This morning, it was -48° with wind chill in Bismarck, ND. The walk from my car to my school actually felt like I couldn’t breathe. We moved here 12 years ago, and I still wonder sometimes why I live in a place that makes my face hurt and my nose hairs freeze. I am trying to psych myself up to put gas in my car on the way home from school. I decided to look for an image that makes me feel warm and cozy. A Book and a Coffee by Rahime Gül gave me that vibe.
Before I became a teacher, I was a barista at a small local coffee shop in Scranton, PA. I loved working there because I got to learn how to do latte art and create my own specialty drinks. However, my favorite part was coming in early in the morning and choosing the background music for the day. I would create the best coffee shop playlist and then hook up my iPod to the sound system. This was the early 2000s, so it was mostly Jack Johnson and Norah Jones with some John Mayer and Sufjan Stevens trickled in.
Closing my eyes while listening to “Gloss Maestro” by Robbero and imagining that I am slowly sipping a mug of hot coffee will give me the serotonin boost I need to put my life in harm’s way while I pump gas this afternoon.
A Book and a Coffee by Rahime Gül, Pexels, Public Domain
“Gloss Maestro” by Robbero, CCMixter, Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 (CC BY 3.0)
Hi Christy,
I loved Sufjan and Jack Johnson while I was growing up. Do you like Bismarck despite the cold? Also, what made you choose FSU since you’re living so far from Florida? Maybe you’ll have to take a trip down because the winters here aren’t too bad at all! We freak out when we get snow.
I liked the pairing you chose; it gave me the exact feeling you were describing and trying to evoke.
Hello again, Christy!
While reading your post and viewing the photo you chose I had a very serene feeling, but then once I played your audio I started to feel a party energy! The combination of the two definitely evoked a new feeling, and it gave me a little serotonin boost as well. I enjoyed hearing about your fond memories of working as a barista as well!
Hi Christy, your post really describes the setting you live in and your ideal space very well! Do you have any experience writing? You are a very talented writer. The audio and image you chose to pair together really does evoke the feeling of a coffee shop in the early 2000s. I would really enjoy seeing the coffee shop playlist you used to play as a barista. It sounds great!