It’s important for gamers to touch grass. It’s doubly important for a remote-working-vitamin-D-deficient gamer like me to touch grass.
Turns out, slamming coffee and controllers doesn’t qualify as physical activity. Thankfully, one of the top perks of working (and gaming) from home is that I can incorporate experiences outside into my routines—whether this means taking a walk or hike around our property, exploring new or familiar environments, or joining my family for outdoor adventures.
Touching Grass IRL
When I decided to launch my blog here at Crowned By Coffee, I thought a cheeky, touching grass inspired category would provide good encouragement for me and my fellow digital enthusiasts to disconnect from tech and reconnect with the real world. But, since this is a blog and I possess a passion for photography as strong as my fervent love of coffee and gaming, I need something to share with you, readers. So, I suppose it’s fairer to say I’m “logging off” rather than abandoning all technology during my (out)side questing. I usually have my camera in tow and, if I’m trekking solo, I like to turn on an audiobook. Currently, I’m listening to the Andy Serkis narration of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit on Audible.
But, I digress.
Wellness Unlocked: Mind, Body, Mood
I’ve always been someone who enjoys time in nature. I love a little meander through the woods, the smell of a marshmallow toasting over a campfire, or a kayak paddle across a lake. However, during the week of June 8, 2025, I made a personal commitment to spend more meaningful time outside alone as well as with my family. (I wasn’t kidding about the vitamin D deficiency, which was diagnosed this month [among other issues we’ll discuss another time] and is common among women my age.)
Additionally, I set a wellness goal to log 12–15 miles of intentional aerobic walking each week. For the past three weeks, I’ve held myself accountable and met my goal. I’ve also incorporated some jogging into my mileage, which is quite the accomplishment for a former childhood asthma suffer. No real-world speedrunning for this ol’ girl.
With this blog series, I’ll approach documenting my journey to earn outside XP is an extension of my personal wellness accountability. Plus, chronicling my sliver of the world makes me happy. And maybe it will make you happy, too. I don’t know about you, but the notion of topping off my happiness cup seems an attractive prospect these days.
Lapping Up the XP
Unfortunately, I don’t have content to share from my first two weeks of outdoor side questing. In truth, I didn’t decide to launch this blog, let alone blog series, until last week, which is where we start.
The week began with some hard-earned XP acquired at an outdoor swim meet. You’ve never seen more parents brandishing foldable camping chairs, umbrellas, water bottles, and sunscreen containers than those at this 93-degree event. I was proudly one of them: cheering and sweating and reddening more by the minute, even in the shade.
My husband is a public educator and lifelong swimming competitor, including time spent as a national-level collegiate swimmer. Outside of teaching, he coaches and referees for both our local and regional swimming programs and competitions. Monday marked the first meet of his youth team’s summer season and our youngest daughter’s first-ever swimming competition. Honestly, good for her. At age 10, I was more focused on trying to beat Doom on my family’s home computer.
Our kiddo competed in multiple 25-yard races and a 50-yard freestyle swim. She was remarkable: brave, focused, and awarded first runner-up in her age group’s 25-yard backstroke race. Heat winners received rubber ducks, but all participants were given congratulatory popsicles. Proper summer ones. The electrically colorful kind housed in plastic tubes that leave the corners of your mouth sliced like The Dark Knight‘s Joker.
Credit for our youngest’s competitive side, at least where athletics are concerned, must be given to this guy. That’s right. Papa Bear dipped his toes and dove in for two exhibition swims against some of the older students—much to the delight of the crowd and competitors alike.
He’s still got it.
Overworld Exploration
From June 22–28, I walked 13 intentional aerobic miles. Woot! (Did you also woot for me? I do hope you wooted.)
For this week’s walks, I stuck to earning my miles by pounding pavement (well, gravel) on our driveway in my beloved eggnog Hoka Transports, which need a good cleaning after the week’s jaunts. We live at the end of a gravel road and are surrounded by foothills and lush tree growth, making for lovely views and peaceful surroundings for cardio.
As I mentioned earlier, I did enjoy listening to The Hobbit while exercising outside, but I also unplugged (I still rock with wired headphones) and walked and talked with my husband. This also ensures that my walks are truly aerobic. He is nearly a foot taller than me and prone to long strides, so that’s where my competitiveness unlocks—albeit self-imposed.
I also made time to snap several shots of my surroundings that I hope y’all will enjoy. Scroll away…
Claim Your Crown!
Thanks for staying to the end of my inaugural blog post. I hope you’ll return for upcoming installments of my “Outside XP” series as well as to check out other content on deck in my highly caffeinated and slightly chaotic life as a girl mom, gamer, and coffee queen.
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