If We Were Having Coffee...

If we were having coffee, I'd be drinking an iced coffee, lightly sweetened, with a little but of soy milk. The largest size available, & I might even pay for my refill in advance.

If we were having coffee, I'd tell you that it's been a great summer so far. We've done a bit of traveling (to Costa Rica in May, to the woods of Pennsylvania in June, & to upstate New York earlier this month), but overall, we've spent most of the summer at home, which is so nice. It's been incredibly busy, from Harness Cycle classes to blogger events to festivals & cultural activities, but I can't complain about a summer full of so much fun stuff. I'm looking forward to a quieter August, though!

If we were having coffee, I'd tell you that I'm still really loving Harness Cycle. I'd probably try not to gush about it & end up failing; I have, as my friend Brittany pointed out, officially joined the cult of indoor cycling. I've been taking two to three classes a week, & I'm still working my way through their #HarnesstheSummer challenge, with about 10 punches left to go. No inches or pounds lost (ugh, ugh, ugh), but I'm still feeling good.

If we were having coffee, I'd tell you that technology expenses foiled my travel plans. My iPhone 7S, which was only a year & a half old, went on the fritz last week. I couldn't make calls or take photos, & Siri's talk-to-text feature was really freaking me out with some robotic repetition. I had to spring for a new phone, which means I now can't afford to take a quick weekend trip to NYC later this summer for a reunion with some of my best friends. The phone is nice, but my friends would be better.

If we were having coffee, I'd tell you that last week was bananas. I've had a few really crazy-busy weeks this summer, which isn't exactly how you want to spend the most relaxing of the four seasons. To top it off, my sleep schedule was completely messed up, so I was way off my game. I took a really chill weekend & then, to start this week out on the right foot, I made lists upon lists to keep myself organized & moving forward. If work goes well, I think this week will be a lot better, so I'm begging the universe for a light load.

If we were having coffee, I'd tell you that I've had some health concerns lately. I've had a persistent cough on & off for awhile now, & I really need to see a pulmonologist, per my doctor's instructions... but I keep putting off making the appointment because I am genuinely afraid that they'll tell me I have lung cancer. But ignorance isn't bliss., especially when you're as anxiety-ridden as I am, so I need to suck it up & make that appointment ASAP.

If we were having coffee, I'd tell you that I've had some cool writing assignments. My mental health essay for Cleveland Magazine is coming out soooo soon (keep an eye out for the August issue!), & I can't wait to see how it turns out - especially because I got to do a really fun photoshoot with Cleveland photographer Angelo Merendino, who's super talented. I've also recently written pieces about bacon-wrapped dates, National Bratwurst Day, & Cleveland's best cream spots, to name a few.

If we were having coffee, what would you update me on?