So... how does one start a blog post after five months of being completely silent? Asking for a friend... 

I’m back?

I’m sorry?

Did you miss me???!!!

Almost two years ago, I wrote a blog post about what to do when you don’t feel like blogging, and I mentioned a fellow blogger, C’est Christine, who wrote about the demands of her full-time job and making the decision to walk away from blogging. It resonated with me in a lot of ways. Like Christine, blogging was never my full-time job, and as I progressed in my career and my real job became more demanding, it started to feel like blogging was an additional responsibility, not a hobby I chose (which is what blogging has always been for me). 

Last year, I started to focus on quality over quantity and scaled back my blog posts significantly. This year... well, I don’t have any one excuse for why I’ve been radio silent on this blog. It was a combination of things: lack of travel (because pandemic), the increased demands of my full-time job, overall fatigue with the crazy world we live in, and a general focus on doing the things that felt right to me at that moment in time.

I not only stopped blogging, but I haven’t posted on The Globe Getter social media accounts either. I took a break from it all, and I have no regrets. The challenge of blogging is the pressure to always be on and connected, but the beauty of it being my hobby is that I have the choice to step away when I want. 

That said, I appreciate some of the outreach from those who follow this blog, and I am SO grateful to have been safe and healthy throughout this pandemic AND that my family has also gotten through this pandemic and come out the other side safe and healthy. 

I also think it’s time for my grand return to this blog! Or at least a blog post with some updates on where exactly I’ve been the last few months.

The short answer: Florida.

Last November, right after I celebrated the win of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris during a spectacularly beautiful weekend in New York, I flew to Florida and stayed in Florida. And honestly, it was so nice. Florida and I may have our political differences, but when it comes to winter weather, we are highly, HIGHLY compatible. I rented a place for a few months not far from the beach, and it was idyllic and therapeutic in so many ways.

Here are some Florida-centric highlights from my 2021 so far…

Exploring a New Neighborhood
Through some sort of fate, I ended up in a neighborhood in Florida that I hadn’t really gotten a chance to explore much in many many years, but I feel like I arrived at the right time. This neighborhood is going through a rebirth of sorts and I knew within weeks of being there that I was in a great place. It doesn’t hurt that it’s also walking distance from the beach, so you can guess where I went frequently.

Spending Time with Family
The best part of being in Florida is 100% being able to spend a lot of time with my family. I did outdoor yoga numerous times, played tennis with my mom, had beach days with family, and so much more. It is, without a doubt, the upside to having to stay still for so long. I’m very grateful to have been able to be so close to my family and see them so often.

Beach Staycations (Including a Birthday Staycation!)
I did two beach staycations in Florida during the first few months of the year - one during my birthday and another in early May. Both times I would say that I had an overall positive experience. I’ve stayed at hotels a few times throughout this pandemic, but you never really know what the experience is going to be like until you’re at the hotel. Both places where I stayed in Fort Lauderdale and Miami felt very safe, and it GREATLY helped that my staycations were both in the middle of the week instead of the weekend.

THE WEATHER
Florida can be fickle during the winter. I remember one December when it rained sooo much and felt like it was just constantly dreary. Well, not this winter. The weather was truly incredible, and the cooler weather lasted way longer than normal before it started to get really hot and humid. That’s probably a sign of climate change, so ultimately not a good thing, but for the purposes of enjoying the outdoors without feeling like you’re wilting within minutes, it was perfect.

My Early Morning Walks 
I am such a morning person, both when I’m at home and when I’m traveling. Being out and about in a place in the morning when it’s quiet and just starting to come to life will never get old for me. So, of course, I spent many a morning walking (or sometimes running) before work and on the weekends. Often times my path would take me to the beach, where I’d see surfers taking advantage of the morning swells and those who were craving the calm beauty of a sunrise over the water.

Getting Vaccinated!
I remember when I first read about a vaccine development for COVID-19 and seeing that, in general, vaccines can take years before they’re ready to be distributed. It was an incredibly disheartening thing to read at the time because it just added to the feeling that this situation we were in was never-ending. And while we’re definitely not out of the woods yet, it’s a true blessing to at least have vaccines available to us far sooner than anticipated. I know the vaccine rollout has looked very different in various parts of the world, and I truly hope that we can get to a place where access to the COVID-19 vaccine is readily available globally.

Did I Mention the Weather?
I had to end with the weather again because it was just SO good! Now that it’s hot and muggy in Florida, not so much, but those first few months were golden. The pictures don’t lie:

It’s been a great first few months of the year. Now that I’m fully vaccinated, the big question is: where am I traveling to next!?!? 

Stay tuned while I answer my own question.