Now and Then
This page may contain links to Amazon.com or other sites from which I may receive commission on purchases you make after clicking on such links. Read my full Disclosure Policy
My sister recently wrote a blog post with the title “25 Random Things About Me.” It began:
A friend recently sent me a “Memory” of hers that popped up on Facebook. It was something I’d tagged her with ten years ago. What’s still the same? she asked me. What has changed? Here’s my answer.
In one of her answers, Kathy mentioned that her original Facebook post was in response to one of mine. I thought it would be fun to write a Now and Then blog post like hers, but first I had to find my Facebook post from 2009. It took a while, but I found it! (She knew I would.)
So, without further ado, here are the 25 facts I shared 10 years ago, along with what has changed and what’s the same.
- I am a qualified Myers Briggs Type Indicator professional. In theory, I’m still qualified, because I completed the Qualifying Program, but I don’t use it professionally anymore, so my knowledge is a little rusty.
- My personality type is ISTJ. This will likely never change.
- I have a brown tabby cat named Tasha. Still do. Isn’t she pretty?
- I have had four cats in my life. Still true.
- I never had a cat until 1995. Still true, obviously, since I can’t go back in time and change things.
- Before that I had dogs (four of them, actually). Once a dog person, always a dog person. I got my fifth dog in 2011.
- I can see 17 cats from where I am sitting, none of them real. I can see 6 cats from where I’m sitting, none real, and one real live dog.
- My husband and I have worked together at 3 places, including our current business. Still true.
- My mother passed away in 1996. My father passed away in 2018.
- The first movie I saw in the theatre was The Gnomemobile. See comment on #5.
- I have one brother and one sister. Still true.
- My favourite colour is blue. Still true.
- I like to listen to the blues. Still true, although I don’t listen to the blues as much as I did 10 years ago.
- I drive a PT Cruiser. It’s blue. I drive a blue Hyundai Elantra.
- I have seen Blue Rodeo in concert four times. I may have seen them once more since then, but I don’t think so.
- I used to be considered bilingual but now I’m not so sure. Pretty sure I’m not bilingual, but I can still carry on a conversation in French when the opportunity presents itself.
- I need a haircut. My hair is looking pretty good these days.
- I just discovered how to add photos to Notes. I was under the impression this Facebook feature had been discontinued, but I just learned how to access it by reading How to Use Facebook Notes, pubished on Lifewire in October 2018. I’d have found my original post much more quickly if I’d read this first!
- I haven’t flown since 1991 when I went to Lake of the Woods. I flew to Arizona in 2014 to speak about blogging at the NAPO Conference and to enjoy some sightseeing.
- I’m looking forward to meeting lots of VAs at FoVA this June. I’m looking forward to attending WordCamp Hamilton this June.
- I like to make my own greeting cards. I still do, but these days I’m more likely to do it by uploading my photos to a website and having them printed.
- I love to sing. I still do.
- I used to be a Big Sister. My former Little Sister is now the mother of three little boys!
- I have lived in my current home for 5 years. I’ve now been here 15 years, the longest I’ve ever lived in one place.
- I can see four calendars from where I’m sitting, and I only use two of them. Some people would call that clutter. Just a wall calendar now.
My sister closed her post with this question:
What’s the biggest thing that has changed for you in the past ten years, and what has stayed the same?
You’re more than welcome to share your answer here in the comments, but if you get to it soon enough (as in this afternoon), you should comment on Kathy’s post too for a chance to win one of her books!
Janet Barclay
I eliminate stress for my clients by hosting, monitoring, and maintaining their WordPress sites so they don’t have to worry about security, downtime or performance issues. When I’m away from my desk, I enjoy reading, photography, cooking, watching movies, drinking tea, and spending time with my family.
Great choice of photos to accompany your post, Janet. Something wonderful that has changed since your original post ten years ago is that you visit me way more often. You were here just last weekend and already I look forward to our next visit. 😊
Thank you! I feel the same way. <3
I loved reading your then and now entries. #19 when you flew to Arizona, that was the first time we met in person. It was wonderful! Ten years is a long time to single out the “biggest” change and non-change.
Biggest changes (had to go for plural): I wrote and published my first book, our daughters left the nest (for college,) and three of our four parents passed away, my mom was diagnosed with vascular dementia, cleared out and sold the family home of 57+ years, established a daily mindfulness meditation practice, started blogging.
Remained the same (again with the plural): My favorite color is still purple (and has been since I was 5,) living in the same home for 33 years, married to my wonderful husband for 36 years, still an active member of ICD (Institute for Challenging Disorganization,) NAPO (National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals, NAPO-NY Chapter, and NAPO Westchester Neighborhood Group, and still love helping my clients facilitate change in their lives.
That’s a lot of change, Linda! It’s a good thing you had the stability of same home, husband, and work to help you get through it all!
Awww, so fun seeing this list and all the updates. Isn’t it interesting to look back and see how life has changed? The biggest change for me is going from having two girls living here to now having them both out of the house. I’m proud of them and happy for them, but I miss them:) On a smaller note, I guess I could say that my hair is more gray (though I hide that!), and I still love the beach:)
One of life’s ironies is that just when our kids are becoming interesting adults, we don’t get to see them as much.
Great post! Funny how it is so similar yet different…love you pet pics!
Glad you enjoyed the post and the pics!
Fun post, Janet! It’s great to reflect on where we came from. I love to check out the memories on Facebook, so I can revisit what I was doing that day. Thanks for sharing.
I do too! I know people who find them annoying, but I enjoy them. After my friend passed away, his comments on my posts would often come up in my Facebook Memories, and it made me feel close to him (his profile has since been deleted).
You should add that you are a wonderful photographer. I really enjoy seeing your work on facebook.
What’s changed in the last 10 years? Both our kids have moved out so we are now empty nesters. What’s the same? Still married to Tim. 31 years and counting. (We’ve been in the same house for 27 years.)
Thank you, Janet! I’ve enjoyed photography for most of my life but 10 years ago I definitely wasn’t into it to the extent I am now.
Congratulations – those are the kinds of things that we want to happen (both the staying the same and the change).
It’s fun to look back and see how far we’ve come, how much has changed, and how much is still the same as it was years ago. We can all hope that personal growth and positive change exceeds the amount of ‘sad change’ in our lives.
You have a beautiful cat! (I’m a cat person with a highly-allergic husband…)
She was a beauty! Sadly, she left us for Rainbow Bridge about a month after I posted this.
I like what you say about positive changes exceeding the sad ones. As difficult as the last week with Tasha was, it’s far exceeded by the love and fun we shared for the years she was with us. And of course the same is true of losing human loved ones!