I remember the first cappuccino I ever had. It was long before there were Starbucks stores on every corner. A friend who had lived in Europe introduced me to the frothy delight and I was immediately hooked. That year for Christmas my siblings helped me further my newfound passion by giving me a coffee maker, manual coffee grinder and a pound of gourmet beans. In college, I became known for my delicious coffee and open door; people were always stopping by for coffee and commenting on how good it tasted. To this day I only use whole beans and grind them just before I make coffee. It has become more than a passion, it is a ritual, a necessary beginning to my day. I only drink three cups: I need
When the Addiction challenge was posed, I was in Houston. Standing in front of the masterpieces from around the world and thinking about the word, I feel uneasy. Suddenly, there are so many thoughts going through my brain. They are so diverse and complicated that I need time to find out what I am inextricably addicted to. Honestly, I don’t know what my addiction is till now because I am greedy. However, there is one thing that I must do every single day, namely, observing and recording nature. It has become my joys of life! Thank you, Sue, for the challenge topic. It is an opportunity for me to explore something that I have never thought of.
My youngest is in middle school, having grown up in the age of the internet. A few nights ago, my family and I attended a school assembly called "Screenagers". The theme of the assembly was digital technology and how it affects our lives. We enjoy our smart phones, laptops, tablets, digital home assistants (?) and video games, but there are drawbacks to spending so much time looking at screens. One of those drawbacks is the risk of addiction. Constant monitoring of our phones (splitting our attention) actually causes brain fatigue and interferes with our ability to think and learn. As a parent, it's my job to set limits and help provide a healthy balance for my kids. But who will set MY lim
Planet Earth, seen from an airplane, is full of lines. Rivers are what come to mind first; and Somerset, the county where I live in England, is full of winding rivers. I chose the River Parrett as my inspiration, and loosely interpreted the area around it. This piece shows the section where the river meanders north-west to Bridgwater Bay, the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the River Severn. The lowlands along the coastline have been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, and the Bridgwater Bay National Nature Reserve is based there. The area consists of extensive areas of mudflats, sandbanks, reed beds and saltmarshes, attracting a large number of birds and also some rare p
Challenge word is : addiction. When I hear the word 'addiction' I normally associate it with harmful practices such as substance abuse, smoking or alcoholism. However thinking more broadly about my daily life and routine, I feel I am addicted to a number of things, that, if I don't have them regularly, make me grumpy! I don't want to name these things as I don't want to influence your thinking about addiction. I challenge you to look at positive aspects of what your addiction is. ADDICT- devote, apply habitually, oneself, one's mind, to a pursuit.
