Friday, October 21, 2011

Update (30 days, surgery)

1) I am currently laid up in bed, under the influence of powerful painkillers, recovering from a minor hernia repair surgery. No big deal, just some mini-chicken-wire inside my abdomen and three incisions.

Painkillers do not mess around. I've been laying around the house, taking the occasional trip outside (around the block, to the back porch, to the market, etc.), and thought I was handling them well. No hallucinations, no fainting -- but today was my first big expedition: to work for a coffee cupping. Cupping, when it's not being used by industry types to ascertain coffee grades and salability, is like a wine tasting for coffee lovers. Ours is led by the informative and entertaining Phil Proteau of Counter Culture Coffee, and it's not a thing to be missed. Unfortunately, cupping also requires a high level of cognition and sensory recognition (does this coffee smell sweet? how sweet? sweet like a muffin or sweet like caramel?).  I was spaced out the whole time, able to focus mostly on staying on my feet and not choking on coffee (cupping involves a powerful inhaling SLURP to aerate the coffee). I hobbled home humbled by the power of Percocet.

Nonetheless, it was good to get out of the house.


2) I listened to a TED talk awhile ago about how doing something new for 30 days can positively impact one's life. So, as I lay here, I'm brainstorming for a good 30-day project for my post-recovery period. Possibilities include:

Create an alternate personality twitter account (inspired by Feminist Hulk)
Take a photo a day
Roast a batch of coffee a day (already pretty close on this one)
Cook something new every day


any suggestions?

1 comment:

Unknown said...

A photo a day. And post them here!

Or, a prayer/psalm a day. SCF is doing a 30-day prayer challenge through the Common Book of Prayer (www.commonprayer.net) in November. Also a good read: David Crowder's "Praise Habit."

Or a poem a day.

And when you've finished your challenge... come visit Swat! We miss you.