Coffee Date | Fall 2022
If you and I had coffee…
We’d meet up in the parking lot of a new little coffee truck in town. It’s one that sets out adorable cafe tables and chairs to congregate around beverages, and since the temperature is getting crisp, I’d order a hot tea, maybe with a little drizzle of honey, and we’d sit down to enjoy the beautiful autumn day.
If you and I had coffee…
I’d ask how your year has been and what you’re doing to wind down and prepare for 2023. I’d tell you that I recently bought a new planner (because we both know I’m a sucker for those) and have been thrilled with the design and flexibility in it. It’s the Commit 30 planner that comes in beautiful colors with suede-like vegan covers and the layout is clean, simple, and easy to format to fit your needs. I used to buy the Erin Condren life planners and loved the layouts but they were so bulky and sometimes difficult for a lefty like me to write in. This model has all the things I loved about the EC books without the thickness. I originally purchased a 2023 planner, but Commit also sent me a free 2022 planner so I could try it out and get used to it for the last few months of this year, and it’s been so much fun organizing my life and figuring out how I want to use it.
These final weeks of 2022 are shaping up to be very busy, and I’m a little anxious about them, but I also have a lot of fun things planned, so that is helping to keep my anxiety lowered. Something that always comes up around the holiday season is grief. I think it’s natural to miss a loved one even more during the holidays, as there are often special memories with those people. That is certainly the case with my brother, Timmy. That grief, paired with the stress of a busy season usually tosses me into a whirlwind of chaos and overwhelm, but I’m making a point to slow down and be more intentional in how I spend my time this year.
If you and I had coffee…
I’d share that Frank and I are into making some new holiday traditions for ourselves. Growing up in a big family, I’ve usually always done what my family was doing for the holidays. He doesn’t have a large family and has done his own thing, so we are looking for activities we can do together that will make it a special time for us without needing the pressure to follow someone else’s agenda. One thing we’re doing is hitting up a movie theater on Thanksgiving night, while the rest of the country is out early Black Friday shopping. This year, Wakanda Forever is on our watch list, and we’re both eagerly awaiting that date.
If you and I had coffee…
I’d confide that my family got the news that my father’s cancer has metastasized. This wasn’t completely unexpected, given the initial impressions the surgeon had when removing his tumor. It’s also exactly what happened to my grandfather and uncle, both of whom had the same type of cancer and the same metastases. My dad is scheduled to start an intense course of radiation soon and we’ll see where that takes us. For now, it’s day by day.
If you and I had coffee…
I’d confess that I’m feeling my annual desire to shed the excess. When you have a loved one who is sick, you really think about what is important in life. That’s something I’ve always pondered since I have had to deal with my own mortality for years, but this season seems to weigh extra heavy on me. To help combat the heaviness, I’m cutting out anything that is a waste of time to me in this moment. Any project that isn’t important, any task that is pointless, spending time with people who don’t hold me in the same regard as I, them. It’s all going. I’m cutting down to the bare bones and focusing on what is meaningful and needed and what will bring me some joy in the coming months.
If you and I had coffee…
I’d tell you that Frank and I just returned from an extended weekend at the beach. I love going to the beach in October because it’s usually quiet and peaceful. I’m not someone who enjoys getting IN the ocean, so the cooler weather isn’t a deterrent to my sitting on the beach and watching the waves crash against the shore. We spent the mornings walking the waterline, with warm beverages in hand, and then did some exploring during the day. We traveled up the coast a bit to see three different lighthouses, enjoyed some amazing food, visited a few indie bookshops, and had an epic skee-ball battle at an arcade on the boardwalk. It might also become a new yearly tradition for us.
If you and I had coffee…
I’d share that I’m working behind the scenes on a big project that I’m so excited about. Last year, I attended a mental health conference that was educational and geared toward women. This year, I signed up to be on the planning committee, and with a handful of others, we are building up for the 2023 conference. I don’t have many details to tell you yet, but we are currently picking our keynote speaker (last year, Roxane Gay was selected) and choosing panel topics. I’ll definitely clue you in as the date gets closer because this is something you won’t want to miss.
If you and I had coffee…
With reluctance, we’d finish our drinks and toss our paper cups in the recycling bin beside the truck. I’d give you a hug and promise to meet up again in the new year. I can’t wait to hear how the holidays are for you and what is new in 2023!
