Fantastic Thing No. 2

‘fantastic’

/fæntæst̥ɪk/

Have you ever actually thought about that word?

What do you think ‘fantastic’ means? Mostly, when we use that word, it’s just a way to express that we feel that something is really good. And that’s not wrong, but really, if you want to further master your use of language, then you should understand the more accurate definition of this word.

Look at the first part of the word:

fantas-tic

What other words can you think of that start this way?

fantas-y, fantas-ize, etc.

Does it come as a surprise, then, to know that this is the first definition of the word ‘fantastic?”

‘fantastic’ : ‘imaginative or fanciful; remote from reality’

Let me tell you why this is so cool:

Because I did not even really think about that when I named this blog.

I just thought that “Daydreams and Fantastic Things” sounded cool. Really, this was intended to be a blog where I could give my daydreams more life than just existing inside my head. A place where, just for fun, the endings to my everyday situations were conveniently always perfect! (NOT LIKE CHICK FLICKS THOUGH. ROMANTIC COMEDIES MOSTLY MAKE ME SICK.)

It was something that just came to me: Daydreams and Fantastic Things.

But it’s totally fitting!

Because what are daydreams, if not fantasies? (I mean that in the most innocent way.)

What is daydreaming, if not fantasizing?

Gold. :)

(referring to the word choice employed in my title of this blog, not answering that last question, which was intended to be rhetorical)

Also, my linguistic brain is now exploding.

Think of this: the words ‘cool’ and ‘hot’ are both used to denote positive feelings toward something. Those words are opposites. It’s kind of a testament of the fact that there are all kinds of beautiful. There is more than one right opinion. A slight linguistic paradox, if you will, that teaches us something quite remarkable!

And these(!!):

REMARK-able. WONDER-ful. AMAZE-ing. AWE-some. MAGNIFI-cent.

And a really cool one I just learned more about: ‘tremendous.’ It comes from the Latin root ‘tremere’ which means ‘tremble.’ Something so grand and/or great and/or intense that it causes one to TREMBLE. Now, will you use this word to describe something that causes you to tremble in fear or in awe? Something awesome could also be tremendous! GAH. WORDS.

Think about the words you use!! There are so many ways to express yourself in this wonderful language of ours! And I’m positive that other languages also have hidden gems in them that produce such amazing realizations!

Life, my dears, is a beautiful thing. :)

Daydream No. 2

The office is FREEZING.

Frigid.

Not quite biting, but we’re flirting with that line.

Every day, she wears the same jacket. It’s a great jacket, don’t get me wrong. It’s actually pretty fantastic. However, girls don’t like to wear the same thing every day, for any good thing, no matter how great, repeated day after day after day after day after day eventually loses its value. Make your arguments, but with clothes? Yeah. The same outfit gets boring.

And wearing that jacket every day? Well, she loved it, and she normally wouldn’t care what the people around her think about what clothes she wears, or what jacket she repeats every day. It's her warmest jacket, after all.

But this time, she's all concerned about it because there's an attractive man that also works in the office on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, and he's never going to see how cute she looks.

yeah. It's one of those things.

She walks into work on Friday, the first one there. Of course. She goes down to the cafe to get a glass of water because she forgot her water bottle again. Really?? She's super absent-minded sometimes, don't worry about it. She rides the elevator back up to her floor, turns the corner to head to her desk and BAM. Mr. Attractive is there. They had just had kind of a bonding moment the day before, plus he's a super nice guy anyway, so he looks up as she walks by, smiles, and says hello. Of course, she smiles back and greets him as she continues to her desk.

He starts singing Rude by Mag!c to himself, which of course makes her silently laugh to herself. It was one of those cute-goofy things. As more of the team trickles into the office, a conversation strikes up and she can't help but notice how good he looks. Seriously, he's pretty handsome. The group conversation starts to die off and she turns back to her work.

And then the bomb drops.

She overhears him talking to another guy on the team.

Other Guy: "So who will you be working with?"
Mr. Attractive: "I'll be working on So-and-So's team."
Other Guy: "That's great! When do you start?"
Mr. Attractive: "Tuesday, so today's my last day."

WHAT?!?!?

Other Guy: "And you'll be down in Provo, right?"

Mr. Attractive: "Yep! It'll be nice not to have to drive up here anymore..."

Seriously??? It's his last day?? After she's only known him for about two weeks, and just BARELY started to be interested in him THE DAY BEFORE??

Of course, she thinks. That would happen to me.

Welp, looks like she's just going to have to make the best of today, because there's nothing else she can do.

As the work day progresses, she decides to take off her jacket. It's a warmer day in the office, anyway, though still characteristically brisk. Plus, it's Mr. Attractive's last day, and gosh dang it, she planned her outfit days ago knowing he was coming in today!

Her phone vibrates inside her pocket. It's her brother.

Bro: You going to the boys' football game today? (It's the last game of the season, and she'd have to ditch work to get there on time.)
Girl: I'm taking two days off next week for Ragnar, so I don't really want to ask to leave for the game.
Bro: Little Freshman Brother is starting on the special teams.
Girl: WHAT?!?! I'M GOING. COME PICK ME UP ON YOUR WAY.

Family first, ya know.

Plus... he's a freshman. STARTING VARSITY.

IN THE LAST GAME OF THE YEAR.

Game changer. :)

Eventually, lunch hour rolls around and the team makes their way down to the cafe to get some food. She and Kind-Of Boss find a place for the team to seat while the rest of the team finishes getting their lunches. Intentionally, she sits next to two empty seats. Actual Boss sits in the farther open seat, but unfortunately, Mr. Attractive takes his seat across the table. meh. The rest of the team takes their seats and the lunch conversation begins.

At one point, the topic of leaving early comes up.

Actual Boss: "Kind-Of Boss, you taking off early today?"
Kind-Of Boss: "Wasn't planning on it. But if you want to leave early, I can leave early!"
*chatter. She waits for an opening in the convo. It comes.*
Girl: "Speaking of leaving early, my little brothers have a football game today. One's a senior, so it's his last game, and the other's a freshman and he's starting varsity. Can I leave at 1:30 (aka: basically right after lunch) so I can go?"
Bosses: "Yeah, that should be fine!" It takes two of them to give me time off. :)

...her. It takes two of them to give her time off.

Mr. Attractive: "No!"
Girl: "Oh, *name of Mr. Attractive* says I can't go... ;)" He has no say in this matter. It was more comedic/sarcastic.
Mr. Attractive: "Everyone's leaving early, we need someone to stay with us!"
Everyone laughs it off and the lunch conversation moves on.

I'm not going to see her again! he thinks to himself. He watches her as she sends a text message on her phone. Her hair looks amazing. Her freckles are beautiful. This girl is gorgeous. He can't let her just walk out of his life! They just barely started to get to know each other! Before she looks up from her phone and sees him staring at her, he shifts his gaze.

She finishes her text to her brother letting him know that she officially got work off to ride up with him to the game. Guess what? The cafe is colder than the office upstairs. The things girls do to impress men... (and half the time they don't even notice!) She's already finished eating her food, so she waits for everyone else to finish their meals and continues in on the lunch chatter. She steals a glance at Mr. Attractive because FRICK. He's good-looking. And smart. And funny. And kind of a goof. And they just barely started to be friends. And she's not going to get any more of these stolen glances, so why not? Her phone vibrates again: Brother will be there in about twenty minutes. She rubs her arm trying to get some heat on her bare skin.

He notices. :)

Mr. Attractive: "Hey, are you cold?"
Girl: "Oh, I'm okay!" She never shows any sign of weakness.
Mr. Attractive: "Do you want my jacket? It's pretty cold down here!"
Girl: "I'm fine, really. You don't have to give me your jacket. :)" Fiercely independent, this one. Plus, she doesn't want to appear desperate, taking off her own jacket on purpose, banking on his chivalrous nature to tend to her. Really, she just wanted him to see her in another outfit than jacket + jeans.
Mr. Attractive: "No, seriously, take my jacket!"

He pulls it off and hands it to her. Totally old-fashioned and gentlemanly, and she loved it. She laughs it off, and utters a "Thank you" as she slides it on. It even smells like him. :)

K ISN'T THAT THE FREAKING BEST PART OF WEARING A GUY'S JACKET??? :)

A few minutes later, everyone has finished lunch and she heads back upstairs. It's almost time for her to leave. Mr. Attractive lags behind with Actual Boss. Actual Boss nods in her direction.

Actual Boss: "Hey. You like her?"

Mr. Attractive looks down, smiling, but unsure of what to say.

Actual Boss: "Well, do something about it!"

Actual Boss loves to talk about their dating lives and wants them to be dating someone if they aren't already. ;)

Upstairs, she starts to collect her things and close the programs on her computer. Her phone vibrates again: Brother is here. I'll be down in like five minutes, she replies. As she clocks out and logs off of her computer, he walks in. She turns around and sees him, and starts to take off his jacket to return it to him.

Girl: "Hey, thanks for letting me borrow this!"

Mr. Attractive: "No, it's okay, keep it! It's cold outside (it was), you might still want it! You can get it back to me later. :)"
Girl: "Are you sure?"

Mr. Attractive: "Yeah, it's fine! What's your number? You can just get it back to me after the game."

Smooth, she thought. :)

She gives him her phone number, and he tells her he will text her so that she can save his. She says goodbye to the team and starts to make her way toward the elevator.

Mr. Attractive: "Have fun!"

Girl: "Oh I will!"

As the elevator door closes, her phone vibrates, this time from a number she doesn't recognize. It's him. :)  

Mr. Attractive: Hey, this is *insert Mr. Attractive's name here*. :) 

Girl: Perfect! Thanks again! :)

She places her phone in her pocket, the elevator door opens, and she walks out unable to stop smiling to herself. :)

Oh, and of course, her brothers totally destroy in their game. WHAT.

:)