Anyway, happy Monday neighbor!

This week marks our first Yap Session of the year, which always feels a bit like the official, “Okay, we’re really doin’ this” moment. We’re stoked to be back with new stories, and another chance to sit down with folks who make this city feel alive!

And as if that weren’t enough, we’re also buttonin’ up the details for our upcoming birthday shindig. Pull up a chair, ‘cause we’ve got updates to share!

As always, we’ve added a fresh track to this week’s issue purely for vibes as you read. Click the radio below before ya start reading if you wanna listen!

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Got somethin’ cookin’ that the Scenic City oughta know about?

Tell us all about it with our new and improved events form, or just reply to this email with your event details and we’ll go from there!

If ya missed last week’s issue, we were in the middle of plotting and scheming a little get-together to celebrate one whole year of Chattynooga. Well, after pullin’ some strings and calling in some favors, we were able to secure us a spot! Thanks to the folks at BeCaffeinated, we’ve got the whole dang patio to ourselves at their Northshore location!

As of right now, details are as follows:

Note: If ya already RSVP’d from last week’s issue, we already gotcha down, so no need to double dip (LOOKING AT YOU MEEMAW).

We look forward to seeing you around! We’ll touch base closer to February so we ain’t boggin’ ya down with our party stuff.

If you’ve ever driven down Dayton Pike while thinkin’ to yourself, “I REALLY wish there was something fun I could do around here besides doin’ donuts in the Soddy-Daisy Walmart parking lot,” well neighbor… I’ve got news that might just hit the bullseye and save you a bit of gas.

Tucked away inside a cozy warehouse conversion off Industrial Park Drive in Soddy-Daisy is Evolution Archery, Chattanooga’s very first indoor archery range. It’s run by a fella who genuinely believes that if you start with passion and being open to trying something new, folks will find their way to it.

That person is Alex Edwards, and after sittin’ down to yap with him for a spell, I can confidently say that if you’ve ever had a hankering to try learning archery, or just wanna let some arrows fly for an hour, he’s the one you’ll wanna talk to.

Alex didn’t set out to build some intimidating, chest-puffin’ “pros only” kind of space. No siree bob, quite the opposite actually. Evolution Archery was born from the idea that there’s a whole lotta kids, teens, and grown-ups alike who don’t quite fit into the usual sports or hobby mold (I mean I’m writin’ a newsletter for crying out loud), but they still deserve a place to move their bodies and learn somethin’ new while feeling like they belong at the same time.

Archery, as Alex puts it, is an individual sport with a built-in community. You’re focusing on your own target, but you’re doing it alongside other folks who are cheerin’ on progress made that day instead of sizing you up.

Inside the range, you’ll find lanes that stretch out to a full 20 yards, the standard competition distance, which means beginners and seasoned shooters alike are learnin’ on common ground (no problem if you wanna start at ten yards though!). It may’ve been just ‘cause I got there right when they opened, but the lack of music in such a large place added to the calm and focused experience of it all. Nothin’ fancy, just you and the satisfying thwack of your arrow hitting the target like Robin Hood minus the tights.

Tights visualizations aside, if you’re sitting here thinkin’, “Bubby, I ain’t never held a bow in my life,” Alex would probably grin and say, “Perfect.” Evolution Archery is set up for newcomers first. Rental bows are available with quick instructions baked into the experience, and nobody’s gonna look sideways at you for asking weird questions because I already asked the weirdest ones I could think of. That said, the whole point is to try, adjust, and try again.

What really stuck with me was how intentional he is about kids and families. Evolution Archery has already become a favorite spot for homeschool families, especially since archery can even count toward Tennessee physical education requirements. Alex sees it as a chance to give kids somethin’ structured with social and confidence-building skills without the pressure cooker that sometimes comes with traditional sports.

Pricing’s refreshingly straightforward too. Range time runs $15 per hour, with that rental equipment available at an additional cost, which makes it one of those rare activities you can actually try without your wallet begging for mercy before pulling out your debit card. Whether you wanna pop in solo, bring a kiddo or two, or even have a unique corporate outing with your work pals, they’ve made it approachable by design.

Alex’s long-term hope is to keep growin’ this thing steady and right by the community he’s been apart of his whole life. More youth programs and homeschooling hours, memberships with 24-hour access to the facilities, and they’re currently in the process of building a second floor for folks looking to practice during hunting season can have a tree stand angle. Our pal Sensei David even hosted a free Tatsumaki swordplay class yesterday! Above all else, he just wants folks to walk through their doors and think, “Dang, that was actually a fun time.”

What Evolution Archery offers Chattanooga isn’t noise or short-lived novelty, but space: Space to breathe, learn, and miss a few times without feelin’ foolish.

It’s a reminder that community don’t always show up in uniforms and grandstands at the big game. Sometimes it’s you and your lane, and good friends encouragin’ you to “thwack that thang” as I always say.

Well folks, we are officially twelve days into 2026. Anyone else exhausted already? Between the weather, the news, and whatever the heck my sleep schedule has been up to, I am plum tired!

But never fear, because I’ve got a solution to avoid crashing out like season one Joyce Byers this year (side note, I don’t even want to talk about the Stranger Things finale unless you’re still talking Conformity Gate… in which case, I’ve got thoughts).

You may recall that last week I wrote about my New Year’s resolution, which was to cook more. Well, I’m at it again this week with resolution number two. A life-hack of a resolution, if you will. And it’s called… ✨SELF CARE.✨

Okay, okay, I know what you’re thinking. Everyone and their granny’s been talking about self care for basically forever. But lemme ask you something. Are you actually doing it? Like every day, on purpose, going out of your way to take extra special care of yourself??

That’s what I thought. Me either! Because I’m too dang busy! So every day I’m doing something big or something small just for me. I’m talking bubble baths with twelve candles lit. Hot chocolate for breakfast, even though I know the sugar will have me yappin’ Bubby’s ear off incessantly all day. Totally worth it. I’m making time for things that make me happy, too! Like reading. I didn’t reach my reading goal last year and that’s a-okay. I’m four books into my 2026 goal, though! And boy, it feels good!

So if you need someone to tell you this, I (Clementine McBride) hereby give you, (your name here), permission to take care of yourself like never ever before this year! Rest! Adventure! Play! Treat yo’ self! Make this year the best because YOU deserve the best!

And with that, I am off to find a face mask and a jar of pickles to snack on. Maybe I’ll slap on an audiobook and get started on book number five. You take it easy, Chattanooga!

Between kickin’ off our first Yap Session of the year and finally settlin’ the plans for our birthday celebration, it’s feelin’ like a great kickoff to the year so far. None of this happens without y’all showin’ up and being part of the conversation.

So mark your calendars, tell a friend, and keep that porch spirit close. We’ll see you soon, whether it’s at the shindig, in a reply to this email, or right back here next week.

— Bubby & Clementine