The Coffee Bribe

 When we roadtrip, our goal is to leave the house by 10 a.m.. This is because Hubby knows that coffee motivates me. If we leave after 10 a.m., I will have had my coffee so there is no incentive for me to go anywhere. I'm perfectly content to be where I am. 

But Hubby knows he can bribe me to action by offering to buy me a coffee for the road. If I'm packed and ready to go by 10 a.m., he'll stop at the nearest coffee joint so I can get a cup for the ride. Sometimes, the bribe is to go earlier than 10 a.m. with a stop an hour or so into the drive for a coffee. No matter, as long as I have coffee by 10 a.m.. 

He knows what's best for him.

Hint to any future employers: Coffee also functions well as a bribe at work. I do good work. I am motivated by an "atta girl" but I'll do almost anything for a coffee gift card. (Cash works, too, but just so you know, you can get a lot of good work out of me with just coffee.)

I'm always upfront about this with employers but they think I'm joking. To be clear, I am not joking. Buy me a coffee and see what happens!

Well, hire me first. (Individual tax prep is my specialty, if you're wondering. I'm good with general office work, too.)

Darn it! My cup is almost empty. That means I have to go do something.

Argh. Too bad I don't have another coffee.

Coffee Break is my favorite time of day.

 Maybe you already know this about me, but I like coffee. 

That being said, you might ask, what am I breaking from? I answer, does one need a reason for a coffee break?

My day goes like this:

• 
  Wake up
• Walk
• Breakfast
• Take a coffee break

While that doesn't sound like the kind of schedule that would require a break, I always look forward to a homemade latte. I love making it and I love savoring it. 

Lately, I've been using my coffee break as a time to do an insanely difficult puzzle (like the new Killer Sudoku from the LA Times website). It's mentally stimulating (in a challenge-your-brain sort of way) but it is arguably a huge waste of time (meaning it's totally non-productive).

The thing is, I can easily list a dozen things I ought to be doing but nothing that has a deadline which is a problem for me. I can just as easily put off everything on the list.

Coffee Break is a wonderful time to write, as I'm doing now. It's also the perfect time to call a loved one to check in and connect.

The biggest problem is this: The worst time of the day is when Coffee Break is over.

Now I have to get back to doing ... something.

Happy Birthday to Me!

This year, I got exactly what I wanted. 

I got up this morning and walked four miles (round trip) for my free coffee at Starbucks. Size: Fill it to the top, please!

I told the barista that I had contemplated bringing my Happy Birthday helium balloon bouquet with me on this birthday coffee trek. He wasn't too sure how to respond to that so he just smiled at me nervously and said, "Next in line?"

Both there and back, I contemplated all that I have to be grateful for. Life itself, for one. I'm soon to be four years cancer free. That's pretty awesome. I'm thankful for that every day. I'm married 37 years (to the same person!) and I have a beautiful family. 

But what really amazes me is the love that surrounds me today. It's hard to describe because it's really there every day. People lean in to whisper I love you. Some with simple words. Some with many, many words (you know who you are). The effect is the same. I feel touched. Seen. Loved. How can I not feel grateful?

3.7 miles, total elevation gain 1,957 ft.

I'm grateful for what my body allows me to do every day. Like this, for example: 

I bought new shoes (after 1,250 miles on my last pair), tickets to a play, a new skirt (recently), and made reservations for dinner at my favorite sushi restaurant. I treated myself to a facial and painted my toenails. I might get crazy and paint my fingernails as well. There's a Diabolical level Sudoku waiting for me plus a new book to read.

I've had greetings in multiple languages, from multiple countries, and my husband made me breakfast (and cleaned it up!). 

All of it, it's honestly more than I could have wished for. But I'm glad that I have it. And I'm thankful for everyone who shared in it with me. Thank you.