Coffeehouse Conversation: You Look Normal

Sometimes I'll grab my laptop and venture out of  my house to do some writing. The occasional change of scenery boosts brainstorming and productivity. One recent Friday morning, I went to a local coffeehouse, ordered some sort of mocha something or other and perched myself on one of the stools at a high table. 

As I settled in, a man in his late 50s/early 60s began chatting me up. He sported a black leather cap that was pulled down over his eyes, and for some reason he reminded me of Andy Capp. He sat down at the six-seater table next to me and explained he was saving the table for a local mom’s group that apparently meets there each Friday morning.

"Are you with that group?" he asked.

"No," I replied.

"I didn't think so. You look normal."

I sort of grinned, all the while wondering what in the world that meant. I'll admit it. I got a little thrill from being considered as someone other than a mom. I know, shame on me. I love being a mom (Real Reality), but every once in awhile it's kind of exciting to be regarded in a different light (Ideal Reality). It's like having a secret identity that links me back to my time before I had kids.

Apparently, Andy Capp was a coffeehouse regular because he then showed me how to adjust the blinds to reduce the glare on  my screen, pointing out which blinds worked and which ones were broken. He also let me know that I could move my table a bit so I could lean against the wall if I wanted to, and then let me know the optimal places to sit to work throughout the coffeehouse.

Yep, I love venturing out from time to time. It reminds me how much I enjoy people watching and observing the world.

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing ... Keep It Real.

Living Vicariously

Traveling the world is my Ideal Reality, ya know. But, my Real Reality kept me here. Which is not to say I didn't have a great spring break. I had a fantastic spring break! We spent some time in Minneapolis and just hung out and relaxed.

Anyway ... one of my colleagues went on the trip and smuggled me back a kilo of kickin' Turkish coffee from the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul! He bought it at the most famous coffee shop around. He said the ordering process was similar to that of the Soup Nazi episode from Seinfeld. Wish I could have experienced that (sigh). The tightly-packed coffee grounds resemble cocoa powder. Slugging a cup takes the phrase "hopped up on caffeine" to a whole new level!

Here's to keepin' it real ...

Keurig Vs. Cuisinart

In my ideal reality, my coffee making god looks like this:

Sleek, sophisticated, graceful, independent. The Keurig gives the impression that one has the freedom to leisurely sip coffee at a sidewalk cafe, soaking up sun, eavesdropping on conversations, la dee dah-ing, not a care in the world. After all, with a gazillion little cups of flavor to choose from, the world must truly be the Keurig owner's oyster.

In my real reality, my coffee making god looks like this:

This work of Cuisinart, a 12-cup coffee generator with a built-in bean grinder, was part of my Mother's Day present. Sleek and sophisticated? I think so. But unlike the Keurig, it's built for coffee drinkin'. This baby gives the impression that one is gonna kick come coffee hiney. Heck to the yeah! (Sorry for the hiney and the yeah. I am really trying to stop swearing. Not that I have a sailor's mouth or anything, but we've had some close calls with the peeps. Nothing says Bad Mom like a four-year-old who swears like a sailor).

Perhaps the best part about this machine is that when the grinder kicks in, it sounds like a helicopter is about to land on the roof. Seriously cool. It makes a person sit straight up in bed. At 4:55 am. Which is when I prefer my coffee to perform its percolation.