Side Quest for One
A smiling Black woman with glasses beside an open journal, a mug, and colorful markers

55. A little whimsy. My own company.

There is always another little side
quest waiting.

I'm Danielle. At 55, with ADHD and anxiety along for the ride, I'm making life feel more like my own. Cozy games, creative detours, home projects, and solo days out—some take more effort than others. There's still room for a little play.

Find your next side quest Meet Danielle

Home · play · make · explore

Looking for solo date ideas? Ten little possibilities

Let’s find a quest for your mood

A little time for you

Find your next side quest

These are ideas from my solo life, not a to-do list. A small start suits some days; a wander suits others. Pick whatever catches your curiosity.

11 little quests

A Black woman reading a paperback in a cozy chair

Cozy at Home

Make a little reading corner

A chair, a good light, a book. Start with what you already have.

15 minutesAt homeLow energy
Try this quest
  1. Choose a comfortable spot near a lamp or window.
  2. Move one distracting thing away and bring over a cushion or blanket you own.
  3. Put your current book within reach and read a few pages.
A Black woman returning a notebook to a small desk corner

Cozy at Home

A two-surface home reset

When the whole room feels like too much, two surfaces make a smaller place to start. The rest is not today's assignment.

20 minutesAt homeMedium energy
Try this quest
  1. Pick two small surfaces: a desk corner and a shelf, for example.
  2. Return stray things to their places and wipe the surfaces.
  3. Put back only what you use or enjoy. Leave the rest of the room for another day.
A pink handheld game console and a cup of cocoa on a soft blanket

Play, Read & Watch

Your own cozy game night

A familiar game, something warm, and absolutely no need to win the evening.

30–60 minutesThe couchLow energy
Try this quest
  1. Choose a gentle game you already own.
  2. Settle in with a blanket and a drink.
  3. Play one small task or one chapter. Stop when you feel ready.
A Black woman in her early 40s reading an e-reader with a mug in a cozy chair

Play, Read & Watch

Kindle + something warm

One chapter and a cup of whatever is already in the cupboard.

20 minutesAt homeLow energy
Try this quest
  1. Make your favourite warm drink.
  2. Open your Kindle, or a book you already have.
  3. Read a chapter without rushing to finish anything.
A brown-skinned woman around 40 enjoying a solo movie night with popcorn

Play, Read & Watch

A solo movie night

You get to choose the film. And whether the credits need a snack encore.

An eveningAt homeLow energy
Try this quest
  1. Pick a film from something you already have access to.
  2. Make an easy snack and get comfortable.
  3. Put your phone aside if you want to. Watch, pause, or call it a night whenever you like.
A Black woman in her early 40s knitting on a cozy chair

Make Something

A 20-minute knitting break

A few rows, a dropped stitch, perhaps a restart. A small bit of making counts as the activity, not an obligation to finish.

20 minutesA comfortable seatLow energy
Try this quest
  1. Bring out a yarn project and tools you already have.
  2. Choose one small section or a few rows.
  3. Spend twenty minutes with it, then leave your place marked for next time. No yarn project? Try a little paper craft instead.
A brown woman drawing in a journal with markers

Make Something

Draw something tiny

A mug, a leaf, a wonky little house. Let it be a drawing, not a masterpiece.

10 minutesAt your tableLow energy
Try this quest
  1. Find a scrap of paper and a marker or pen you own.
  2. Choose one ordinary object and draw it small.
  3. Add a colour or a playful detail. Keep the imperfect bits.
A Black woman with silver curls studying a painting in a museum

Out on Your Own

A museum afternoon

Go slowly. Skip what bores you. Stay with the painting that makes you curious.

An afternoonA local museumMedium energy
Try this quest
  1. Check opening hours, entry arrangements and your walking or transit route.
  2. Choose one gallery rather than trying to see everything.
  3. Pause with a favourite work, then take a break when you want one. Choose a free museum if that suits your day.
A Black woman reading an e-reader beside a café window

Out on Your Own

Take your Kindle to a café

A new window seat, a familiar book, a little time that belongs to you.

An hourA caféMedium energy
Try this quest
  1. Pick a café along an easy walking or transit route.
  2. Bring your Kindle or a book and choose a comfortable seat.
  3. Read a chapter and watch the world a little. Prefer a no-spend version? Bring a drink to a park bench.
Wooden bookshelves and a rolling ladder in a bookstore

Out on Your Own

Wander through a bookstore

Try a shelf you usually walk past. There is no shopping list.

An hourA bookstore or libraryMedium energy
Try this quest
  1. Find a bookstore or library that is easy to reach.
  2. Visit a section you rarely browse and read the first page of three books.
  3. Notice which one stays with you. Browsing is enough; buying is optional.
A brown woman playing a handheld game console on a train

Out on Your Own

Turn a ride into a mini adventure

A familiar route, one new thing to notice, and your book or game along for the ride.

20 minutesMetro or trainLow energy
Try this quest
  1. Use a trip you are already taking and check your stop.
  2. Bring a book or a game for a few quiet minutes.
  3. Look up now and then: notice a building, a view, or a station detail you usually miss.

The person behind the quests

Hi, I'm Danielle.

A few plans. A few detours.

I'm 55, I live alone in the DC area, and I live with ADHD and anxiety. They help shape how I approach a home project, a creative afternoon, or getting out the door. I get around by Metro, trains, and on foot, with my Kindle often coming along.

Here you'll find games, knitting, museum visits, cafés, and the occasional plan that changes halfway through. I like doing things on my own—not everything needs to become a group project. You don't have to live like me to join in.

A little more about me

A few familiar companions

Things that make my quests better

Not a shopping list or a recipe for sorting out my life. Just things I already own that have a place in my day.

My Kindle

For the couch, a café, or a train ride. Sometimes I get through a chapter; sometimes I reread the same page.

Nintendo Switch Lite

For a familiar game after a busy day, or a little play between train stops. No productive reason required.

A small yarn project

For a few rows when I feel like making something. The larger project can wait its turn.

A bag for a day out

For keeping my book and everyday essentials together when I'm out on foot or taking transit.

For brands with a place in everyday solo life

Product stories from my point of view: 55, ADHD, anxiety, and everyday life on my own. Games, creative tools, home comforts, and things that come along for the day.

Work With Me