Friday Five: September 26, 2025

This week has felt productive and grounding in the best way. Between business progress, creative inspiration, and choosing to prioritize rest over travel, I'm finding my rhythm in this new season. Everything has felt intentionally chosen rather than hastily scheduled.

1. My husband took me on a date to the art museum last night, and it made me fall in love with him all over again. "We can get inspired to make our own art," he said, which is exactly the kind of thoughtful gesture that shows how well he knows me.

   
   

   Walking through galleries together, pointing out pieces that caught our attention, discussing what we liked or didn't understand, was the perfect blend of learning and bonding. It's refreshing experiencing art with someone who gets excited about creativity the same way you do.

   
   

   

   Date night at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It's open late on Thursdays.

   The best part wasn't even the art itself, but the way he connected it to what I'm working on at home. He understands that inspiration doesn't happen in isolation, sometimes you need to see what other people are creating to unlock what wants to emerge in your own work. It's lovely being with someone who not only supports your creative pursuits but actively helps further them.
   

2. We made significant headway on our cannabis dispensary this week. The logo is finalized, the website is live, and we've created our social media profiles. Seeing our vision take shape in these tangible ways feels incredibly rewarding after months of paperwork and planning.

   
   

   Next up is the exciting part: touring actual storefronts. It's wild to think we'll soon be walking through spaces that could become our business location. There's something about seeing physical spaces that makes everything feel more real and immediate. I never pictured myself as a business owner, but I'm excited and up for the challenge.

   
   

   Tonight we're going to an industry networking event, and tomorrow is Legacy Cup, a cannabis industry competition and festival that should connect us with local experts and other business owners. The Minnesota cannabis market is still so new that everyone is figuring it out together, it creates a collaborative energy and levels the playing field.

3. We are nearly finished with the garden for this season, and it's time for the annual assessment of what worked and what didn't. The cucumbers were absolute champions, we had more than we knew what to do with. The hot peppers also performed beautifully, though we may have planted more than we actually needed. The tomatoes, however, were a disappointment. Between the squirrels constantly stealing them and what seemed like lower production overall, we didn't get nearly the harvest we expected.

   
   

   The raspberry bush situation was puzzling. The branches finally filled out and looked healthy, but we didn't get a single raspberry all season. Next year's garden planning is already taking shape in my mind: more tomato varieties, fewer hot pepper plants, and maybe some kind of squirrel deterrent system (?).

4. We were supposed to see Emancipator at the Mishawaka Amphitheater this weekend, but we ended up selling our tickets instead. After such a travel-heavy summer, we're both still feeling the need to stay close to home and recharge.

   
   

   The trip was also complicated by practical issues, with Real ID enforcement for flights and my name change process still ongoing, air travel has become complex. I'm still working on getting my updated IDs, which means flying anywhere requires extra planning and potential hassles I'm not interested in dealing with right now. It felt good to prioritize what we actually need (rest and routine) over what I thought I wanted (another adventure). Hopefully we will catch the next show.

5. I've been making a lot of art lately, and it's become my favorite part of each day. I am dreaming of putting on an art show in November, so I'm motivated to create new pieces regularly, which has completely changed how I spend my evenings.

   
   

   Now that it's getting dark earlier, instead of mindlessly scrolling social media or just watching TV, I'm setting up with paints and a canvas. It's been deeply satisfying ending the day with something I created by hand.

   
   

   

   A recent work in progress.

   The potential art show deadline is providing just enough structure to keep me productive without feeling pressured. Some nights I paint for hours, other nights just for twenty minutes, but having that creative outlet waiting for me has transformed my relationship with evening downtime.

This week, I am thinking about how progress doesn't always have to feel big or overwhelming. Between business developments, creative projects, and personal choices that prioritize our well-being, everything is moving forward at a pace that feels sustainable.

It can be satisfying saying no to things that don't serve you right now, even when they might be fun under different circumstances. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is stay home, make art, and tend to all the things that are already growing in your life.

What projects are you working on as we move deeper into fall? I'd love to hear about what's bringing you creative satisfaction these days.