(#tbt) I Choo Choo Choose You

I've recently been looking back through old photos, in a disorganized and ambling fashion, in effort to organize the electronic files, and was recently struck by an idea. Don't worry, it didn't hurt. But in the spirit of all this #tbt (pound sign Throwback Thursday) business, and in light of being an obsessive archivist and a frequent-walker of Memory Lane, I've decided to embark on a new blog "series," taking Thursdays to reminisce about the past. And because tomorrow is the big V-Day, I thought I'd start there. With Alex and my first Valentine's Day together. Flashback to February 2007, when we lived in Tahoe, rocked bro-brah hair, and just moved in together.

This was taken on Alex's first night officially living with Stac and me in Rich's basement apartment. No, you're not supposed to know who Rich is, because we didn't really either. Just the guy whose name was on our monthly under-the-table rent checks. Note in the background that I have a photo of an ex-boyfriend hanging on the wall, a life-size Archie cardboard cutout, and plastic drawers as a side table. Also, we still have that coffee table. We are saving it for the "man cave" because I can't bare to part with one the more expensive pieces of furniture I'd purchased - $75 at Goodwill in Reno. It's Valentine's Day here, Alex gave me tulips. And we're eating dinner by "candlelight."

Some things never change. The hair, yes. The crows-free face, yes. But not the cooking. He's always cooked for me. Here - stir-fried frozen veggies. I have higher standards now.

And since this brief foray into the Winter of 2007 has got me all nostalgic for my blonder hair, thinner thighs, and ski bum/journalist lifestyle, let's check out some other fun times from the very first chapter of the Alex and Jo Show ...

We skiied.

We skated.

We sledded.

 We partied.

 And we were young.

And to think, this year we'll celebrate by reviewing our budget and making a spreadsheet about the pros and cons of buying that new "micro minivan" - the Mazda 5 - that I never imagined I'd one day covet. But like I said, I might not be cool, but I would choo choo choose this life all over again.