coffee Tag

the next big thing

It’s happening.

The next big thing

There’s more than coffee brewing over here on this Blue Lollipop Road! The doors blew off my life last week. Big time. I AM SO EXCITED. I am also determined to help you blow up the things in your life that aren’t working by constantly blowing up things in mine that aren’t, and sharing them here with you.

After boogying for about 10 hours over the holiday weekend in the mountains at a big ol’ blast of a life celebration, this summer’s ride is soon on it’s way to catch some waves, a lot of fresh perspective, and a new passport stamp, far south. After that, road tripping north will be the game, to where this all began. We can never forget where we came from.

There’s no time for anything but living my friends! Get clear on what matters to you, take all your filters off, and respect the clock.

#BlowUpYourLife #TodayIsTheDay #HopToIt

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what road will you choose for 2017?

I think I’ll take this one:

Road

…this one:

Feast

…this one:

Spanish treats

…this one:

Sunshine in Segovia

…and lots of others like these, because:

Don't wait

We wake up each day and have one of two CHOICES:

1.) Ignore the clock.

2.) Honor the clock.

None of us can beat Father Time, not even those of us with good looks, charm, buckets of money, or who are strong as an ox. While this mighty beast of a timekeeper has full control, holding his finger on the button that decides whether we are here or gone, the one thing he cannot control is what we do with the minutes we’re gifted.

Don’t wait. There’s never the perfect or right time for anything in this crazy life. The time is now. Make a toast to honor yourself in this new year, and continue to toast to every day.

As Humphrey Hops says…

“You’re right Skinny Pete, it’s time that I do it. What am I waiting for? I better hop to it!”

#HopToIt #LessWaitingMoreDoingHappyLife #RespectTheClock

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another successful breakfast by schoolhouse maple

Breakfast

…by successful, I mean delicious dips in the warm maple syrup that my friends Jon & Dana Finny make. My mangled because I still can’t get the hang of flipping pancakes properly, still taste amazing, doused in this stuff:

Breakfast

Ahhh…warm fall balcony breakfast mornings.

Thanks Jon & Dana!

You want some? Get some! (Did somebody say holiday gifts?) Drop Jon & Dane a line:
[email protected]
Mmm…

#LessStuffGoodFriendsHappyLife #Nosh #SmallBatch

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adventures in humans

I try not to do this, but I just can’t help it today. Mostly because this has happened twice within a week and on the most extreme level, so I must share…

We all know the scene; “that guy” in the coffee shop. The one just-a-chattin’ away on his cell phone for 20 minutes straight as if he’s in his private office. Not a care in the world, and completely clueless about anything and everything around him.

I’ve come to know “that guy” very well over the years on the road and now in my home base city hopping from coffee shop to coffee shop as my office so often. Once every few weeks there’s a real doozy “that guy” who babbles so loudly on his phone that everyone around him can’t help but to give that evil – ummm, can you PLEASE shut up?! stare. Usually it is kind of funny and entertaining, and I giggle a little or shrug it off thinking, I’m might not be perfect at a lot of things, but at least I’m not THAT guy! 

Yes, I usually just shake my head and laugh, wondering how “that guy”‘s mom didn’t teach him to know better. I’m pretty numb to “that guy” as he seems to be a regular no matter what state I’m in. I do my best to ignore and type away on my computer. This past week however, there was no ignoring. “That guy”- two of them, have been real pieces of work.

This particular Starbucks, one I never come to, I happen to be at today for the second time in 7 days. They must have a sign I missed out front that reads:

Enter here, circus show screamers! Step right up! No rules here! Yell on the phone for an hour about your company sales team! Talk to your coworker at a screech level that reminds us of that scene in in the movie Teen Wolf when Michael J. Fox can hear the dog whistle piercing in his ear! Take your mangled stinky sneakers off and hang out like you’re in your living room! Anything goes! Welcome to the freak show! 

I’m not joking or exaggerating when I say that last week, after a full HOUR of “that guy” in a suit sitting next to me, absolutely screaming (like someone call the police screaming because there must be something wrong screaming) – I could’t take it anymore and had to lean over with a Excuse me sir, um, could you just like- stop, please? You are unbelievably loud. I honestly was so dumbfounded I didn’t even know what to say, and I’m rarely at a loss for words.

He apologized, still on his call, then simply turned to the wall and kept scream-talking!

Seriously.

The fact that Ashton Kutcher didn’t jump out of a plant and tell me I was Punk’d, still baffles me.

And then there’s today.

There sits a man across from me (no shame, straight up in his UPS uniform I might add) who was for his entire stay, talking at about that same scream talk level as the previous guy on one phone, while texting on another. Lunch/lunch bag spread out on the table, full-on lounging like he owned the place, and just chilling out with his shoes off. Nice Gold Toe UPS browns, buddy.

Did I mention he had sunglasses on too? Of course he did. You always need sunglasses sitting inside at a table for an hour. That brought my scene on a full-circle crazy train loop.

No shame UPS

Clueless UPS

I love talking. I love noise. I love animated characters. I love when humans let their freak flags fly. Do I care if people are chatty around me? No. Do I think there should be a SHHH!!! Silence please! This is Starbucks! rule? No. Do I kind of enjoy that life so often feels like I’m in an episode of Candid Camera? Yes. But, still- peeps…can we open up our eyes a little, pretty please? 🙂

A part of me appreciates anyone who lives in this kind of level of la la land. It must be fun there! And I suppose I wouldn’t have funny things to write about if adults didn’t misbehave so much.

Thanks “that guy!” You make chatty, no filter, sassafras girls like me, look so quiet and demure.

#ThePeopleAtStarbucks #EverydayAdventure #NeverADullMoment

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baby it’s cold outside

…but It’s nice and toasty here at one of my favorite places on the planet; The Blue Benn Diner.

27 degree VT – you’ve got nothing on a hot cup of coffee and a counter seat here!

Image

If you ever plan to travel through Southern Vermont, make sure to put this on your list of places to nosh. I’ve probably written about this place now about 100 times. Never gets old and I can never get enough. You will love it that much, too. I promise.

This is my office today. Where do you work?

#LessStuffMoreDinerHappyLife #Travel #Vermont

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“eggs in a creme brûlée dish!”

That’s what I just texted to a friend with this photo, as I giggled:

Breakfast in a new place

That title would actually be a great band name.

Perhaps I will share the story on these eggs and this dish at some point, but for now as I laugh here in my quiet space, I think of the importance of making the most of what you’ve got, and finding the fun and adventure in the little things that might not seem like any kind of adventure at all. That, and the importance of surrounding yourself with people that’ve always got your back.

Thanks, M:)

#Appreciation #Friendship #MakeTheMostOfIt

 

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it’s national coffee day!

All hail to the coffee gods! One of my favorite things. When I was reminded of the DD freebie by my brother, I had to curb my other coffee shop habit for today and come here for morning office time:

BLR Loves Coffee

Here’s a list of spots you can grab a free cup of joe (and more) today, September 29, 2015.

I haven’t had the Dunkin’ Donut in a very long time, but being from the north where I grew up on an occasional strawberry frosted when visiting my Grandpa at the bank he worked at, I had to get one. Makes me smile. Not the healthiest “breakfast” ever, but a good happy memory:

Donuts!

Now if we could just get this company to stop with the styrofoam cups already- they’d be doing something!

If you don’t like coffee, you could just pretend you do for one day- as an excuse to call a friend or family member you haven’t seen in a long time to meet up. Go chat over a cup and tell them how much they mean to you.

#SiezeYourMorning #GetUpAndGo #Coffee

Dunkin' Donuts

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your legacy starts now

Today is the day after Labor Day. A new time, a new beginning, a new season (at least in my mind), and the perfect excuse/motivation/reason to start brand new/over/try again, kick something off, etc.

Hell yes!

I have regular conversations with strangers and friends about how they may have screwed up, missed out on, gotten too deep in, feel too old for … some kind of shift, or complete life overhaul.

Never, my friends, never:

Leaving a Legacy

Today is the day. You can start right now.

Whether you’re 18 or 80, boy or girl, rich or poor, gay or straight, have 1 friend or 100, live in the city or the country, have bookoo bucks in the bank or zero, whether you’re scared shitless or semi-confident, kind of sure, but doubt yourself, whether you feel like the freakiest of freak shows for whatever you desire or the loser-ist of losers, for not knowing even what the first step even looks like- you can figure it out. You can dooooo-eeeeet! I’m not talking self-helpy bullshit you can do it because it will be easy-peasy, I’m talking you can do it BECAUSE YOU ARE ALIVE TODAY, and moreso- why they hell wouldn’t you?

It’s never too late for anything until you’re taking your last breath.

Think about it.

I plan to go down kicking & screaming in the flames of a good fight whether my last day is tomorrow or in 150 years. I’ll be kicking & screaming with delight as I’m doing what I love, sucking every last ounce of awesome out of this world, as I simultaneously feed it back.

Won’t you join me?

This summer of 2015 has kicked my ass to the moon and back. The wrath and fury of a terrorizing beast has pummeled me in the face like it never has before. Thank goodness for family & friends. This season that has taken shit show to a whole different meaning, and has also has reminded me more than ever that people and time are the only things that truly matter.

Do you ever think about that?

If you haven’t already, It’s time to get rid of your stuff. Your physical, financial, and internal “stuff.” The stuff that weighs you down and keeps you from breathing & living what matters to you. Clear out those walk-in closets in your home and in your heart that are chucked full of clutter and crap you don’t want or need, and start waking up everyday to a life you deserve. One where you don’t suffocate yourself or beat yourself up anymore. A life where you’re alive, thrive, and do good things. A life that is authentically you, and that will remind people of your smile, long after you are gone- because you truly lived while you were living.

Jump in. The world needs that mojo you’ve got inside.

What kind of legacy will you leave?

#TodayIsTheDay #ClearingTheClutter #NeverTooLate

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