Welcome to the very last Ultimate Coffee Date of the year…I can’t believe we’re already near the end of 2024!
Ultimate Coffee Date: December 2024
Our Thanksgiving dinner this year—we hosted my parents and my brother’s girlfriend! (My brother is off in Taiwan doing an intensive Mandarin course while continuing to remote-work.)
If we were having coffee/tea today, I’d tell you that…I’ve been “promoted” at work. (I put this in quotations because it’s way more responsibilities with possibly no increase in my actual salary(? remains to be seen).) It has led to a little workplace drama (involving one person only; sigh), but I’m hoping that somewhere in the next couple months/years, that will blow over. 😵💫
Here’s some tasty food to clear the air…
If we were having coffee/tea today, I’d tell you that…one of my childhood dreams has been to learn horseback riding. It is probably the bougiest hobby/interest I’ve ever had, and was very much not a possibility when I was growing up, but I did manage to finagle free lessons for a summer once upon a time in college by volunteering several hours a week for my school’s equestrian center!
One of my favorite horses that I used to ride (his name is Sea Bass, short for Sebastian!) 
My other favorite horse from way back when—she was a speed demon, so I got to unintentionally learn to trot/canter before I technically was supposed to… 😅)
That was one of the best summers of my life, and I was so, so close to learning to jump! But then the school year started again and I once again got way too busy.
In any case, since I actually have a job now + as a treat to myself, I’m looking into finally taking lessons again + I’m super excited!! 😊
If we were having coffee/tea today, I’d tell you that…it was Tofu’s Gotcha Day (which were also arbitrarily calling his kindasorta birthday) earlier this week!
We’ve officially had him for a little over 2 years now and he’s come such a long way! 🥹
If we were having coffee/tea today, I’d tell you that…I’ve also been getting back into a bunch of other stuff I used to do (and trying to do so with more regularity), namely, climbing, pole, and jiu-jitsu. Hoping to be able to keep this all up in the new year as well!
I even managed to climb my very first 5.11a last month! 🤩
See past ultimate coffee dates here!
(Link-up with Coco @ Running with Perseverance & Deborah @ Confessions of a Mother Runner! Also linking up with Darlene, Michelle, Renee, Jenn and Zenaida, for Fit Five Friday.)
End-of-Month Recap
- Come link up with me for the last My Month Is Booked of the year!
- Any plans/goals for 2025?
- What’s something you’ve always wanted to do from childhood?
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Yes, you have a job now and can take horseback riding lessons if you want! That’s exciting. And, congrats on the promotion- tell them you need s salary increase to pay for the horseback riding lessons : )
hahaha, right!? I really should’ve asked about it more clearly before…
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: December 2024
Getting promoted without a salary increase sounds like it is more common now-similar thing happened w my daughter. Yeah, thanks but no thanks. Glad to see you are finding time to do the activities you love again. That’s really important!
Seriously, what was I thinking!? :'( (Hopefully it’ll be okay again/back to normal in a couple years though, haha.) I’m so excited about horseback riding though!! <3
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: December 2024
It’s nice to have the means to do all (or most, LOL) of the things we want to do. The trick is finding the available time. That’s an impressive climbing wall!
haha, time is definitely the hugest issue now, but at least it makes me appreciate the time that I do get to spend on fun things even more!
A few years is a long time to deal with work drama — I hope it fades quickly!
I was a pretty spoiled kid and got to do a lot of fun things at summer camp — horseback riding and water skiing were my favorites!
Sadly it is all based on how long a person can hold a grudge, so it’s entirely variable, haha. I’m hoping sooner rather than later though.
That’s so awesome! I’ve never tried water-skiing but did try wakeboarding once (have never swallowed so much lake water in my life, lol) — it was nice getting to try though, hehe.
Congrats on your promotion. And good luck with pursuing your dream of horseback riding.
I’d love to travel. African safari or Alaskan cruise.
Thank you! I’m so excited!! :]
My condolences on your promotion… lol
Lollll, thank you. Fingers crossed that the drama dies down soon..
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: December 2024
Congrats on the promotion, but sorry about the work drama!
How exciting to start horseback riding again. It’s important to make time for the things you love!
Debbie recently posted…Catching Up Over Coffee: Wind, Hot Chocolate, and a High Speed Chase
Thank you! Hopefully it’ll die down soon..
Very much agreed! I’m trying to make a more conscious effort to pursue those things now + in the upcoming years!
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: December 2024
I would dive right into that Thanksgiving dinner. It looked so good.
Congratulations on your “promotion”… I hope! Hopefully everything works out and the drama dissipates quickly.
I love riding. I did hunter jumper competitions when I was younger, and it was my favorite. I actually love everything about horses, including mucking the stalls and grooming. It’s so therapeutic for me. I can’t wait to see more about your equestrian journey.
When I was younger, I was pretty reserved. I don’t think I really dreamed of too many wild things… that came later, and I’m still trying to catch up on all the things i want to do.
It was super tasty + I love that we ended up having leftovers for a couple days, hehe. Made all the cooking time worth it!
Thank you! I hope it does too.
That’s awesome! I love everything about them too. I used to clean water troughs at the stables + walk the horses that needed rehabilitation and it was always such a joy to just get to spend time with the horses there. I’m so excited!! <3
That's how I was too — definitely making up for that now with too many things I want to do! :P
Farrah recently posted…Ultimate Coffee Date: December 2024
So great that you’re finding time to get back to some of the things you like to do! And, how fun to add horseback riding into the mix.
I hope that you get compensated appropriately for your promotion and increase in responsibilities!
Happy gotcha day to Tofu! How fun to get back into horseback riding! When we moved to England many years ago I took up English riding and then dressage. My nickname was “American Girl” Hahaha! It was SO much fun to learn the many personalities of all the horses in the stable. Your Thanksgiving dinner looks amazing!