photo credit: @gaellemarcel via Unsplash
Hi friends, let’s have a little coffee date today! I wish we could do this in person, but since we cannot, I’ll just pretend we’re out at a nice coffee shop. Maybe we’d even pick up a coffee-to-go and take a walk because it’s sunny and warm out today here in California.
If we had a coffee chat today… I’d tell you that my niece was released from the hospital. I am so relieved! They ran a bunch of tests and nothing alarming came back (which is good), but they also didn’t figure out the source of her symptoms (frustrating). Either way, the symptoms have ceased in the meantime and as we know, sometimes our bodies are medical mysteries, so I hope everything is ok now.
If we had a coffee chat today… I’d share that our official NaBloPoMo list is up to 38 participants and I am blown away. We even surpassed last year’s sign-up number (there were 32 participants in 2024!). I am so thrilled that so many people found this community and decided to participate. As Julie so eloquently said in the comment section of one of my earlier posts, “I will confess that I was kind of happy that the number of participants was smaller this year, because it’s hard to visit everyone! BUT I have changed my bad attitude and am looking forward to meeting new folks” and I feel the exact same way! Always happy to see old and new faces every year, and I am trying hard to make the rounds and visit everybody!
If we had a coffee chat today… I’d tell you that yesterday was day 36 of the Government Shutdown, and it’s now officially the longest in U.S. history. The previously longest shutdown, lasting 35 days, was – surprise, surprise – also during a time when Tr*mp was president, and yes, I lived through that one as well. I am kind of getting tired of being a pawn in these political games, to be honest. If I did a fraction of what these people in power have done over the last few months, I’d have been fired on the spot. But I digress. I wanted to talk about Tuesday night’s election results really quick. Beause across the country, the people have spoken, some called it the “big, beautiful blue wave”. And for the first time in a while, I feel a little hopeful. Things seem to be shifting. I know there is a lot of work today and the Republicans are seething right now. It’s probably going to still get a little bit worse before it gets better, and the midterms are a long year away, but I have a little hope again for this country.
If we had a coffee chat today… I’d confess that I cannot tell you what I’ve done with my “free” time in the last 5 weeks. I am purposefully putting “free” in quotation marks lest some of you think it’s been a blessful 5-week vacation for us government employees. Well, I guess the first two weeks were sort of a vacation for me when my parents were here, but the last three weeks are a blur. It’s not that I haven’t kept myself busy but I wonder if I could have used my time in more productive ways. Then again, being furloughed is – believe it or not – extremely stressful and I don’t really know what to do with myself (and this coming from me is practically unheard of, because the word ‘boredom’ is foreign to me). It’s not like I don’t have things to do, I can easily keep myself busy, but nothing ‘feels right’ and I haven’t had the brain capacity for anything really productive. Well, and you can’t exactly take up expensive hobbies or travel when no paychecks are coming in. Does that make sense? NaBloPoMo might have come at a good time.
If we had a coffee chat today… I’d like to give you a heads up that I am thinking of hosting my Secret SANta Swap again this year, if people are interested. It would be my 10th year (woo!) of hosting. I realized – with horror – that I miserably failed to post last year’s reveal post, where I share all the goodies that were swapped, but I hope you can forgive me with all the craziness that has been 2025.
I am doing NaBloPoMo this month. 30 blog posts in 30 days. Come join me. #nablopomo2025
Links to the Participants List. Happy Writing!
Melissa
November 6, 2025 at 2:55 pmI can totally understand how the stress of being furloughed would interfere with productivity. It must be hard to settle into something when everything is so uncertain. I really hope there is a resolution soon. That is great news about your neice—fingers crossed she stays well.
San
November 7, 2025 at 10:45 pmThank you, Melissa.
Ernie
November 6, 2025 at 3:34 pmI’m so sorry about this work situation and the government’s nonsense. It’s awful. Of course, now that you mention it, you can’t exactly hop on a plane and travel, because you’re unsure when you’ll have a pay check again. Not like I thought you’d be excited to have an unpaid break, but the lack of funds to travel part hadn’t occurred to me. That’s wild that the list has grown so much for NaBloPoMo. It’s fun to visit other blogs and I agree with Julie, at first I thought a small group is great – easier to visit, but now I’m thrilled that extra blogs are showing up. It never occurred to me that there wasn’t a follow up on the SANta swap, so I say don’t sweat it. Yes, 2025 has really been challenging for you. Thinking of you.
San
November 7, 2025 at 10:46 pmThank you, Ernie. I appreciate it. And I am so thrilled about NaBloPoMo and all the new faces :)
Jenny
November 6, 2025 at 3:57 pmWow, that is a LOT of NaBloPoMo participants!!! We’ll meet lots of new friends : )
On a less cheery note, I can see how being furloughed would suck. It’s not like it’s a paid vacation! Well- great time to throw yourself into NaBloPoMo. You’ll need a lot of time to read 38 blog posts a day!
Hope your niece is okay. And… I’d love to think that Trump is seething right now, but he’s probably insisting that the elections were rigged. He’s just a big baby.
San
November 7, 2025 at 10:47 pmI can’t believe there are always some new people every year…. but it keeps me busy and distracted for sure (which is a good thing right now). :)
J
November 6, 2025 at 4:33 pmI’ve been stressed out every time I’m out of work, and the not knowing really puts a damper on it, right? If you KNEW it would be 3 more weeks, you could get your brain around it. Or if you KNEW you had to go back to work on Monday, you could get your brain around that too. But GAH, not knowing, not getting paid. IT SUCKS, and I’m sorry.
I’m glad my comment wasn’t taken in a bad way, I kind of worried after I posted it. I’m enjoying meeting new people, but there’s no way I’m able to get to everyone every day, unfortunately.
San
November 7, 2025 at 10:48 pmYou nailed it! The “not knowing” part is the hardest. I’d blissfully enjoy another week off if I knew what was going to happen.
Your comment wasn’t taken in a bad way at all – I think we all kind of had that thought that a “manageable” list of participants would be good LOL
Birchie
November 6, 2025 at 4:40 pmI saw that the poll is 100% in favor of SecretSANta! No surprise there because it was so much fun.
I’m so glad that your niece is out of the hospital even if there are no answers right now.
San
November 7, 2025 at 10:49 pmThanks Birchie – the Secret SANta Swap is a lot of fun and I am glad people are interested in participating again.
And thank you for your kind words about my niece.
Stephany
November 6, 2025 at 6:24 pmI’m glad to hear your niece is out of the hospital, but gah, so frustrating to not have any answers!
38 participants! That’s insane. I love how NaBloPoMo keeps growing and growing – all thanks to you! I need to take a look at the other participants. I’m so bad about doing that.
I hope this government shutdown ends soon – it’s wild that it’s been going on for so long with no end in sight. :(
San
November 7, 2025 at 10:51 pmI know you can probably relate to the frustrations of “medical mysteries”. I haven’t heard anything more but my niece is definitely doing better.
NaBloPoMo is so fun… I know people always worry about being bad about reading everyone’s posts, but I don’t think anyone expects that and it’s just nice to pop in here and there and connect with new people :)
Thank you for your kind words re: the shutdown – I appreciate it. I guess I want people to know that everyone knows someone who is more or less affected.
Michelle G.
November 6, 2025 at 6:50 pmYay for 38 NaBloPoMo bloggers! Yay for secret SANta! I can imagine that being furloughed is extremely stressful. No paycheck coming in, thinking of all the work going undone, thinking of catching up when you go back. I think many people are sick of being pawns in the political game.
San
November 7, 2025 at 10:52 pmUgh, Michelle, I haven’t even thought of all the work that is going undone and is piling up – it’ll be a nightmare to get everything up and running again. I guess that’s the whole point?
Anthea
November 6, 2025 at 10:07 pmI’m sorry you are still being furloughed and understand how that can impact productivity.
Glad to hear your niece is out of hospital, hopefully Drs can give her answers but in the meantime I hope she is getting better.
San
November 7, 2025 at 10:52 pmThank you, Anthea. I do hope we get some more answers for my niece’s symptoms. It’s hard to be sent home with no diagnosis.
Barb Rogers
November 7, 2025 at 3:32 amEnjoyed our coffee chat today…one of my favorite social activities, next to reading and commenting on blogs. I agree with all you’ve shared, as well as other commenters.
San
November 7, 2025 at 10:53 pmYes! I love coffee chats – in person and online :)
Lisa's Yarns
November 7, 2025 at 3:50 amBeing furloughed would be awful. You never know when it will end and when you will report back for duty. And that is an awful feeling. You can’t enjoy this time when you are not being paid! I feel so terribly for government employees and don’t know when this will potentially end! There will be so much pain and suffering as a result as such a high percentage of our population lives paycheck to paycheck. :(
If we had coffee today I’d probably talk about how much I’m loving the OTF classes I’ve been doing. I’ve decided to get a 2 class/week membership when my class pack runs out. I think I am also done with long distance running. I just don’t love it like i used to and I don’t think it’s helping with body composition changes… So 10k will be my max distance which is still about an hour of running for someone who is now slow like I am.
San
November 7, 2025 at 10:55 pmThank you Lisa. That means a lot. I guess I just want people to know that everyone knows someone who is affected by this shutdown and our political leaders really have to get it together.
That is so exciting that you’re doing OTF classes again. I have a friend who used to go and was raving about them. I am so happy you found something that you enjoy so much! Who says you have to run long distance ;)
Nicole MacPherson
November 7, 2025 at 5:05 amI’m in “not sure yet” camp – I think I would like to, but we’ll see if any other Canadians sign up!
San
November 7, 2025 at 10:55 pmI wish international shipping wouldn’t be such a headache – I’d love to open up the whole thing to everyone who wants to participate.
NGS
November 7, 2025 at 6:48 amNaBloPoMo is going strong! I love seeing all the new faces.
San
November 7, 2025 at 10:55 pmYay! It’s so fun.
Tierney
November 7, 2025 at 7:21 amI love this idea of a coffee chat- and the conversation is very substantive! Furloughs completely suck. Previously, I had a job that was impacted and it’s very stressful. Beyond the logistics of having a paycheck capriciously taken away, it also hurts my feelings to be subject to an essential/non-essential divide.
San
November 7, 2025 at 10:56 pmTierney, you’re so right – it feels so wrong to be divided into essential/non-essential employees. It makes it sound like my job is not important and that sucks :(
Elisabeth
November 7, 2025 at 10:48 amI am blown away by the response to NaBloPoMo this year. I am going to fail big time at commenting on all the posts, but what a wonderful way to meet new people! This is such a great way to connect more bloggers and huge kudos to you for organizing it each year!
The furloughing thing sounds absolute AWFUL. In every way. Ugh, ugh, ugh. I am so sorry, friend.
San
November 7, 2025 at 10:57 pmI am blown away too. NaBloPoMo had such a slow start and then BOOM, the list kept getting longer and longer :) It’s always fun to see how many old school bloggers are out there!
And thank you, I truly appreciate your support.
Martha
November 7, 2025 at 11:30 amI love the coffee chat idea and I’m so glad to hear your niece is ok. I say the more the merrier for Nablopomo even with some of the navigation and commenting issues, and of course not everyone will become good friends, but if we walk away with one or two, it’s a win. Even those we don’t continue to follow are fun to reconnect with during Nablopomo the next year. It’s always great to see familiar faces. I’m so sorry about your current situation, it has to be very difficult. The situation with our country is terrifying, but yes, there is hope.
San
November 7, 2025 at 10:58 pmYou’re so right – it’s impossible to keep up with everybody during NaBloPoMo but it’s nice to make a few new connections. That’s the whole point! So happy you’re here.
Tobia | craftaliciousme
November 8, 2025 at 2:58 amGlad to hear your niece is out of the hospital but I get the feeling of still not really knowing what happened. Fingers crossed all is good now.
I am sorry for your work situation. Even if it seem like time off it is not because it is not self chosen. You are forced into a situation you have no control over. Very stressful.
My mug from last years Secret Santa Mug Swap is the one I am sipping out when being in the sauna this weekend. It has the perfect size for a big tea.
Suzanne
November 9, 2025 at 4:51 amSan, I feel like being furloughed would be extremely stressful, and I hope you are able to be kind to yourself and not expect that this is “free” time, because it isn’t. A vacation is something you CHOOSE, and a furlough is something done TO you. With all the uncertainty surrounding it, I am sure it is rough. I love reading about the ways you are being kind to yourself, with meditation and exercise and naps and dinners with Jon. Those are important things.
Thank goodness your niece is out of the hospital. I hope she recovers fully and can put this behind her.
Anne
November 23, 2025 at 3:02 pmI’m so glad we ‘had coffee’ and got to catch up. I’m also glad you’re on the other side of the shutdown, and that the election results turned out the way they did. I’m feeling a tiny twinge of maybe-hopefully something faintly resembling hope. Not full on, mind you, but a twinge.
I’m sorry I missed the sign up for the Secret SANta Swap. Can’t wait to see everyone’s gifts. You are, as always, amazing for bringing everyone together the way you do. <3