thediaryofalmosteverything

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

A Closet Full of Questions

Every time a school holiday starts (which, if you work in education, is every 9 to 10 weeks like clockwork), I get a familiar kind of itch. Not the relaxing, stretch-out-on-a-lounger-and-read-a-book kind. More like a strange jitter that whispers, “Buy something. Fix something. Reorganise your life.”At first, I thought it was freedom calling. But now I’m pretty sure it’s just my nervous system…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

The Chocotoffee Memory

When I was a kid, I thought I was brilliant at being sneaky. I honestly believed adults had no idea what I was up to. Looking back, I realize they probably saw right through me; chocolate-covered teeth and all.After school, we had a ritual: a cup of tea, something sweet, and a little chat about the day. That worked well in primary school, but once I hit my pre-teen years, I started craving a bit…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

The Invisible To-Do List in My Head

Some people wake up, blink a few times, and let the day come to them. I am not one of those people.Before I even roll out of bed, a quiet yet slightly urgent committee in my brain has already held a meeting. There are bullet points. Subtasks. A loose itinerary. All invisible, of course, I don’t actually write it down. But it’s there.08:00: Pet cats. Feed cats. Apologize for automatic feeder…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

The Ghosts in My Sidewalks

And why I sometimes wish they wouldn’t. Some people get flashbacks from songs.I get them from sidewalks (and songs).Not because something dramatic happened there, no trauma, no grand cinematic heartbreak. Just tiny scrapes on the record. Still audible. Still real. There are streets I avoid. Not because of what happened on them, but because of what they remind me of. I drive an extra block to…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

Anomaly, Chronically Unbothered (Mostly)

At thirty-eight, I’m somewhere between “perfectly content” and “wait, you’re how old and still single?”; what some might call anomaly-adjacent. (Translation: society thinks I missed a memo somewhere.)I live with two hairless, slightly ridiculous Sphynx cats. The kind of stinky, wrinkled little nudists that look like they crawled straight out of a Tim Burton film. I adore them. I talk about them…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

Things I Googled at 2:00 AM

It’s 2:00 AM and I’m Googling whether cats can get bored of their humans. Not because anything happened, mine are both asleep and content, but because I suddenly remembered an article I saw three weeks ago and never read.One search turns into ten. I jump from feline psychology to the side effects of vitamin D overdose, to whether I should be worried that my birth control pills got a little warm…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

I Don’t Miss the Old Me (But I Still Think About Her)

Sometimes it’s not even nostalgia that hits, it’s embarrassment.One photo, one song, and suddenly I’m back in a memory I didn’t ask for, wondering why I thought glittery butterfly clips and my Nokia ringtone were peak personality.Truth is, I don’t miss who I was.But I do sometimes miss the world around her. The slower days. The way a whole summer could fit into one lazy afternoon. The way plans…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

Somewhere Between Black and White

Some people speak in bold type.Their thoughts are full-sized headlines.And then there’s me, quietly italicized, mostly brackets and a footnote or two.Growing up, I learned early on that not every opinion needs an audience.Especially not if the audience is… let’s say, emotionally enthusiastic.My mother didn’t believe in nuance. She believed in being right.Which, to be fair, is one way to live.But…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

The Gumball in My Mouth

You know those dreams where your teeth fall out? Or worse: the one where your mouth is stuffed with a giant wad of gum, and no matter how hard you try, you can’t pull it out? It stretches, resists, sticks to your tongue and gums like it belongs there. You need to speak. But you can’t. That dream is a metaphor I didn’t ask for, but apparently needed. Because I’ve spent most of my life wanting to…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

Before Wi-Fi, We Had Silence

There’s an entire generation now that will never know the sound of nothing.Not metaphorical nothing… actual, real-world silence.Birds. A neighbor’s hose. The clinking of cutlery through an open window.That was the soundtrack of summer if you stayed home while everyone else was “at the campsite.” I’m 38, which means I remember life before mobile phones and internet.When contacting someone while…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

A Love Letter to the Backseat

Not everyone wants the front seat. Some of us choose the edges. Not because we’re unsure, but because we like the view.I’ve always gravitated toward the margins. At meetings, in social settings, on literal seating charts, give me a corner and I’ll thrive. Unless, of course, there’s a prize involved. Then I’m suddenly an extrovert with competitive flair and zero shame.It’s strange, really. I have…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

The things I carry (that no one sees)

People are strange little universes, aren’t they?Everyone’s carrying something. Some seem to coast through life, breezing past traffic lights and emotional potholes. Others, you wonder how they’re still standing.Nature, nurture, the eternal question. What did I come pre-installed with, and what did I quietly pick up along the way? Honestly, I’m still figuring that out. But let’s save that chapter…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

Things I Don’t Know How to Do (Yet)

Some people seem to have it all figured out. Politics, pensions, plants; you name it. Meanwhile, I’m just here wondering if everyone else is secretly Googling things under the table or if I’m the only one who’s bluffing their way through adulthood.Sometimes I wish I could watch people’s inner thoughts like a documentary. Not because I want to invade their privacy, but because I want confirmation…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

The art of leaving early

I used to get a gentle push from my parents when I hesitated at the edge of something new. A party. A pool. A school trip. That first nudge over the threshold. It worked. Most of the time. But now? I’m the one who has to do the pushing. And I’ll be honest: it doesn’t always happen.There’s a quiet pattern I’ve spotted in myself over the years: if something feels emotionally high-stakes, I tend to…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

Quiet Isn’t the Same as Calm

People often describe me as calm. Steady. Someone who doesn’t get stressed.And they’re not entirely wrong. I don’t panic easily. I believe things will work out (eventually — perhaps after some last-minute scrambling and a large latte). I adjust well. I like routine but I’m not thrown off by change. I don’t need chaos to feel alive, but weirdly… I don’t mind it either.And yet — give me chaos, and…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

The art of loose planning

There’s something quietly luxurious about a weekend without plans.Not an empty weekend — just one with soft space. Unbooked hours. A wide morning that doesn’t demand anything from you except socks and a decision on your coffee. Some people love a fully stacked weekend. And truly — if it makes you happy, bless your itinerary. But when I scroll through those ‘April in 9 squares’ highlight reels, I…

[thediaryofalmosteverything]

Things I Don’t Talk About at Parties

(But Might Write an Entire Blog Post About)There are people who thrive at parties. Who love the buzz, the hugs, the effortlessly cheerful small talk, and the “You have to meet my friend from yoga”-type introductions. I am not one of those people. Unless, of course, I feel entirely at home with the people in the room — people who don’t blink when I say something weird, who don’t weaponize…