Coffee Talks

"Staten Island + San Francisco = Statencisco" - Jess

"Drink Up." - Erin

Thankful Thursday...er Friday

(source)

After coming off of my funk from missing my best friend and NYC combined with the punch in the gut news that I received in the middle of the week, I am starting today with a new foot forward.  This week I have spent a lot of time reflecting and my mind keeps wandering back to one simple notion.

 Ego vs Gratitude vs Society.

If there was ever a microcosm of todays society that lived and breathed and sustained it would be New York City.  The amount of 'daily lives' that buzz around that city are unreal, yet there was an underwhelming sense of gratitude and human connection being shown.  As a matter of fact I was laughed at by my best friend and her husband about how kind and happy I was towards the locals.  Truly, it's just second nature to me now.  You treat people kind and fair.  You give that stranger an extra second to say hello.  An excuse me on the subway can prevent ruining someones train ride.  A gentle touch and warm glance can provide that much needed human connection.  Celebrating someone for just being can be one of the most rewarding gestures.  Now I must side note here....I don't want you guys to think that I am some sort of freak who went around the city with a cheesy smile pasted on my face, touching every stranger, and making small talk with every passer by...they have a special name for people like that...it's called crazy.  Instead I just continued my daily practice of showing people that 'I cared' in a place where no shits are given about the person next to you.

All of this thinking about a lack of human connection and perception of down right anger makes me think.  What causes people who are by nature supposed to be happy, to be so unhappy?  I have gone back and forth on this weighing out the possibilities of 'why', and it really boils down to one thing.  Ego.  We are trapped in a reality where people have a tendency to believe that their problem are the most important. Their shit stinks more than your shit.  They have had a harder day. And here's where the Ego really kicks in.....NONE of this is their fault.  The professional Ego centric maniac has no problem passing all of that blame of their own hardships right onto someone else's plate.  Anyone else's to be frank.  Where does all of this lead us?  In my opinion, downfall.  I truly believe that living an Ego centric life is the downfall of society.  And you can scale that 'society' on many different levels, it could be a family society, work, community, city, country, ect. In short if you live on the top of your ivory tower thinking that the reason that you shit stinks is due to everyone around you, at some point everyone is going to get tired of smelling your shit and move on.

The moral of this increasingly long winded story is this.  If you choose to be Ego centric that is your prerogative but know this, you are choosing a life of solitude and your microcosm of society will crumble around your shity smelling pedestal.  If you decide that that life stinks then you must remove your head out of your own ass and choose to live a life of gratitude.  I choose that life. 

Reconnect with the human connection.  Be grateful and Inspire.

Coffee Talks

"Just another day doing crazy shit in NYC" -Jess & Erin

Thankful Thursday

As I sit here at the crack of dawn, blurry eyed and not quite awake,

I can't help but watch those around me. 

Everyone here is headed for the same adventure to a far away place.

While none of our adventures will be the same.

Those sitting at my gate are obviously headed to the same destination as I am, 

but how similar will our journey's be?

The man next to me grumbles under his breath 

as I politely greet with with a smile and good morning.

He's dressed in a suit so I assume he's headed to New York on business.

His forehead is creased with lines of stress and a life of disgruntled behavior.

He seems angry.

Maybe he's upset that he has to sit next to some purple haired smiling freak.

Maybe he's mad at his secretary for scheduling such an early flight.

There's the lady half way down the terminal who is toting way too much luggage for just one person

and trying to wrangle up her two small children.

I can't help for a minute to be thankful that I am not traveling with the boy today,

and in the next second am cursing myself for not jumping to my feet to go help her.

People all around her are just staring in hopes that they won't be "stuck"

near her on the plane I am sure.

Across from me is an elderly couple.

They are holding hands while they wait to board the plane.

They haven't stopped staring at me.

I can only imagine what they are thinking.

Judgment.

It's funny to me that there is so much judgement today.

Because I look like a Crayola box exploded on me I must be a terrible irresponsible person.

I just smile.

Knowing that I am a wonderful person.

I am secretly waiting for the opportunity to prove their judgments wrong.

I have so much to be grateful for.

I am about to see my favorite lady.

My husband surprised me with the amazing trip.

And that's just what's happing right this very minute.

Recognize the moments in your life that deserve it.

The food and nourishment in your belly.

The roof over your head and the people that make up your individual community.

That stranger sitting next to you.

All of these things may have something to offer you 

if you take the moment to see the gifts inside of them.

Coffee Talks

"Nothing like a vintage hair piece to make you laugh!" - Erin

"Momma Dukes, Cools as a Cuke!" - Jess

Coffee Talks

"it's going to be a really big mug kinda day!" -erin

"a couple of old gals, side by side" - jess

Coffee Talk

So as I promised for 2013, I have many new things happening here on the old blog.  I am so excited to introduce to you the first of a few new projects, called 'Coffee Talk'.

It's no secret that I miss my best friend so much it hurts sometimes.  When we lived right down the street from each other we would meet at my house or hers for coffee talks.  We would spill our guts, share stories about our families, offer advice, laugh, and cry, all the while enjoying a shared pot of coffee.

We are now separated by 1,230 miles, and I desperately miss our coffee talks.  I miss knowing all the small details that are going on in her daily life.  I miss her laughing at me stupid jokes.  I miss drinking so much coffee with her that we both get the jitters.  I miss her.  We still talk regularly, but it's not the same.

But now!!!! Every Friday morning our coffee talks will resume.  We have pledged to take one photograph before noon while having our coffee, and share them with each other, and here with you.

SO... With no further ado.... our first 'Coffee Talk'....

'Emma found C' - Jess

'Robots are watching ME' - me