Lifestyle: Annie Fay Blog

Lessons at 20

10/20/2019

20

When I consider how far I’ve come since this time last year I am blown away. Time is a curious thing...I was on a completely different path when I was 19 turning 20. This year has been full of new experiences and I have pushed myself beyond my comfort zone in so many ways. I am currently finishing my senior year at The New School, researching graduate school programs, and working constantly on new creative projects.

My year is book ended by experiences and achievements. I celebrated my 20th birthday by exploring London with my mom and my best friend, Claire, and I am ending this year in Claremont/LA celebrating Katie’s 18th birthday with a concert. I am beginning this new year by traveling to Kauai.

Each day I have worked on developing my voice, honing my passions, and living my life with authenticity.

As I reflect on this past revolution around the sun I cannot believe how quickly the last 12 months sped by. I am happy to take the time, even if it is just with one blog post, to pause and appreciate all that I have encountered over this past year.

Today I am sharing a few lessons I have learned at 20 along with 20 photos from this year.

Enjoy.

October 2018 — Birthday Books

#1: I care deeply about using my art and writing as an activist.

October 2018 — Celebrating my 20th birthday at dinner with my mom, Katie, and Alé

November 2018 — Photography by Katie

November 2018 — North Park with Alé

#2: Love unifies everything.

December 2018 — Fleetwood Mac

December 2018 — Me and Skylar, Photography by Emerson

January 2019 — Photography by Katie

#3: A defeatist recognizes their unhappiness and does nothing. Doing nothing is a form of destruction, self destruction. A beauty seeker creates rather than destroys. So I create.

January 2019 — Photography by Katie

#4: A simple phone call or FaceTime can go a long way and turn yours or someone else’s day around.

January 2019 — Me and Katie

January 2019 — Double Rainbows with Sasha

March 2019 — Bataquitos Lagoon with Katie in the rain

#5: I need to stay true to myself and create artwork and stories that are stylistically and thematically true to me. I believe in using my words and my creativity to start conversations about empowerment. I believe in approaching this topic through whimsical worlds, nonsense, and sometimes absurd concepts.

March 2019 — Modern Times with Katie in Encinitas

April 2019 — Boulder, CO

April 2019 — At the beach with Sasha

June 2019 — Celebrating Katie's Graduation

#6: I am a work in progress. It’s okay to feel like I’m waiting for the next step, it’s okay to feel apprehensive, and it’s okay to feel far from achieving my goals.

July 2019 — Pool Days

#7: Creativity takes courage.

July 2019 — Beach picnic with Katie

August 2019 — Swimming at Ponto, photography by Katie

#8: Create goals every day (even if they’re small).

September 2019 — Spontaneously visiting Katie at Pitzer

#9: Sometimes the most important thing you can do for someone is just being there.

October 2019 — Celebrating Katie's 18th Birthday at a concert in LA

Top Songs This Year:

Work This Time by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
Impressions of You by The Virgins
Age of Consent by New Order
Don’t Come Around Here No More by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Break-Thru by Dirty Projectors
Dumb Love by NEIL FRANCES
Gum, Toe and Sole by Gus Dapperton
When You Were Made by The Growlers
This Must Be The Place by Talking Heads
Stevie Knicks by Girlyboi
Gypsy by Fleetwood Mac
Never Going Back Again by Fleetwood Mac
Who Loves The Sun by The Velvet Underground
Razor Love by Neil Young
Monkey Gone to Heaven by Pixies
My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue) by Neil Young
Werewolf by Fiona Apple
Some Things Never Seem To Fucking Work by Solange
It Is What It Is by Blood Orange
Under My Thumb by The Rolling Stones
The Barrel by Aldous Harding
Unbearably White by Vampire Weekend
Julia by The Beatles
Raspberry Jam by Allah-Las
Amour Plastique by Videoclub
Wes Anderson by Alex Lahey
Something Holy by Alice Phoebe Lou
Fish On The Sand by George Harrison
Harry’s House-Centerpiece by Joni Mitchell
So Far Away by Carole King
Hey Ya by Surfer Blood
Killing Me Softly With His Song by Fugees
I Was A Fool by Elle Fanning

Related Posts:
Lessons at 19: http://www.anniefay.com/lifestyle/lessons-at-19
18 Things I Learned at 18: http://www.anniefay.com/lifestyle/18-things-i-learned-at-18

© Annie Fay Meitchik. All Rights Reserved. All content on anniefay.com is my own or credit is given when applicable, please do not use any of my images before contacting me above or @ anniefaymeitchik@gmail.com.

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Only Good Things

10/13/2019

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For my 20th birthday, one of my dearest friends, Alé, picked up a little journal for me from a zine festival. It’s a slim journal with a brown paper cover bound by two staples. Its’ cover boasts the words “only good things” in black capital letters centered in the upper third of the page. On the flipside, in the lower third of the back cover it reads “harness the power of focusing on the positive stuff in life then when you need a reminder, read this journal.” Without even opening the journal, it’s easy to see something positively bright: the inside pages are neon pink, the kind of neon pink you only see on the poster boards for middle school projects, the kind of neon pink that when facing you actually alters the appearance of your skin. It’s pretty fantastic.

Over the past year, whenever I’ve felt especially grateful, I have pulled my “only good things” journal out from under a sprig of dried flowers on a special shelf in my closet to record.

Below you will find a selection of my notes. I hope this inspires you to notice the beauty around you, write down the things that bring you joy, and maybe go out and buy an adorably neon notebook from a local artist!!

December 12, 2018:
Today I am grateful that Sasha’s parents like me. I am grateful to have a beautiful decorated Christmas tree. I am grateful to watch my cats sunbathe.
Today I will make hot chocolate. Today I will do homework. Today I will wrap presents.

December 13, 2018:
Today I am grateful that I could be helpful by driving Katie to school. I am grateful for matcha tea and honey. I am grateful to live in a pretty neighborhood where some people’s gardens look like fairy homes.
Today I will make Sasha smile. Today I will finish a rough draft of my film essay. Today I will email Natalie at UCSD about the publishing class.

December 14, 2018:
Today I am grateful that Claire and Anniegrace are home. I am grateful for eggs and breakfast. I’m grateful for Stevie Nicks.
Today I will finish my film paper, start my entrepreneurship final, and work at Art N Soul.

January 14, 2019:
Happy New Year. Today I am grateful that I live somewhere where I have enough space for all of my things. I am grateful for brand new Madewell jeans, coconut scented lotion, music, and clean clothes.

March 28, 2019:
On Thursday Alé, Sarah Eli, Katie, Sophie, and I were all hanging out. Katie and Soph talked about college and I think Katie’s set on Pitzer and Soph’s set on NYU Tisch. Anyways we watched the final ever episode of Broad City and ate tons of junk food like truffle oil potato chips and pasta and all had a wonderful night (:

March 30, 2019:
Today I met Tori, J.T., James, and Katie at Lofty for lunch which was super fun and funny. Then Katie and I went back to our house, stopped at Nekter, did art in the backyard, and played card games. Then Mia came over and played BS with us by the pool. Later, I went out with Sasha, Kiva, and their mom and grandpa. Then, I drove to East Asian to see Katie, James, and J.T.’s family and we all went to Modern Times for donuts and Gelato 101. I bought opera gelato for me and tiramisu for Katie. That was my dinner.

May 16, 2019:
Today ended up being a wonderful day and it’s all because of people and genuine friendship. I went to Claire’s where we ate Phish Food Ben + Jerry’s and talked in her bed like no time had passed.

May 23, 2019:
Today ALL DAY was good!! I hung out with Thomas and we watched Wallace and Gromit, played Smash Bros on his switch, had lunch, and played Catan with Sasha. Later, Sasha and I went back to my house, baked cookies, and watched Easy. Dad ordered pizza, we had dinner, and then Sasha went home.
My publishing professor gave me feedback on my portfolio which validated that I’m ready to query agents and submit work (:
So grateful for my pals and the difference sunshine and board games and movies and positive words makes (: Much love (:

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Lessons at 20

20

Top Songs This Year:

Only Good Things

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Lessons at 20

20

​Top Songs This Year:

Only Good Things

Categories

Archives

Top Songs This Year: