I have this terrible habit of treating life like a moodboard. Not the Pinterest kind — the mental kind. I romanticize moments so small, so dumb, so completely uneventful that it probably counts as a coping mechanism. Or maybe a character flaw. Or maybe just… being Marli.
Here’s a running list of the daily nonsense I’ve convinced myself is cinematic.
1. Making toast like it’s a sacred ritual
The bread goes in. I stand there like I’m waiting for a prophecy.
The toaster dings — divine intervention. Butter glides. Crumbs fall in slow motion.
Do I make eye contact with myself in the reflection? Maybe. Maybe not.
2. Catching myself in the mirror by “accident”
Oh, me again?
The robe’s hanging off a shoulder. There’s probably a crumb on my lip.
It’s not about vanity — it’s about witnessing yourself when you weren’t supposed to.
Except… I always know.
3. Stretching in bed like I’m in a music video
Bonus points if the sun hits just right and I pretend the sheets are silk.
Even though they’re probably not. Even though my hair’s a mess.
The moment feels sacred anyway — like I’m the only girl awake on Earth.
4. Folding laundry like a Parisian wife who just caught her lover cheating
Every sock gets flung with quiet rage.
Every bra folded like it’s holding secrets.
I don’t own a clothesline. I wish I did.
5. Walking past strangers and pretending it’s the last time they’ll ever see me
Yes, I added a little swing to my hips. No, I’m not sorry.
He might be on a date. She might be late to therapy.
They’ll never forget the girl in the red top. Not today.
6. Choosing earrings like I’m about to attend a scandal
Simple hoops? Dangerous.
Pearl drops? Innocent, but not really.
No earrings at all? That’s the loudest decision.
7. Typing like someone’s going to read it in a novel one day
Every message I send is written like it might end up quoted.
Even “lol” has a cadence. Even typos are intentional.
Even this post — yeah, I’m thinking about how you’re reading it.
8. Washing dishes like I’m in a dramatic breakup montage
There’s no breakup. There’s no montage. There’s barely water pressure.
But if I press play on something melancholy and stare out the window long enough…
I swear the world pauses.
9. Unlocking the door like I don’t know what’s waiting inside
Every time I walk into my apartment, it’s a fresh reveal.
Maybe someone left flowers. Maybe past me cleaned up.
Maybe present me is about to drop the groceries and kick off her shoes like a femme fatale.
10. Lying on the floor for no reason
This is the peak of my soft unhinged girl routine.
Nothing hurts. Nothing’s wrong. I just want to feel grounded…
While I text someone I shouldn’t and pretend I’m not.
And so what?
So what if it’s all a little dramatic? A little extra? A little too much?
Romanticizing the everyday isn’t about faking a better life. It’s about loving the one you’re already in — even if it’s in crumbs, tangled bedsheets, and unnecessary lingerie.
Especially the lingerie.
If my life is going to be a movie, I’m going to act like I know I’m in it.
You should too.
—M 💋