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Coffee Date // December 2019 (Work/Business, Family, Games & Travel)

December 20, 2019December 20, 2019 Crystal // Dreams, etc. Post a comment
Coffee Date // December 2019 (Work/Business, Family, Games & Travel)

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If we were to have coffee, we would get to the coffee shop and I would check out the seasonal menu. I’m all about a seasonal coffee drink! Unless they had something really unique, I’d probably also choose my go-to Christmas coffee: an iced peppermint mocha. Yes, iced. Even though it’s winter. And I live in Minnesota. Where it’s cold. And we’ve already had some incredibly cold (and snowy!) days. When we had our drinks I would sit down and tell you…

>> That I know I don’t need to catch up after an absence on the blog, but all month I’ve felt like I need to. Until recently the only real post went up back in July. It’s a long time to be away so maybe it’s that I feel like I should have updates, but I don’t. It’s not like a lot happened while I was gone… work happened.

>> It started with a rebranding process in which I had a month to update everything for work, and at that same time I needed to transfer a client’s website from one platform to another. Once the rebranding process was finished I needed to rest, but I also needed to do some things for clients that I didn’t get done during the month of craziness.

>> I guess during this time I also had a lot of planning and internal processing to do, as well. I’ve spent a lot of time taking a look at my goals: for my fiction, my business, and Dreams, etc. I’ve done a looooot of thinking and planning and talking things through with people who I bounce ideas off of.

>> And speaking of things for Dreams, etc., one of the things I’ve been wanting to start is a newsletter, so that will definitely be coming your way in 2020. Keep an eye out for signups for the newsletter soon!

>> A new school year started a few months ago and my niece and nephew are being homeschooled again. And this year I’m one of my nephew’s teachers! It’s been to fun to see what comes more naturally to him and how to help him work through what doesn’t. So far we’ve read The Hobbit and now we’re reading Robinson Crusoe. I think we both enjoyed The Hobbit more.

>> And my niece and I had a routine of going on a field trip each week, although we fell out of it within the last month or so. (My nephew would totally be welcome to come with us, but most of the time when we have gone he’s had field trips with his co-op.) After our field trip, we go out for lunch. (We’ve kept that up!) It’s been nice to have that time together.

>> I fell in love with Five Crowns. The best game ever. My niece is disappointed that the person in the family who doesn’t play card games (moi – I hate them!) has 100% fallen in love with Five Crowns, but that’s what happened. (She also hoped her Grandma B would never discover the game, but I introduced her to it and now she loves it, too!) We also recently played Horrified, which is like a mix of Pandemic (except you actually have a chance at winning) and Zombified and we really enjoyed it. She was hoping it would replace by Five Crowns, but now we just get to play both!

>> I’ve gone on a few trips! The last post that went up before my little break (other than a book review post) went up while I was in New York. My uncle celebrated his 80th birthday so my mom and I went for the party. We spent a week there so we could do some sightseeing, as well. It was a memorable trip and we had a blast! More details on that (actually… lots of travel posts!) will be coming soon, if not during the remaining weeks of 2019, for sure in 2020. I’m so excited to get caught up and share some fun photos and places with you!

>> I also went to Seattle with some friends to celebrate my best friend’s upcoming wedding. I spent a little bit of time there by myself before and after they came so that I could fit in as much sightseeing as possible. My friends and I basically ate our way through Seattle (really good food, but so. much. food.) so I did my sightseeing on my own. While I was there I also found out that my friend Catalina recently moved to Seattle, so we met up for coffee right before I left for the airport. We met at a mermaid convention seven or eight years ago and have kept in touch so it was fun to see her again! (And if you DIDN’T raise your eyebrow at “mermaid convention” you’re probably the first person I ever said those words to who didn’t. I’ve been to two. The first was much better than the second. And a lasting friendship was built, so take that all those who act like it’s the weirdest thing I could have done. 😂🧜🏼‍♀️) It was such a great trip and so much fun to visit a city that has been on my to-travel list for such a long time.

>> And speaking of books (I think I mentioned book reviews 😂) I’ve been reading A LOT. In some ways, I feel like I should use that time more productively, but it’s also been such a long time since I’ve been able to sit down and just read. Reading relaxes me, it feeds me. It’s one of those self-care things that I need to do, but for a while now it’s been a struggle. By a while, I mean years. I stopped reading as much when I was in my last work position, which is the place that has had the most negative impact on me… ever. When I left I remember thinking I’d be able to just pick back up and start reading like I used to again… and I still couldn’t. I can’t even tell you how good it feels to be able to read again!

>> I recently took the Enneagram and I promise I won’t become one of those who talks about it incessantly, but just know there’s a reason people talk about it so much. I’m a 4w5 and I was literally in tears as I read about 4’s. (Ha! Imagine that… a 4 in tears.) To take a popular phrase: I felt seen. And I don’t think I’ve felt that seen… ever.

>> I’ve also started vlogging! Last week’s video will go up a little late because I’ve been having trouble with iMovie this week, so I’m using Adobe Premiere Pro. It’s been a while since I’ve been in that program so I need to figure it out again. 😂 So at this moment in our coffee date, I’d like to take a quick video of our hands and our half-empty coffee cups.

And now I think I should take a breath and stop talking so that I can hear what’s happening in your life.

About Crystal

About Crystal

Hi! I'm Crystal, a millennial learning how to live slowly and sustainably, while still seeking adventure and following my dreams, etc.

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hi!

I'm Crystal, the storyteller behind Dreams, etc. I'm all about learning how to live slowly & sustainably, while also seeking adventure as we follow our dreams, etc.

If only we always remembered to be in touch with o If only we always remembered to be in touch with our loved ones regularly; to tell them that we love them.

This thought has been on my mind the last few weeks as I’ve been in touch with one of my best friends almost daily. They’ve been navigating a scary situation.

But that’s what everyone says, isn’t it? Reach out to those you love. Tell them you love them. Don’t let a lot of time pass.

We all know that. We think about it sometimes. We hear about it when others are in crisis. We’re thankful that we aren’t the ones in crisis and we can remember this lesson through someone else.

But eventually we get caught up in life. Our daily “I love you’s” are reserved for those we live with and sometimes we forget to text someone back… or it takes a few days to do so.

This week as I wondered why we don’t remember this more often I realized it’s probably a good thing. It’s a good thing that we can live life without worrying that tragedy is right around the corner. That would be an exhausting way to live.

It’s also good that we can get little reminders, sometimes not from our own life. So from someone who spent one week numb, another week weepy, and this week sad, remember to send your friends a text. Tell them you love them.
I took these in early January when the snow still I took these in early January when the snow still felt a bit magical, but right now I’m just ready to walk barefoot in grass.

When I was younger I used to imagine what it would be like if we got so much snow that it would be piled high above our doors. I wondered if we’d be able to create tunnels in the snow to move around in.

And this year might just be the year we find out. I’m kidding, of course, but at this point I feel like we’ve been buried in snow. We’re even on track to beat some snow records I think (the amount of snow and the number of consecutive days with snow on the ground.

So. What’s the weather like where you are?
February was here and gone in the blink of an eye February was here and gone in the blink of an eye but contained moments I’ll carry with me forever.
When it’s almost halfway through February and yo When it’s almost halfway through February and you still haven’t posted January’s recap. January was filled with lots of family time. 💙
Hello, friends! 👋🏼 Swipe through for a few g Hello, friends! 👋🏼 Swipe through for a few glimpses from January. As 2022 came to an end I had this feeling that I was preparing to hibernate and I guess, in a way, I have. I’ve been slowly easing into the new year, focused on getting back into a few routines after Iceland and the holidays. And it’s been a great month. I can’t believe it’s almost over. What have your favorite moments of January been?
2022. Looking back on this year it was the year of 2022. Looking back on this year it was the year of so many dreams experiences. Whales. Cape Cod/Nantucket. Iceland. I saw musicals that have I’ve been dreaming of with Moulin Rouge, Wicked, and Six. 

It wasn’t without its stresses and rough moments but I’m grateful for the good that can be found, even when it’s hard.
Let’s journey back to November for the second we Let’s journey back to November for the second weekly dam walk of the month. My dad joined me for this one and we made it somewhat fast because it was a chilly day. “The water looks cold,” I said when we back to the car.

Between Iceland and the below zero, windy, and snowy weather we had last week (which came with requests from my parents not to go) it’s been a few weeks since I’ve been to the dam and I miss it!
Years ago I celebrated Christmas and New Years in Years ago I celebrated Christmas and New Years in Vienna and it still lives in my memory today as such a special time. I know December in Reykjavik will be the same—and not just because I came home with a little over $100 worth of ornaments of all 13 Yule Lads AND their mom AND the Christmas cat. (There was a little bit of miscommunication between my mom and me on that shopping trip. 😂)

It might have been cold (and when that wind hits you don’t want to be outside or by the harbour…I speak from windswept, breath-stolen experience and will forever be grateful for the library we eventually found respite in) and we only saw the sun a few hours each day, but seeing this already charming city decked out in Christmas lights with a skating rink and the prettiest tree secured it’s place in my heart.

Reykjavik, I hope to see you again one day. Soon. Probably not in December, but I’m glad I got to see you in December once.
Last year my niece and I visited New York at Chris Last year my niece and I visited New York at Christmastime and it was fun to see the city decked out in lights. I can also now say that I’ve seen the Rockefeller Christmas Tree and skating rink and the Saks Christmas lights, but I’ve also seen the crowds they draw.

It was completely different in Reykjavik this year. You actually had a chance to skate on the ice rink if you wanted (and I never did the conversation, but I think it’s cheaper) and you could actually walk up to the Christmas tree. Two very different Christmas in the city experiences.
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