Ok, it’s December. We have a climate crisis, inflation, and are in the middle of a pandemic. (And there are plenty of more things that are even worse). This fall feels much more miserable that the regular fall-blues. That might only be my impression – but most people seem to be more nervous, more aggravated than usual. And the reason for that are not the extremely annoying and loud leaf blowers that seem to be everywhere. The pretty October weather did not help either. Now it is wet, cold, and grey outside.
Adieu tristesse!
So, let’s ask ourselves if everything is really as bad as we perceive it. Of course, the pandemic and the Russian war leave their marks. And yes, money is also getting tight. But can and should that throw us in such black holes? Fear paralyses us. High spirits bring change. And that is why from tomorrow on my mornings are going to start like this again:
I grind my beans with the manual coffee grinder. That is slow, quiet, and smells amazing – and it can almost be done with your eyes still closed. I slowly brew an espresso, froth some milk (ok, by that time I am starting to wake up) and (sigh) the first cappuccino of the day melts in my mouth. In my pajamas. At dawn, around 6:30 am.
By the way: Coffee and its caffeine are really ascribed to have a mood-lifting effect. Supposedly, the reason is that because of the coffee the body releases dopamine, serotonin, and some adrenaline. The preventive medicine physician Dr. Christoph Specht points out though, that the body needs some time for that, and regular consumption is required.
