It’s been so long!
Hey ya’ll, Ferg here.
Anyone else have trouble juggling hobbies and overall life stuff? ‘Cause clearly I do. So, I have some blog posts coming your way but in the meantime, let’s have a little catch up.
Where do we start?
2024
While it seems like i’ve been gone (because I have), I’ve still been working, just not always finishing what I was working on. So, since the last time we spoke was about my 2024 bucket list…here’s the [finally completed] post on just how that Summer ‘24 Bucket List went…
MY SWEET SUMMER IS GONE
& I’m back! With a summer closeout update. Yes, I realize it is November January April May June, March ‘26 [Yes, I realize that summer is literally back again…for the 2nd time]. We can’t all be perfect.
I was sitting here feeling like I didn’t get to do much this summer and sometimes you need a visual to see just how much you did. Did I get BINGO? No, but I still went through half of my summer bucket list so I’d say that’s a pretty productive summer. I could have gone to the beach more, done more relaxing, taken more trips, there’s always more I could have done but the bottom line is, I didn’t sit in the house and rot away, and that, I consider a win.
So, let’s get into the summer activities I did get to partake in. Starting with #1 Beach Bumming it at a New Beach. I’m known for sticking to something once I like it, beaches, foods, hoodies, desserts. If it ain’t broke why fix it? Sometimes it’s good to explore new things cause you never know, it might be better. I won’t mention my usual beach cause y’all ain’t finna roll up on me, but i’ll mention the new beach I tried out cause the likelihood of me going back…slim. Before I get into names and locations I wanna talk pros and cons.
Pros:
Ample Free Parking
Sand Space
Live Entertainment (Jk, the big ships rolling by was the only entertainment and I was actually very entertained)
Cons:
Lots of Seaweed
Strong Wind and Waves
I headed over to Fort Monroe in Hampton, VA. I was skeptical at first cause if you know me you know I hate going on military bases, it’s just unnecessary anxiety, count me out. Luckily, it was a retired military base? I believe that is the correct wording. Still very historical, places to walk around and learn some history before heading to the beach….very patriotic. But I mean, its a retired military base, what else is to be expected? Since I only went once I may go back again just to see if there is any difference from my first experience but it was nothing to wow about in my opinion, but I do like to stick to what I know, so maybe i’m a tad bit biased.
#2 Get a Tattoo
I love tattoos and my last tattoo was a graduation gift to myself in 2015. I’ll do the math for you, that’s 10 11 years ago! I’ve wanted tattoos since I just (usually) like to sit on the tattoo idea for a while to make sure I still like it. I have a list of tattoos I like, some i’ll get, some I won’t but this year I finally broke the tattoo drought. (is that the right phrase? Y’all know what i’m talking about.)
Now, had I written this on time I wouldn’t have been able to check this item off of the bucket list. I’m gonna cheat a little cause technically I got the tattoo in the fall. Shhhhh, I won’t say anything if you won’t! Me and my bookclub (@LRSSbookclub over on instagram) decided to roadtrip it on down to Columbia, SC for the Southern Hearts and Signed Kisses Book Festival. I had read author A.E. Valdez and as a bookclub we had read authors Natasha Bishop and J.L. Seegars and they were all going to be there. So, we booked an airbnb and hopped on the road. It was such a fun, relaxing trip. We met some new book besties, bought new books, was introduced to some new authors and really got a chance to step away and breathe for the weekend. On our way home from one of the book events we passed by a tattoo shop. We all immediately had the same thought. But only one of us said it out loud. Ebone said we should get tattoos and we immediately agreed. She whipped that car around so fast! We decided on matching book tattoos. Ebone and Brittany got the same exact tattoo and I got something very similar, just without the flowers.
Unfortunately, I don’t remember the name of the shop we went to but everyone was so nice. I posted a vlog on the entire weekend so be sure to go watch there here.
#3 Attend a Concert
Real Hot Girl Shit…Ah! July 2024 I made it to my first Megan Thee Stallion concert! It wasn’t originally in the plans until she added 2 more shows and one was in Charlotte. Tickets COPPED! Glorilla was her opener and they both did a phenomenal job. I realized I knew more of Meg’s lyrics than I thought I did, maybe it was just the atmosphere of the concert and the girls around me. I did decide to go solo making it my 2nd solo concert. I may have to start making this a thing. Now whenever she goes on tour again i’m SAT!
Now, I did attend another concert and it was unplanned. More about my trip to Detroit in another blog so stay tuned!
#6 Ice Cream Date
I love ice cream, so it’s not surprising that this one got crossed off the list. My mom and I went to a black owned ice cream shop in Chesterfield, VA called Bub’s and Gracie’s Ice Cream and Cookies. DELISH! I don’t remember what we got but I got it in a waffle cone and I can’t wait to make another trip this summer. Let me go ahead and get more steps in so I don’t have to feel guilty about the summertime sweet treats.
#9 Make a Flower Bouquet
As part of my birthday weekend I went to a book event. There was food, music, games, a book swap, it was so much fun! Also there, was a flower arrangement truck. There were parked with many different types of flowers for you to mix and match and make an arrangement with. How could I resist? I LOVE flowers, and it was all included in the ticket price so there was no way I was missing out in that. I made a cute little flower arrangement and solidified my new love for making flower arrangements. New hobby unlocked?
#13 Professional Sports Game
The only professional sports game i’ve managed to make it to was an NBA game. I saw the Hawks vs the Wizards in Atlanta back in maybe 2023? This year I finally made it to my fist MLB game! My friend Marissa and I set out for a day around DC starting with the Nationals (now I do not remember who they were playing, oops). I didn't get any peanuts and cracker jacks but I made sure to get a hotdog because what’s a baseball game without a hotdog? An ice cold beer sounded good in my head but I refrained because, well, I don’t like beer.
#14 Throw Sum on that GRILL
Me and danger don’t mix well, and that’s exactly what I think of grills…danger. It’s just something about all the fire that scares me. Also, because I don’t like cooking in general, grilling feels like the intermediate level and i’ve always liked to stay at beginner. That is until I made this list. I have a grill and I’m going to learn how to use it! Did I end up learning how to use it? No, Brittany’s husband took over (thank goodness) but I prepped the food and the grill and hosted the cookout, so this counts. Summer ‘26 will be the year I host more in the backyard which means, it’s time to fire up that grill again!
#15 Volunteer
I had been looking to get back into volunteering for a while and what better way to jump back in than with friends? One of my friends has their own counseling business and each year they hold a Community Day. A day for the community to come together right before school and get school supplies, find about different resources available to the community, register to vote and more. They even accept clothing donations so that attendees can get school clothes or even a new suit for work. That summer I volunteered with community outreach, going around handing out flyers and I also volunteered with whatever was needed throughout the event. I managed to snap a few photos as well!
#16 All Day Pool Day
There’s absolutely nothing like sitting next to the pool on a hot day and doing nothing. That’s why I put this on my summer bucket list. Hint: it’s even better with friends. Each year I go down to NC to visit one of my friends and this summer we decided to utilize the pool in her apartment complex. We arrived at the pool with our speaker, our snacks, charged phones, and a book. We laid out and got a tan, Took a dip in the pool and repeated. The tans were CRAZY after this day. We didn’t even leave to get food, shout out to food delivery services. We pulled a 9hr shift at the pool that day and I finished a good chunk of the b book I was reading. successful all day pool day if I do say so myself.
#17 Go on a Date
I actually had a few good dates this summer but it doesn’t matter, they’re all blocked now. But no worries, they got on out of the way for someone much…MUCH better!
While I didn’t get BINGO and I didn’t accomplish everything on the list, I did a good chunk and because of that, I had an amazing summer 2024!
Not listed on my summer 2024 Bingo card was find j-o-b, but I did that too. Unemployment no more!
Check out more from Summer 2024 here.
