook my arm in a fist dramatically. I’ve also listened to this song probably every day since starting my 9-5 office job in early February. Today, however, I am finding solace in the normalcy of working at the coffee shop.

10:40 AM

I just finished my 10-minute break and am returning upstairs to my coworker (let’s call him “D”) playing the most fitting R&B playlist for the atmosphere at the shop. It's overcast outside, though the sun is itching to come out. I can feel some unrest between my coworkers and me, as we all long to also be walking around the Saturday Clark Park Farmers market. However, we have a line forming of caffeine-craving customers with, luckily, many familiar faces. Check out the playlist here: 

https://www.nts.live/shows/hea4rtbroken/episodes/hea4rtbroken-15th-february-2024 

1:47 PM

My coworker D asks me if I wanted the hair of the dog, since we had both complained about being hung over that morning. I’ve never hung out with him and feel excited as I think he is one of the most incredible people in Philly. Also, he watched my cats during my recent vacation and has been inside my house for hours, yet I never sat and drank with the guy. So, of course, I pick up my pace on completing my tasks.

3:17 PM

My boyfriend calls me to see where I am as we made plans to go into Center City to drop off film. I am feeling happy because I may have a new good friend. D and I had talked about our recent travels to Latin America, as I had gone to El Salvador over Christmas, and D had recently returned from Mexico. We also discussed the difficulty of change and how it allows for growth. D no longer feels he needs a logical reason to pursue something he wants and wants to go for it, as we both agree there is no better time than the present. He is some years older than me, and I found much comfort that someone seemingly together can feel unsure of themselves in their forties. It made all these doubts at 25 feel normal. He also invited me to a dance party in a week.

3:30 PM

My boyfriend and I board the 42 to Center City, and I rest my head on his shoulder. We get off on Chestnut & 17th Street and walk a few blocks to Photo Lounge to get four rolls of film developed. His two rolls capture memories from his trip to Prague during the summer. I know one of my rolls has flicks from my 25th birthday celebration last weekend with friends in D.C. I have yet to learn what was on the other one.

5:00 PM

We walk from Uniqlo to Renata’s Kitchen (2.2 miles) for happy hour. While snacking on falafel balls, my boyfriend gets distracted by Premier League highlights on the TV behind the bar and points out a foul he wants me to watch, saying it is an automatic red. Down the bar, a man named Jose, who we later learn is a regular, hears us and chimes in that the offense warrants a yellow. This interaction leads to a 30-minute conversation where we discover he is also a Tottenham fan and has been in the Philly area since 2005. 

7:30 PM

We return home and are greeted at the doorway by our two boys (cats named Gus and Giuseppe). We had plans to watch Past Lives and put it on. The beginning of the film is nothing extraordinarily emotional, but I feel the liquor and tend to cry easily. I knew from that moment I would be crying throughout the whole movie.

10:00 PM

After the credits begin to roll, my boyfriend wants to lighten the mood, so he goes to the Spotify app and plays some early 2000s music. While looking through Lil Wayne’s discography, he remarks “How to Love” is such a bad song. However, this song reminds me of being in 7th grade, so I demand he play it. We danced some, before watching Arrested Development. After that, bedtime.

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

**I forgot to take any pictures yesterday, so I present to you my favorite pictures I’ve taken in Philly since moving here in July 2023.

July—Creating a home

September—Sunset view from City Hall

November—Walk around the Woodlands

January—First Philly snow

February—UM DO YOU SEE HER?

Andrea (or Driz) is a sucker for long walks and sappy love songs. While it is beginning to happen along the tree canopy in Cedar Park, she dreams of this new city one day feeling like home. You can find her around West Philly and at Green Line Cafe on Sunday mornings. Connect on the gram @adrizbird or Spotify https://open.spotify.com/user/12138534098?si=307f8c64c70c491a