First, context. My wife and I got married in the summer of 2013, immediately after I finished music college, and moved to Bath. It was a whirlwind of emotions - the sadness of finishing uni, the joy of getting married, the excitement/fear/unknown of trying to figure out a career as a composer. - ThreadSky

jamesjoshuaotto.bsky.social • 103 days ago

First, context. My wife and I got married in the summer of 2013, immediately after I finished music college, and moved to Bath. It was a whirlwind of emotions - the sadness of finishing uni, the joy of getting married, the excitement/fear/unknown of trying to figure out a career as a composer.

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jamesjoshuaotto.bsky.social•103 days ago

That September, I got a part time job as a barista in the coffee shop across the road from our tiny flat. As much as it was useful to supplement my non-existent composing income, I also really wanted to learn how to make great coffee, so it was a win/win.

jamesjoshuaotto.bsky.social•103 days ago

Often, I got given the responsibility of opening the shop (which I enjoyed) because we lived right across the street - so spent a lot of those wintry mornings surrounded by the wonderful sights, sounds, and smells of a cafe being prepped - ground coffee, frying breakfasts, surly head chefs.

jamesjoshuaotto.bsky.social•103 days ago

It lasted 6 months before I switched to a different part time job, but this time of year often reminds me of that job, memories of which will always be imbibed with those feelings of excitement, anticipation - the innocent thrill of embarking on adulthood.

jamesjoshuaotto.bsky.social•103 days ago

So, this morning, I opened the window next to the coffee machine because the air in the kitchen was getting a bit smoky with the cooking butter. Suddenly the smell of the coffee and pancakes combined with the sweet, fresh autumnal air to perfectly transport me back to that coffee shop in 2013.

jamesjoshuaotto.bsky.social•103 days ago

It was like being in a time machine. More profoundly than maybe ever before I felt like I was a barista in 2013 again, and magically felt all those same bubbly feelings of excitement, joy, anticipation. It was a really proper transportation.

jamesjoshuaotto.bsky.social•103 days ago

Then I turned around and was back in 2024 again, my 4 year old happily munching away on his pancakes, the 1 year old mostly chucking his on the floor.

Happy Saturday, pals. Hope you get some moments of everyday magic in your weekends, too x

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