Tag Archives: hanging out

Have Some Fun: Visit A Local Hangout

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Have Some Fun: Visit A Local Hangout

Lots of communities have a local hangout where everyone seems to gather for a big game, trivia nights, or the company. This might be a bar, restaurant, arcade, or in some cases all three of these things in one. If you are in the mood to meet some new people, places like these are great to go to. It also offers these benefits:

You Will Have Longer Conversations:

It has been noted through research on the topic of socializing at pubs that people who sit at a bar and talk to other people tend to talk longer. While being in this kind of social situation, a person is more inclined to get involved in conversations with multiple people allowing them to converse freely. Being able to hold up a conversation is a great skill that not only brings its own happiness, but also helps you in daily life.

In your professional life, being able to talk, network, and hold your own makes people want to interact with you more and get to know you better.

You Will Get Involved In Sports:

Most hangouts have a dartboard or pool table and people are always crowded around it. Getting involved with a sport like darts helps you with your concentration, hand-eye coordination, control, and patience. All of these skills can only make your life better. Being a part of a team also makes you have a sense of belonging and community, which is a win for your mental health.

Whether it’s watching sports on TV and being among like-minded fans or joining the local sponsored sports team and getting exercise, visiting your local gathering place can introduce you to this world and help you meet new friends.

You Get Out of Your House:

Getting out of the house on a weekend night and being among people of various age groups and backgrounds always makes a person happier. When we are home and tucked away from the social scene we can develop feelings of isolation and loneliness. When we are out in the world socializing, those feelings melt away.

Even if it is only for one drink or two, sitting down in public and interacting with other people also breaks up the day and makes you feel as if you are part of something greater. The best thing that comes out of this is that you make new friends and discover new things about yourself.

You May Learn Something New:

A lot of bars and restaurants hold trivia nights in order to get more patrons in the front door for something fun and interesting. The best part of playing trivia games: you become a smarter person. Research has found that people who go to pubs and participate in trivia games are going to learn something new.

This also allows a person to show off their intelligence and how much they know in a public setting which boosts confidence and makes a person feel better about themselves and their abilities.

You Learn to Let Your Guard Down:

When you are in a social situation where everyone is talking to each other and having a good time, you are more likely to want to join in too. In order to do this, you are going to have to let your guard down. When you get into the habit of opening yourself up and talking, you will not feel so insecure to speak up and ask questions at work or with your family and friends. This kind of confidence will help you take control of your life and improve it.

You Will Feel More Relaxed:

When you go out and have a good meal, perhaps a drink, and time with your friends, you are more likely to feel relaxed. An evening of getting yourself out there and enjoying yourself is the best cure after a stressful week. It gives you the opportunity to leave your job at the office and focus on having a blast, instead.

Exploring the local hangouts in your area will give you the chance to connect with people and unwind. Plan an outing somewhere new with your friends and enjoy!

Featured Image By: Pixabay

How To Create A More Social Home

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How To Create A More Social Home

Your home is primarily a space for you and your family to relax and unwind. But it can also be more than that. It can be a space that your friends and extended family enjoy, too. Is there anything better than inviting your loved ones around for a few hours of fun? Not in our book. Of course, while you might want this to be the case, it’s not as if it will always just happen. You normally have to work to make your home social ready.

Fortunately, this isn’t overly difficult! In this post, we’ll run through some useful tips that will make your house the place to be for all of your guests:

Guest Rooms:

One of the issues surrounding inviting people over is that sometimes they come from a long way away. And once they’re over, they’ll be thinking about how they’re going to get home. You can get around this issue by creating a guest room in your house. This will allow your friends and family to spend the night whenever they want. Everyone relaxes and enjoys themselves much more if they’re not worrying about how they’re going to get back.

Conversation Spaces:

If you’re going to invite friends and family around, then you’ll want to create a space where conversation can flow. After all, that’s why you’ll be together! The issue is that many people’s homes aren’t all that conducive to conversation. For example, if your living room furniture is all pointing towards a television, then you’ll have inadvertently created a space that doesn’t lend itself to communication, rather entertainment. Instead, look at arranging your furniture so that they face each other. You’ll find that the conversation flows much more naturally.

Social Kitchens:

There will be times when you and your guests are in your living room. But if you’ve invited more than a couple of people over, then you’ll want to look elsewhere. In this day and age, the kitchen is the most popular social space in the house, and especially so if it’s an open plan kitchen. If you want to change your kitchen so that it’s more social ready, then take a look at the top rated remodelers near you. Open plan kitchens are perfect for those small casual gatherings, where people can stand and mingle.

In the Yard:

You’ll likely use your open plan kitchen for gatherings during the winter months. But in the summertime, it’s best to look at your yard. If you have some outdoor furniture, a BBQ, and a speaker, then you’ll have everything you need to spend many hours under the shining sun. You can go the extra mile by adding a fire pit (perfect for those slightly chilly evenings) and putting some outdoor children’s games, so that the whole family can get together to have a good time at your property!

Turn your home into a social hub with the tips above so that you are always in good company!

Featured Image By: Pexels

What Have I Been Up To?

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What Have I Been Up To?

Hello!! It has been a busy time for yours truly between work, the blog, skating practice, and holiday preparations but I think that things are finally slowing down. I am pleased to report that almost all of my presents are wrapped and I am very much looking forward to celebrating Christmas with my family! ❤

Johnny and I haven’t been up to anything too exciting lately other than the fact that we are almost done watching Criminal Minds in its entirety. This is very bittersweet for the both of us because we are fricken obsessed with that show lol. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if we ended up rewatching it once we’re done because we will miss Matthew Gray Gubler way too much – he’s our favorite/best friend in our heads. 😀

When we aren’t binging on our programs, I have been playing Animal Crossing every chance I can get. I am still loving the new update so much and am really enjoying Happy Home Paradise – it’s so fun! I will admit that the game can be tedious at times but my days don’t feel complete without playing it… Sometimes I even get up extra early for work to get some playing time in and watch an episode of Black Clover before I leave. And, eventually, I will get to digging up all of the overgrown flowers on my island. The key word being eventually, of course!

According to my calculations, there are nine days left until Christmas and I am hoping that they pass by quickly. To be honest, I’m even getting annoyed with myself constantly asking if I can tell all of my giftees what I got them! Until then, Johnny and I will be filling our time with our favorite shows, weekend game nights, and laughing at how I look when I use a sheet face mask. 🙂

What has everyone been up to lately? Anything exciting? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Hang Ten

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Hang Ten

Hello! I have been in amazing spirits as of late thanks to a welcome change at work and have been all smiles every day when I return home. This past month has been such a game changer because not being in a bad mood once I get home has reignited my love for cooking and I have been having a lot of fun making dinner every night.

I feel like I have so much more energy now after my shift is over and I have been making plans with friends and family during the work week and weekend like crazy. This is also an awesome change of pace because, normally, I would be so drained that I would prefer spending time with my couch and television during the week. Then, the weekend would roll around and plans would seem exhausting rather than enjoyable. Needless to say, I was in a huge funk.

My new job has helped turn hanging out with people back into something that I look forward to and I am so thankful for that. I have been loving my weekly hang outs with my sister and niece most of all. This was a new addition to my work week since July and it is the definition of super happy fun times. My sister and I will alternate between who buys dinner and we’ll do a fun activity with her daughter. Last week, for example, we went swimming at the pool in my apartment community and had Taco Bell. It was perfect!

I have been taking so much more pleasure in going out and about and it feels so nice for it to not feel like a chore. I have been saying yes to every invitation I get which is a huge one eighty from maybe. This past weekend was an especially fun one as I went to a member’s night event at the Akron Zoo with my parents and niece. Johnny and I also had a fabulous date day on Saturday. We went to our favorite Mexican restaurant, El Meson. Then, we played video games and listened to music until one thirty in the morning. It was such a blast and we spent all of Sunday talking about how much of a blast it was lol.

As I look back on this past month of wonderful hang sessions and dinners, I can definitely see how depressed I was prior to making a change at work. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I was given because it, truly, has allowed my mental health to improve tenfold. I can’t wait for all of the good times that are ahead of me and my husband because I am now capable of enjoying them all to the highest capacity. ❤

Do you have any fun plans this summer? What is your favorite thing to do with your friends? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Married Life

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Married Life

Hello! Ever since tying the knot on June 4th, Johnny and I have been asked time and time again if we feel any different and we always answer with no. Being married to Johnny is the best thing in the whole world but we both agree that it feels exactly the same as it did before when we were dating and recently engaged. We have had a wild bag of replies back of people concurring or feeling the polar opposite but we can all agree that married life rocks!

Since our nuptials, Johnny and I have enjoyed double birthday celebrations, a road trip to Marietta, trivia night, and the endless support of our loved ones and it has been awesome. In fact, all of these outings after being in the apartment for over a year due to the pandemic feels more like when we first started dating! It has been so exciting to finally be fully vaccinated and have the opportunity to go out and about with our friends and the novelty has yet to wear off.

While our now weekly date days and hang outs with friends have been great, our favorite thing to do is veg out together after work. Whether we are playing video games, watching documentaries, or endless hours of Family Matters we both love our time to relax and enjoy each other’s company after a long day. As soon as I exit my car and walk to the apartment when I return home, I always feel butterflies knowing that my Johnny will be there to greet me and it never gets old.

We have both come to realize that married life doesn’t feel much different because we have never left the honeymoon stages of our first dates and there is no better feeling than that. Here’s to our never ending honeymoon! ❤

Did married life feel different to you? How so? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Brunch Babes

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Brunch Babes

Hello!! Johnny enjoyed a three day weekend for Memorial Day and we had the most fabulous date day on Sunday. Any time with my beau is my favorite but it is especially wonderful to go out and about together after over a year stuck in our apartment. Now that we are both fully vaccinated, we feel much more comfortable with seeing friends, outdoor dining, and small outings. So we spent Saturday afternoon hanging out in Lakewood with our two friends, Jeff and Jeff, and had the best brunch with the best company.

Lakewood is a very cool area and I actually used to figure skate at the rink a few minutes away from where we brunched pre-pandemic. While I was in school, I would also make the small trek up there from campus to have dinner with friends. There is amazing shopping, bars, and unique restaurants and although it is only about forty-five minutes from me and Johnny, our afternoon felt like a mini day trip.

For brunch, the Jeffs, Johnny, and I went to the Buckeye Beer Engine and had a delicious meal. The garden quesadilla I ordered was the perfect vegetarian option that included eggs, peppers, onions, and mushrooms in a spinach tortilla topped with sour cream and pico de gallo. The food was awesome but, I have to say, the mimosas were even better!

The Buckeye Beer Engine had so many mimosa flavors to choose from and I went with Peach and Blood Orange while Johnny had a Pineapple and a Cranberry drink. They were the first mimosas we have had since before the pandemic when we would have breakfast dates and it was nice to reminisce on that as we clinked our glasses in celebration with the Jeffs. The weather was ideal for an outdoor meal and it is definitely true what they say… Brunch is always a good idea.

Once we returned home from our time in Lakewood, we were visited by our friend Corey for a quick video game session. While Johnny and Corey are both incredibly skilled in Mario Kart and Super Smash Bros., I am pleased to say that I kicked their butts! The video game extravaganza continued long after Corey left and Johnny and I spent hours playing Mario Party, Mario Tennis, Pod Racing, and Medal Of Honor. We also just had to pepper in a few episodes of our latest obsession: Family Matters lol.

No matter what Johnny and I do together, we are sure to have a blast and it feels so good to finally be more active in the community with him again. In fact, it kind of feels like going on first dates all over again because of how long it has been since we could do anything even close to having brunch with friends. Getting all dressed up to go out with my fiance on Sunday was simply the best and I can’t wait for a lifetime of dates with him! ❤

What is your favorite meal of the day? What is your preferred brunch drink? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

What Have We Been Up To?

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What Have We Been Up To?

Hello! When we’re not making preparations for our wedding, Johnny and I have been enjoying lots of new games and TV shows in our downtime. Once we are both home from work and dinner is made, we like to spend our evenings with video games or laughing hysterically to old and new favorite shows. We’ve been super into the following:

Stupid Deaths:

Johnny and I purchased the party game Stupid Deaths on one of our date days and I finally had the chance to play it with a lot of people when my brother and his family visited from Georgia. It was so much fun and super easy. The point of the game is to vote on if a unique death read from a card actually happened or not and to avoid the Grim Reaper on the board. Stupid Deaths was a hit with my whole family and, despite Johnny and I being downright awful at it, it was a blast and is sure to be a hit for your next game night. I want to buy Stupid Criminals next!

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe:

Johnny recently purchased Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for the Switch and it quickly became our new favorite video game to play together. The race tracks are awesome, the character and car selection is massive, and the battle games are a hoot too! I consider myself to be highly proficient at Mario Kart 64 and Double Dash but Johnny gives me a run for my money every time we play Deluxe. It’s fun to get competitive and the first time we played it, we raced for four hours straight without even realizing it. Time flies when you’re having fun. 😀

The Promised Neverland:

While I am still looking forward to seeing the Demon Slayer movie in theaters, my attention has turned to a new anime as per my brother’s suggestion called The Promised Neverland. I just started season two and it is EXCELLENT. I can’t say much about it without giving the major surprise of the first episode away but it is a dark, fast paced show that is both gorgeous and exciting to watch. I have never seen anything like it and I just adore the kids whom the show revolves around. I have to laugh because, for the most part, I can’t stand child actors but anime children are just fine by me lol!

Schitt’s Creek:

My brother, Peter, and his wife, Megan, highly recommend Schitt’s Creek when they visited so Johnny and I decided to give it a try and I am so glad we did. It is absolutely hilarious and we were in stitches minutes into the first episode. We have only watched three episodes so far and I am itching for more. Eugene Levy and his son Daniel as well as the incomparable Catherine O’Hara are a match made in comedy heaven and it’s a trip to watch an uber rich family gone broke try to make it in the not so glamorous real world.

Ever since Daniel Levy’s amazing Saturday Night Live debut, Johnny and I have been interested in watching Schitt’s Creek. Peter and Megan’s recommendation was just the push we needed to begin watching what I have a feeling will be our new favorite comedy.

What have you been watching recently? How do you like to spend your evenings? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Reunited And It Feels So Good

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Reunited And It Feels So Good

Hello! After many a video chat dates with my BFF, Lea, we finally were able to reunite in person as she is fully vaccinated and Johnny and I just need our second shot. I had been looking forward to our real life reunion for several months and, needless to say, I was counting down the hours until I was done at work and could see my bestie again.

As always, Lea and I had a fabulous time girl talking, reminiscing, and laughing hysterically for hours on end and I felt so incredibly thankful for that time with her. It also gave me the opportunity to officially ask her if she’d like to attend my family only wedding ceremony! Throughout the pandemic, video chat dates with my friends helped keep me sane but there is nothing like seeing someone who you love so much in person after months of going without.

With so many of my family and friends getting vaccinated, it truly feels like a bright light at the end of such a dark tunnel. Seeing Lea was my first in person hang out with one of my friends since mid December and it couldn’t have come at a more perfect time because I had had a rough couple of days. Taking a break from my stress even for just a little while to go through a litany of all of the dorky things my BFF and I did in high school was the best thing for me.

I always say that every hang out with Lea is my favorite but this reunion definitely tops the charts. I cannot wait to get more real life hang outs scheduled in the books and I am so delighted for my best friend to be able to join Johnny, myself, and our families on my wedding day! ❤

Have you been able to reunite with any of your loved ones recently? What are some of your social distanced summer plans? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Hosting The Perfect Game Night

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Hosting The Perfect Game Night

When your favorite sports team sets the date for an important game, hosting a party with your fellow supporters is one of the best ideas you can indulge in. Organizing an amazing games night needn’t be as difficult as you might expect, as there are a few key tips and tricks that you can make the most of today:

Decorate The Space:

Whether you’ve booked out a venue or you’re just hosting your games night in the comfort of your living room, decorating the space in preparation for your fellow supporters arrival is an essential step to take. Prepping your venue to make it fun and inviting will add to the atmosphere dramatically, setting the scene for a brilliant game night that’s full of laughter and excitement! You can start off by sourcing a few balloons that match your team’s colors, as this is the most affordable option to upgrade your space. Investing in personalized banners or posters that show your support for your team can be a more flashy choice.

Don’t forget, if you’re hosting at home, it might be a good idea to prepare for mess – putting any fragile, breakable decor away is recommended, as you don’t want a happy celebration to turn into an apologetic embarrassment.

Provide Food & Drink:

Having some tasty snacks and a few delicious drinks to wash them down with will add a whole new level to your game night, and your guests will go home happy with full tummies no matter what the score ends up being! A finger food buffet of easy-to-eat no-mess options is going to be your best bet, as you don’t want to have to sit down and eat with a fork and plate when celebrations can occur at any moment. Sliders, fries, pastries, crisps and dip, cupcakes, and similar options are usually great crowd pleasers! If you’re stuck on what to create, take a look around online to find a wide variety of game night recipes that you can whip up in record time to impress your fellow supporters.

Souvenirs:

Purchasing some personalized team shirts or scarves from a uniform store will give your guests something to take home with them and use again, and they’ll remember the game night night every time they see it! Make sure that you find a reputable provider from whom you can place an order with confidence, as you don’t want to waste money or time with poor quality souvenir options.

Hosting the best game night for you and your fellow supporters to enjoy has never been so simple with the tips above!

Featured Image By: Pexels

Virtual Game Night: Planning The Ultimate Night In

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Virtual Game Night: Planning The Ultimate Night In

Right now, with the state of the world and the pandemic that continues to rage around us, it’s not possible to see our friends and family as much as we might like. Life is complicated, things are complex, and it’s difficult to spend as much time with those we care about the most, which can leave you craving social interaction in a normal way. Enter Zoom, FaceTime, and every other video chat app that’s taken the world by storm.

These video chatting apps have made virtual get togethers with friends and loved ones doable, and have meant that while we cannot be physically close, we can still spend time with those who mean the most to us, which is amazing. If you’re getting bored of virtual quizzes, then perhaps you might like to plan a virtual game night for you and a group of your friends. The great thing about virtual game nights is that they’re fairly easy to organize and can be a lot of fun for everyone involved.

Wondering what it takes to plan the perfect virtual game night? Below are a few tips and ideas for how you can get started:

Do your research:

A great way to make planning a virtual games night a little easier is to take the time to do your research to make your night a success. You don’t want your event to be stale or boring so that everyone has a great time from start to finish. Resources like Pinterest have lots of ideas available, so it might be worth taking the time to have a browse of those for inspiration as well as finding out everyone’s favorite games to possibly incorporate.

Additional research can include shortcuts in race games, special codes like the grief runeword in d2r to improve items, and bonus maps and characters in fighting games. You can prepare this and send it off to your friends to study up on – perfect if you and your crew have a competitive streak going!

Send out kits to everyone:

Don’t just rely on technology to make your game night amazing, get creative with the games that you play. Yes, utilizing resources like Jackbox TV which can be played via smartphones is a great idea, as there are various digital games to choose from, but it’s always fun to try something different. If you plan on organizing a more traditional game, make sure to send out kits along with dice from skullsplitterdice.com for everyone to use during the evening. Make the kits fun and exciting; you could even opt to theme them if you’re having a themed games night, such as a murder mystery event. The more creative you can be, the better.

Incorporate drinks and snacks:

Don’t forget to incorporate drinks and snacks into your games night, just like you would have on a face-to-face hang out. Send off snack packs to all of your guests and if you really want to go all out, incorporate the ingredients to a signature cocktail for everyone to enjoy.

Seeing your friends and family over the computer screen is not the same as real life but it’s sure better than not seeing them at all! A weekly or monthly virtual game night will be the perfect way to keep in touch until it’s safer to meet in person.

Featured Image By: Pixabay