Caffeine

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Caffeine-the way so many of us begin our days, with a strong cup o'joe.  I like mine black-no cream, no sugar, nada.  The first sip is always the best one-sometimes the second, depending on how hot the coffee is.  Sometimes I will pour a cup, set it down, get distracted, and come back to it a few minutes later and it's not as hot as I would like.   Life is complicated enough-why make coffee complicated?

I have seen it done-so many times.  "I would like a grande, non-fat, sugar-free mocha, with two pumps of mocha, one pump of vanilla, half-caf latte."  Shew-that is a mouthful.  It almost sounds like a complicated mathematical equation.  I was at a coffee shop one day in line behind a few people who placed orders just like this one.  When it was my turn, I ordered just a black coffee.  The barista pulled out her "Easy" button and with a laugh I happily slapped that sucker.  I know coffee can be a serious thing-but it is just coffee.

Some people's caffeine fixes vary.  From Red Bull to Mountain Dew, Diet Coke to espresso-which if made right with a pack of raw sugar is delicious.  Others prefer breakfast tea or green tea.  Some love Starbucks while others prefer locally grown organic blends.  From Maxwell House to Folgers, Dunkin' Donuts to Millstone.  Some people do not drink anything caffeinated.  They do save money and maybe some time waiting for it all to brew, but I love it.  It is fun to go out with a friend for a coffee-or whatever floats your boat.  It is relaxing to sit with a cup and read a book or watch television while enjoying a cup of java.  Interesting the dichotomy there.  Something that is a stimulant is used to relax.

Hmm.  Maybe it is more complex than I thought.

Looking...

During the Christmas season, I find myself becoming nostalgic.  Many times, this begins several weeks before and continues until well after Christmas ends.  Remembering times from my childhood, people that have passed on, when my kids were little.  I love seeing old decorations once again, hearing music, looking at photographs.  I know that Christmas is over, but it seemed to go in a blur this year.

Now that things have slowed down a bit and everyone seems to be able to relax(knock on wood), the nostalgia has kicked back in.  There are times I find myself putting my grandparents and great-grandparents names into the Google search bar just to see what I can find.  I feel like I am trying to find them, like they have become lost. To find out things about them that I perhaps did not know.  I was lucky enough to have known my great-grandparents.  My great-grandmother passed away when I was almost twenty-seven.  My oldest daughter was born on her birthday.  She was one of the most beautiful people I have ever known.  I still look for her.

I think in a way, I am looking for pieces of myself.  I have found things about them all on-line.  Very strange.  And wonderful at the same time.  I think, "Why didn't anyone tell me that?"-but in finding them, I find out more about me.  The harder I look, the more I realize that I do not have to look far at all.  They are always with me-guiding me, steering me in the right direction.  Having a good laugh from time to time.  They have never really left at all.

I think about them with fondness, although I wish I could have known them all as an adult-to ask advice, about their lives, their childhoods, what their families were like.  Maybe one day, I will find out all of those answers, until then, I will be looking.

Year Two

This is officially the second year of my little blog, "EscapeHomeDaily".  Pretty cool and I can not believe a year has gone by already.  So much has happened-some good, some not so good, but always interesting.  I made one resolution this year, to get healthy.  I have already started eating better and drinking more water and have seriously cut my coffee intake.  This may be the hardest part of the whole thing.  I know that I will not cut out coffee entirely-I love it too much.

The getting healthy resolution has been one that I have made every year for the past, oh, fifteen years or so, but sometimes something can happen in your life to wake you up and slap you across the face and tell you that you are not getting any younger.  This is that time.  I look forward to the challenge and the results that can only be beneficial to me.

I would like to have my children's book published.  That is a HUGE thing for me.  I love the story and believe in it too much to give up on it.  Have you ever seen sales people that are REALLY good sales people and thought, "I could never do that.  I just don't think I have what it takes to sell like that."  I thought that way too until I wrote my story and spoke with a publisher.  Just that was enough to really make me believe that other people may want to read my story.  And so, I will not give up until it is published.  Period.

I know a new year always makes me want to clean out my house.  I have written about that a lot-so I am pretty sure it is something that will always need to be done.  Goodwill, here I come!  I did some cleaning out today and marking of items that need to go-maybe a yard sale this year?  I think I will be patient this time around and not make a huge pile of stuff in my dining room.  Just mark the items to go to the sale and bring them out when it is time.  We'll see.

My other goals are to work more-yes, I did say that, read more, be outside more, and relax more.  But health is my main goal.  For myself and my wish for everyone.

So here's to Year Two of my little ole' blog.  She has been fun to write.

Cheers and best wishes in 2012-make it the best yet!