For past Book Inspired Dates posts go here!
My review of The Memory Of After by Lenore Appelhans (formerly known as Level 2) | Amazon | Goodreads|
I thought this would be a nice, low key Valentine’s Day (really any day) date for people who want to just stay in and really spend some time together without all the typical Valentine’s Day hoopla.
The Inspiration
The idea of an afterlife, Level 2, where you replay memories
So basically in the book, when you die, you go to Level 2 where you live in a chamber & spend your day plugged into computers where you have access to view all your old memories or the memories of others by way of a very elaborate system of credits. Your memories can be loaned out and you can borrow other peoples memories. It was interesting to think about which memories I would never want to relive and which ones I’d find myself watching over and over again. You could borrow the memories of others like travel memories, or someone’s memory while reading a book or a going to a concert, etc.
For this date, I was thinking how it would be really nice to sit down with some of our old pictures and relive those memories. So that’s the inspiration!
The Date
{Plan} Step 1: Dig out those boxes of photos. Print out the ones from your phone and Facebook because dammit you will want those pictures in your possession should the zombie apocalypse happen and you can no longer get on the Facebook to look at your pictures.
{Plan} Step 2: Make a playlist of loooove songs to be playing in the background (or a mix of YOUR songs…Will and I have a playlist of our songs…they are filled with sweet and silly (seriously, I Like Big Butts is on it). Or feel free to listen to the one I made for y’all!
{Plan} Step 3: Pick a project to do with your photos — a simple as changing out the photos in the frames you have out (I always forget to do this) or buying new frames to put pictures in, start a scrapbook (I think this one is cool), something like this, this, this, this, this, or the million other things you could find on Pinterest.
Step 4: Get all your photos out and reminisce away! This is the important step. Before you do any thing with those pictures take some time to talk about the memories from each one and maybe why you picked it. Laugh or share an “off camera” memory of when this picture was taken. Talk about that day, that moment, how you felt. Taking a walk down memory lane is good for the soul, in my opinion, and sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the stresses of life or the future or the day to day life things…but sometimes it’s just nice to reflect on the sweet memories of the past and how far your love has come. The conversation that will be sparked from your memories will be lovely!
Ah, this memory. Will and I were such babies — this was back in 2007 (he was 18 I think and I was 21). We hadn’t even been dating a year. I had just gotten back from a trip to Europe in the summer and we had the best date ever — I had flowers waiting for me, I made him pasta with pesto that I brought home with me from Italy and had a candlelit dinner, we took silly pictures, laughed and just generally had an amazing day. That so-drunk-on-first-love euphoria. <3
Step 5: Complete your project after you are done walking down memory lane and then display those memories!
Photo credit here
Step 6: Follow up with some takeout or cook dinner together and settle in for a favorite movie together.
What did you think of this book inspired date? Have any fun photo/memory related projects that would work well with this? Because Will and I are seriously doing this sometime soon because we have a bad habit of never printing our photos out and I’m still looking for a few different project ideas!
Rebecca @ The Library Canary says
I love doing projects with old pictures! Love the idea for the date. and I really need to switch my pictures out of the frames I currently have. I also forget to do that/am too lazy.
Jamie says
I ALWAYS forget. I just never think of it. That and I suck at printing out my pictures!
Jessika @ Tangled Up in Reading says
This is such a cute idea, I love it! And those pictures of you and Will are absolutely adorable. I’ve got to get Mark to start taking more pictures together so we can do something like this!
Jamie says
Thank you!! 🙂 And YES get those pictures taken! Will haaaaated pictures and in all these years I’ve broken him down so he just accepts them 😛
Alexa S. says
Jamie, this date is PERFECTION. I’m one of those people who loves to reminisce about the years gone by, lingering specifically on special moments (whether funny, sweet or both). This is the PERFECT date for me — and kind of makes me want to get out my photos and start scrapbooking away like I used to! Great job 🙂 (PS – You and Will are so cute!)
Jamie says
YES! I’m so one of those kinds of people too! It’s just so fun! And it’s the perfect date you could do with friends or family!
Stephanie B says
Aw, this is just the sweetest and cutest date idea ever. Love it. Looking at old pictures is a lot of fun!
Jamie says
Thank you! 🙂 And I really do love looking through old pics. I kind of want to do one of my sis and I as kids to give to Genevieve and Adela when they get older!
Michelle says
Super cute idea! Love that book, and this is definitely fits the book well! Love the picture of all the pictures in the pile; if only I had so many cute pictures! 😛
Jamie says
Thank you! 🙂 Appreciate the feedback! Can’t wait for book 2!
Becca @Pivot Book Reviews says
OH MY GODS, JAMIE!! I HEART THIS SO MUCH!! Is this a regular feature you do? Because I love the idea behind it! It seriously rocks my socks….if only I had a significant other. *le sigh* oh well, I’ll live vicariously through your photo memories tehehe BTW that picture of you and Will laying down in the grass after your trip to Europe totally reminds me of the movie poster for The Fault In Our Stars for some reason!! Super cute!! 🙂 Enjoy your Valentine’s Day and your Veronica Mars tickets!! I still need to binge watch that series!
xo, Becca @Pivot Book Reviews
Jamie says
Semi regular! Thank you for the kind words!!
HA it so does kind of look like TFIOS poster! And you could totally do this by yourself or with some friends! A self date with some wine and your pictures…perfection!
Brittany @ The Book Addict's Guide says
Super cute ideas! I just LOVE any projects involving photos and they’re so important! I love re-living memories all over again and it’s kind of a great way to get to feel those early-relationship butterflies again 🙂
Jamie says
YESSS! I started to totally remember all those early relationship butterflies!
Missie says
What a fun idea! Love it!
Missie @ A Flurry of Ponderings
Jamie says
Thank yoU!
Erin says
Very good idea. Unfortunately my relationship has been ending the past 2 weeks so I can’t partake this year 🙁