If We Were Having Coffee: End of 2019 Edition

“I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.” ~ T. S. Eliot

Hello, Old Friends

It has been a hot second since I have done one of these, and while we are steadfastly in the middle of January (um, how?!?!) I still wanted to do an end of 2019, Hello 2020 If We Were Having Coffee Post. Ironically I am having a much needed coffee catch-up with a great friend this AM. Sometimes the blogging gods foreshadow your schedule before YOU even know and posts do imitate life.

Now for what am I drinking? The weather has been so insane here, warm, snowy, warm again, that I have had my summer drink a couple times. Honestly I was craving it something fierce, it doesn’t help I have been under the weather and want iced drinks. But I digress, since we are meeting at Starbucks, I think I will be drinking their new almond milk honey latte. Starbucks JUST put it on their menu and I am ecstatic about it, because I LOVE honey lattes. My absolute favorite I have ever had was at a now defunct coffee shop on Mount Desert Island. It was so yummy. I also love that Starbucks is offering more dairy free milk options.

If We Were Having Coffee: Gonna start with the basics. HOW the heck are we in 2020? WHERE the heck did 2019 go? Legit how did we get here guys? I know I am being dramatic but it is crazy how time flies, and to be even more dramatic we are already halfway through January! Mind blown! Did the year fly by for you? How were the holidays for you? So many questions, SO little time, we need ALL the coffee! Seriously I feel like I wasn’t;t able to catch up with friends, so now I need to make up for lost time!

If We Were Having Coffee: We would catch up on how the holidays went. They flew by, but were ultimately amazing. The kiddos had an awesome Christmas which is all I wanted for them. It was so fun to see them get so excited. The only down side is, Santa did bring me a stomach bug, and I have been sick ever since. Legit, last week was rough, I ended up with cortisone injections and steroids, and now have a moon face. Oy-vey. You win some, you lose some.

If We Were Having Coffee: I’d tell you how I started painting which is something I have never done before and never thought I could do. I swear my friends created a monster, when they wanted us to make homemade presents for their yankee swap. I just went on a huge shopping spree at Michaels and now have quite the assortment of paint and canvases. Guys just call me the next Michael-Kate, because the scribbles are about to happen. 

If We Were Having Coffee: Now that the holidays are over, I am so ready for summer. Plus Mother Nature has been teasing us something fierce! One day it has been sixty degrees, and the next we are getting snow. Definitely over it. Though it has been fun playing in the snow with the kiddos, I am not liking the resurgence of bugs yet.

If We Were Having Coffee: I would ask if you made any resolutions or goals. I am not a New Years Resolution maker, but I do have personal goals, that I put on the back burner because of the holidays that I am now working hard at. I am taking a couple classes online, that will hopefully help with the job hunt as well as blogging. Slow and steady wins the race, and I am working to build my brand and expand with the companies I work with. It is a process, but one I am excited about.

If We Were Having Coffee: I have also been apartment hunting. March seems to be the magical month for major life decisions, and that seems like when I will be moving again which is both exciting and scary. Not going to lie, I am freaking out. I know there will be a certain amount of sinking. It is inevitable, but I am trying to cushion myself as much as I can. I am eternally grateful to my sister and friends who have been there troubleshooting with me and just been an amazing support system. Moving is stressful y’all! Though I have to say all the apartment and roommate ads (thank you Facebook) have been giving me major comical relief. While I wouldn’t mind a roommate who has a dog, it is a very hard no to live with someone who has multiple pet rats. Thank you, next!

If We Were having Coffee: As I said, I don’t do resolutions, but I am working to cultivate a more positive environment and to cull the negativity. The last two years were filled with such toxicity that I am saying no more. If it means I don’t have the most facebook or instagram friends so be it. Boundaries are so incredibly important and very much necessary for mental health and well being. I want to surround myself with people who not only respect me, but also value me as a human. It is so important, and I am truly grateful to have some of the best friends especially in the blogging community, who see me and respect me for me.

If We Were Having Coffee: I would talk about how 2020 is the year I am publishing a book. Yup I said it! Eeeeekkk! I am so excited. Nervous. And excited. And nervous! It has been a labor of love, but I am excited to FINALLY share it with y’all. If you like romance, grab that coffee and enjoy!

If We Were Having Coffee: Lastly, while I wouldn’t want to end coffee on a depressing note, it is important to talk about the absolutely DEVASTATING bushfires in Australia. I have friends who have been affected and my heart breaks for them. It breaks for all the animals that have been killed as well as the ones whose habitats are destroyed. This has changed Australia’s coast forever and they need our help. I am so proud of my friends who are doing what they can, including the cast of Moulin Rouge who are hosting a “Make it rain” rally on January 26. All proceeds will be donated to Australia. If you can make it PLEASE go, or just click the link and donate that way as well. You can also donate to the Australian Red Cross or the NSW Rural Fire Service. Comedian Celeste Barber also created a Facebook fundraiser you can also donate too. PLEASE help.

Added: I had already written this post, but I just wanted to ask for all your prayers, healing vibes, good juju, etc please. My grandmother was admitted to the ICU this morning and could really use all the positivity out there. She is our matriarch and such a kick ass woman. She is tiny, but oh so very mighty. Just please keep her and the rest of my family in your thoughts and prayers. While we as a family are no stranger to illness and death, it is still so incredibly difficult. And please give your loved ones a hug. Family is everything. <3

If We Were Having Coffee what would you be drinking? What would you catch up on? How was 2019 for you?