When I was in high school, I ran on an absurd work ethic, the love and support of my community of fellow nerds, and diet mountain dew. Many thousands of dollars of dental work later (not all caused by soda, a solid half is genetic, sarcastic “thanks parents”, but also a real thank you for paying for the dental work), I realized that maybe I needed to switch to something less acidic. I moved to coke zero, which sustained me through college and for most of my professional career.
Last year, when the world broke, I still had a costco purchased flat of coke zero in my work cabinet (I would put two to three at a time in the kitchen fridge, I’m not trying to hog all the space). When we immediately transitioned to remote work, I started to realize I didn’t want to buy soda in bulk to get it home from the grocery store, which I walk to and from. The costco pallets of soda didn’t fit in our kitchen, and I knew that it was bad for my teeth (also that phenylalanine has been linked to various health issues). So I figured I would become a True Grown Up and switch from soda to coffee.
What I started to realize about coffee is that I’m never going to be a person who cares about the aromas and the flavor profile, but I do enjoy the ritual. I like to spend a few minutes reading my book or doing a puzzle while the water boils and the grounds steep. I’ve even expanded my ritual to include a bi monthly walk to a local coffee shop to buy beans, which feels both like a COVID approved activity and a great way to explore my community. There’s something to be said for making space for rituals in your life – not habits that make you as productive as possible, but rituals that actually enrich your life.
[This story doesn’t have an ending, which I’m beginning to realize will be a common theme in these posts.]
Lani.Tech 