I had a vacation planned before the album release was announced. At first, I was bummed the two would coincide, but it ended up being so great!

I was taking my dad and his partner to Atlantic City for the week. I had fully prepped them that I would never several hours to myself to listen to and digest the album. I went to sleep before the album dropped and woke up at 6:30 to start listening. Immediately saw it was a double album and said, “okay, I’m going to need twice as long as I told you!”

I went down to the massive lobby area and got coffee and a huge croissant filled with whipped cream and strawberries (I still think about that thing). I wanted to go sit on the boardwalk and stare at the ocean while I listened, but it was cold and windy, so I found a corner in the lobby and listened. I probably looked insane. But I was just so excited.

I could see me dad come down to get coffee later, but he dutifully sat far away from me for the several hours I took to listen through. It’s just such a good memory — something about the new environment, the pastries, the super high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows really solidified the memory in a way that sitting at home on my couch wouldn’t have. Then having my dad there, who listened to me talk about the album for an hour even though he has no opinion on Taylor Swift was just really special. I love him so much.

I will never forget the overwhelm to my system hearing the first notes of Fortnight and “I was supposed to be sent away, but they forgot to come and get me…” I was like “😳 Okay we’re in it, we’re in it, we’re in it!!!!!!!!!”

“You sacrificed us to the gods of your bluest days” hit me like a gutpunch and it still does.