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A Coffee State of Mind will go through some structural changes at the end of this year. I have to admit, I’ve had some difficulty finding a consistent footing. I don’t often write about personal things. Some writers focus primarily on personal stuff. I can’t do it. That’s the reason ninety percent of my content is based on a fictitious town called Maple Valley. (Maple Valley is a little town on…

What could you let go of, for the sake of harmony? Period.

What’s your favorite thing about yourself? My absolute favorite thing about myself is my beautiful wife of fifty-one years, and our incredible family.

What are you good at? There are a lot more things I’m not good at. High on the list is being in social situations. With social anxiety, it’s difficult to be comfortable around people outside my family. I would never initiate a party. I’m good at acting like I’m a “people person.” I’m terrible at sports, always have been. I’m not good at caring about the latest anything. I’m not good at…

What does “having it all” mean to you? Is it attainable? Even though we are culturally trained like puppy dogs to follow current trends, buy what ads say we can’t live without, and pay attention to what celebrities are doing, I don’t care about any of it. Having it all has nothing to do with anything someone tells me I need. I already have it all. My lovely wife, and our family. Nothing else…

Do you have any collections? I have a few. Little Gerber Baby Food jars hold tiny screws and hooks my grandfather saved sixty years ago. An old Vernors Ginger Ale wooden crate protects license plates dating from the 40s. My grandfather kept them. Antique wood-working tools have my grandfather’s fingerprints all over them. As for me, I have matchbooks I picked up at restaurants for many…

Do you have a quote you live your life by or think of often? Who cares? So what? What difference does it make?

Have you ever been camping? You really haven’t lived until you’re in a tent, it’s midnight, raining, cold, and only then do you discover the promises of a waterproof tent were lies. Wet sleeping bags do not dry quickly. There’s only one way to dry wet underwear, and that’s on the line between you and the neighbor campers ten feet away. Camping is a blast. Memories float on the hissing sounds of…

Write about a time when you didn’t take action but wish you had. What would you do differently? There are so many stupid things the knowledge I have today would not have allowed me to do many years ago. The impressive HO scale model railroad collection I have today is actually my second. My first model railroad collection started when I was fifteen. I gave the entire collection to a man named…

What makes you nervous? Not much makes me nervous. Public speaking is a piece of cake. We’ve literally performed musically on piano and singing in front of thousands of people. Honest. No problem. Anxiety, however is a different story. I’ve battled with anxiety, social and general, my whole life. Now, in my 70s, it’s worse. The difference is my willingness to say “no” to situations that are…

How do you use social media? By fighting to keep social media from using me.

Describe a random encounter with a stranger that stuck out positively to you. Rather than rewriting a post, here are two links. One is about Chico, a familiar stranger. The other is about a visitor in the neonatal unit where our triplet sons were born. https://readytowritedotblog.com/2022/11/19/chico-the-angel/ https://readytowritedotblog.com/2023/02/06/angel-in-the-nicu/

Describe a decision you made in the past that helped you learn or grow. Thirty-one years of work ended. I went back to school as a fifty-one year old student, the old guy in the room. Student teaching for a year at a very large middle school was a delightful challenge. My 8th grade students are now in their early thirties. I often wonder about them and I hope they’re doing well. A masters…

What is your favorite restaurant? It’s all about the feeling. I would never choose to eat a great meal in a block room with fluorescent lights. I would, however, enjoy a crummy meal in a comfortable place that is warm and cozy. So, I have lots of favorite restaurants.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Loving my wife of sixty-two years, loving our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Oh, and drinking coffee.

What are 5 everyday things that bring you happiness? My wife, our family, coffee, quiet music, and coffee.