This afternoon I interacted with humans! 
Though I obviously get the pleasure of talking and hanging out with Ryan when he gets home from work, I do miss conversing with people and the social aspect of the office environment now that I work from home.
Not that this little one isn’t a great coworker…
Around 3 p.m., I headed to Starbucks on Park Avenue in Winter Park to meet up with blog reader Brooke who was in town visiting friends at UCF and emailed me to meet up to talk about writing and blogging.
We both ordered passion teas (iced for me, hot for Brooke) and chatted away for a good hour about anything and everything.
Brooke is graduating from college next spring and I really enjoyed talking with her about her goals and dreams for the future. Graduating from college is such an exciting, confusing and adventurous time and I love learning about what people hope to do after graduation. I remember feeling so incredibly excited and so lost all at the same time.
I loved meeting Brooke! She was so warm and fun to talk to and I had a blast getting to know her this afternoon.
Dinner
My human interaction didn’t cease there!
This evening I met up with three of my former coworkers at Brio Tuscan Grille in Winter Park for dinner.
Bethany, Lisa, Katie and I were on the same content team at my previous job and it felt so good to have the gang back together again. Bethany left the company about two months before I did, so it was great to be reunited!
Once we sat down, we talked for a while before placing our orders.
I opted for a strawberry balsamic chicken salad topped with candied pecans that was fantastic.
The chicken was nice and lean and the candied pecans were perfectly sweet and toasted. I’m pretty sure I could’ve downed three cups of them.
I also ate two pieces of fresh sourdough bread and a crostini that went undocumented.
We ended up chatting for three hours before taking the cues from the waiters who were wiping up nearby tables that it was time to go. I loved catching up with my favorite former coworkers and miss seeing them everyday! It’s so weird how you can go from talking to people everyday and knowing all about the big events in their lives to cramming everything you possibly can into a three-hour dinner.
I hope we can get together again soon!
And now it’s time for bed. Goodnight, friends!
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yey for such a great meet up! I can’t wait to finally do a blog meet up when I figure out where we’re moving to! I was in the middle of arranging a chicago one when we left 🙁
I love your coworker 😉
what a fun meetup!!!… GAH I LOVE CANDIED PECANS!
What a sweet day 🙂 I’m sure Sadie MAY be a little jealous right now 😉 Especially since you didn’t bring her a doggy bag – TISK TISK Julie!
I have had that salad from Brio before too! SO so good. I love the candied pecans 🙂
You look real pretty in the pics today (per usual) ! G-night!
Your “new co-worker” is so darn cute!!!
Julie, I have worked from home for the past 6 months and can totally relate to full days without any human contact (other than with the hubby). As much fun as being at home is, the daily, social interactions of being in the work force are definitely are missed at times by this social creature!
looks like a great day! especially with a starbucks trip in there. 🙂
I have a furry coworker, too! As a fellow work-from-homer, I also enjoy “human interaction.” While we recently moved back to our hometown area, we live about an hour away from most of our friends and family, and we live a good 20 minutes away from anything else (we live in a brand new development).
What a fantastic day with old friends and new friends!!!!
That’s so awesome that you meet up with your blog readers when they’re in town! The passion fruit tea lemonades at starbucks are my favorite!
I feel the same way! I spend so much time with my dog Zeke, sometimes it feels like it’s been forever since I’ve interacted with real people!
Reader meetups are the funnest! (is that a word?) I love meeting people who read the bloggy, especially because it makes it all so much more REAL. I’m glad you had a great day with yo girlssss!
Oh, I love Brio! I wish we had one nearby. My mom and I sometimes drive an hour and a half to go to the nearest Brio, yum!
I’m so glad we all got to reunite!
A tasty meal + 3 solid hours of catching up was much-needed. 🙂 Long live the writing team!
Amen! 🙂 It was great to see you!
Yesssss!! I still feel like we didn’t talk as much as we could have! ….oh, was that just me? lol I can talk forever anyways.
I seriously love you guys!!
P.S. Thanks for the link Julie, you’re the best 🙂
Of course! Read.Breathe.Relax. forever!!! 🙂
“It’s so weird how you can go from talking to people everyday and knowing all about the big events in their lives to cramming everything you possibly can into a three-hour dinner. ”
So true! I am being transferred to another building for the next school year due to low enrollment and I’m so upset thinking about how I won’t be able to be a daily part of my teacher friends lives anymore! 🙁
I just started working from home for my job (which I’ve done before too) and totally agree, social interaction is the one (and maybe only?) thing I miss about the office. I’m an extrovert, I need to talk to real people!
It’s so important to have human interaction! When I’m chained to the desk all day without speaking to anyone it can get pretty depressing!
Brio is delish!! That salad is spot on to something I would order… yum.
Sounds like you had a great day!
I definitely need to take more time out of my days to socialize more. I’ve become so busy with my work, school, gym/diet, that I haven’t had much time to get out and relax with friends. Heck, my boyfriend and I hardly go out and about.
Somehow I missed your announcement about quitting your job…congratulations! Nothing feels better (or scarier) than taking a leap of faith & following your heart. There will be rough times but know that it is worth it in the end. You are a fabulous blogger!
what a great way to get some human interaction in! so glad you girls had a good time 🙂
This looks like such a wonderful afternoon! So glad you got to see some friends and have some people time, I think that is really important to being happy and content 🙂
I’m largely working and studying from home right now, started a month ago, and oh my goodness I have missed seeing and takling to people so much! I’m sure you get used to it, and adapt, and find ways to see people – but it’s definitely a learning curve, at least for me.
I’ve been meeting my boyfriend for lunch once a week, which has been lovely, and cornering people at the gym so they have no choice but to talk to me (jk!), but I definitely yearn for more human interactions. Just the act of making eye contact, sharing a smile, a laugh, and chat, is something I so enjoy and cherish! <3
Anyhoo, your meal looks delicous – love salads in restaurants as they can be so flavourful – far better than my own, lol! Take care! xyx
Take care and have a great day! xyx
Hi Julie! Love this post considering you met up with my friend! I love that you are so passionate about health and fitness and its awesome that you’re willing to meet with dedicated blog readers. Love pbf!
Aw, Brooke is your friend? She was great! Thanks so much for your comment!
Yes, this is my friend who wanted every last detail!!! So glad we met up and the pic turned out so well! I just started class, meaning I’m reading PBF from September 2009! Can’t wait to catch up on a whole year of posts!! Hopefully you’ll get lots of new readers from my fb/twitter post!! Give Sadie a nice pet from me (and Danielle!)
That chicken sounds fantastic! Today’s my last day at work but I definitely hope that my co-workers and I will be able to still keep in touch. I’m sure you agree that after interacting with people for 8+ hours daily, you develop a special bond with them!
Mmmm I love strawberries with balsamic vinegar!
That looks simply delicious! Check out Hong Kong desserts at http://hongkongintern.wordpress.com/2011/06/29/life-is-uncertain-eat-dessert-first/
I love Brio! It’s so good :). I love catching up with friends…a lot of my friends are still in Ohio so it will be so nice to see them when I go home!
Pretty! And I love Brio too — very yummy food.
Two wonderful meet ups in a day! So nice! 🙂
A blog meetup sounds like so much fun!
That dinner looks really yummy!
While I am working – I totally feel you in the interaction part.. I wish I had more ADULT interaction since I converse with 7 and 8 year olds all day. Like you – I’ve got my guy at home.. but it is just different!
Looks like a busy and fun day!
Any time I work from home, I am always craving human interaction by the end of the day!
It’s great if you can keep in touch with your former co workers! My colleagues are vey important o me, I need to be able to talk and confront opinions with them. Also, they can be of great support when you feel low.
Sounds like you had a nice day! I love Brio… props to you for just getting a salad! I always eat way too much when I go there! 😉
Sounds like an awesome day!!! 😀
Looks like such a fun day with all of those meet-ups! 🙂 Passion Tea from Starbucks is one of my favorite drinks there. Love the color of it too!
I definitely miss the social aspect of working in an office setting since I started working from home a year ago. Some people think “ohhhh I’d love to work from home” but it does get lonely! The pros of working from home still outweigh the cons though…like middle of the day meetups! 🙂
i love how you still stay in touch with your co-workers! i bet it is tough but the fact you make an effort is so so nice!
ps i WANT THAT SALAD
so jealous!!
This was really helpful to read about! I am going to begin working remotely from my apartment in September. My only concern, is that my socialization will take a beating. Happy to hear, that can be avoided 🙂
We have a Brio in my town and it’s one of my favorite spots for pasta.
They have a spicy shrimp pasta that is so yummy and creamy, not to mention the little desserts in shot glasses – can’t feel guilty about that serving size!
No dessert for you ladies?
Yay for human interaction! haha I’m not a fan of Brio, but then again, I’ve never had that salad. It looks really good!
Salad looks tasty! I love days when I get to see lots of friends and people in general. It’s so nice to just catch up with everyone
It’s so nice to catch up with friends. I just graduated, and have yet to find a job, so I don’t interact with many people on a daily basis. Luckily, I enjoy my “alone time,” but I think I will appreciate finding a job and making new friends!
Ok, I am normally very healthy. But oh how I love Starbucks passion fruit iced tea with a splash of lemonade and clementine vodka. SOOO delightful!
Oooh I’m jealous of Brooke! Want to come north and talk about writing and blogging and life after graduation with another upcoming college senior (aka me)? Haha.