Coffee Break

Back in the day, when I was going to art school, we had a fifteen-minute break each day at 10:00 in the morning, and another at 2:00 in the afternoon. Our afternoon break was usually just a time to stretch our legs and relax, or run down to the art store for a piece of illustration board. But that morning break was for coffee! While some students brought their own thermos bottles filled with hot drinks, many of us walked around the corner to the pastry shop for our morning brew. The little family-owned bakery was only open until noon each day, but they did plenty of business in the morning! Pots of freshly-brewed coffee awaited us as we walked through the door, and pastries right from the oven tempted us from the display case. I usually got a cup of coffee and two (!) chocolate-covered donuts, and then I took them back to school with me to enjoy in the lounge. The fact that I had to climb the stairs to the third floor several times each day allowed me this indulgence -- these days, it's a cup of java with a small square of dark chocolate.

Our coffee break was a time to sit and chat and get to know each other better. We talked about our boyfriends or girlfriends or spouses. A couple of us showed off our new engagement rings. One student was restoring an old '57 Chevy, and another shared her experience with bipolar disorder. We talked about the latest movies and discussed where we might go for lunch that day. It was small talk, but pleasant for the most part -- a rest from the work we were doing on tedious lettering projects and illustrations.

Now that school is back in session, it is time to get back to some kind of routine. I love having my husband home for summer vacation, but it does disrupt the order of my day. I have forgotten about my resolve to get organized, expressed in my January series, beginning with A New Year, A Fresh Start. (You can click on the "organization" label to the right, to read  my thoughts on getting my home in order.) So as I sip on my coffee and read through those old posts, I think I will give it another try. I will get back to a more structured schedule, work on achieving the goals I have set, and maybe even make some new plans. But one thing's for sure: I will include a coffee break each morning!