My Top 10 Morning Eye-Openers

Sunrise, 1965 Art Print
Roy Lichtenstein
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Ritual. A word I thought for a long time only applied to church. How wrong I was. Once I accepted the importance for me of ritual, I became a better person. Ha! That sounds weird. But, it's true.

Morning coffee ritual traverses sleep to wakefulness: Boiling water. Measure the beans or grounds out of the container. And, in my case, take down the coffee press. Scoop the coffee into the press then wait a few minutes for the water to become hot. Then, pour the steaming water over the coffee.

Find little things to do for 60 seconds - pet the dogs, straighten the counter top. Inhale. Exhale.

Press. Pour. Add cream. Sit. Aahh....

I can make it fine with or without lunch. If I've had a long day, I might eat a snack at night. Or, something frivolous like french fries on top of a salad.

But, breakfast is a different matter. Usually an egg and toast and orange juice. That egg makes a huge difference in my mental acuity and physical endurance. Cereal is ok. But, cereal and toast is more than I want. Cereal without toast is not enough.

Often I make french toast if I want a change from the old standby, egg with toast. Egg and a biscuit is yummy. But, too many of those and I have too much tummy.

The Window Forget Me Knots

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Taurus, Orion and GeminiFramed Art Print
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I'll tell you how the Sun rose --
A Ribbon at a time --
The Steeples swam in Amethyst --
The news, like Squirrels, ran --
The Hills untied their Bonnets --
The Bobolinks -- begun --
Then I said softly to myself --
"That must have been the Sun"!
But how he set -- I know not --
There seemed a purple stile
That little Yellow boys and girls
Were climbing all the while --
Till when they reached the other side,
A Dominie in Gray --
Put gently up the evening Bars --
And led the flock away --

Famous Poets And Poems - A large collection of Poems and Quotes from famous Classical Poets. Read and Enjoy Poetry!

John & Barbara...
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It's far easier to remember to put something on my calendar than it is to refer to it when making plans. Don't you hate it when you see something big as life on your calendar the day after you were supposed to do something!

If I keep the habit of checking it every morning, then I know what's coming. I use a calendar on my computer desk top that is tied into my email. Whenever an event I want to attend comes up in email that has a date, I just click it and it shows up on my calendar.

If someone calls to ask me to do something, I open my calendar right then and plug it in. Or, not.

I usually do this at my desk while I'm looking at the calendar. I ask myself what it is I need to emphasize the most for that day. I know if I am going to be able to concentrate my best thinking, it had better get done before noon. So, that get placed first.

Sometimes it's easy. If there's a deadline, that in itself adds to the degree to which I focus on one task or project. I have such a tendency toward aversion tactics, sometimes I think prioritizing is a lost cause. But, if I didn't at least write down priorities I wouldn't even know when to pat myself on the back for getting with the program. Setting a schedule with priorities and categories of importance, lets me know when I'm as productive as I want to be, or, when a new project has taken over.

As soon as I complete my eye-opener routine, I start writing. Or, if I'm not feeling focused, I read articles online that relate to what I'm working on that day.

I have quite a list of connections online and in real time. I don't go for the hundreds upon hundreds of so-called "friends" networks, but I do constantly want to find others interested in the things I care about. Encourage them. Welcome them if it's a new participant at some Squidoo Neighborhood. And, try to make people feel important who share my interest, online or in real time, in Emily Dickinson poetry.

I lead a Emily Dickinson International Society interest group that meets twice a month to talk about Dickinson poems. It's just like a group online. Staying in touch means a lot.

Go for a walk - early. Really early.

Exercise, yes. Healthy, yes. Those reasons alone would probably not get me dressed and out on the sidewalks and "woodsy trails" first thing. To me, there's nothing to compare with that feel on my skin of morning air. Nothing so intoxicating as breathing the new combinations coming to life before car fumes and sun on pavement and buildings.

I've also noticed people are friendlier in the a.m. Sometimes my dogs and I like to stay close to home, relatively. Other days the urge to take a bike trail into ridiculously far-off scenes cannot be denied. I never know what other early birds will be out and about.