Wherever you are at any one moment is where you are meant to be
You go where you must, walk where you must, tread where you must
You chuckle and smile, you sadly shake your head and hurt inside
You love you hate you rage you live and die and laugh and cry
You're every cliché in the book and unorthodoxly quirky
Emotionless as stone, colder than ice
A molten core encased in a crust fathoms deep

So you like cocktails and you like coffee, what are you to do? The simple solution that you may have already thought of is combining the two for a delicious after dinner drink that still has the smoky, bold, and complex flavors of Java. The good news for you to know is that many of these delightful cocktails are something that you can drink within your own home because they are so easy to create. I can think of nothing better than sitting back after a long day and a good meal with a steaming coffee cocktail that will relax me right away.

The idea of combining coffee and alcohol is not entirely new, since I am sure we have all seen the stereotypical  characters in movies that pour bourbon into their black coffee to start the day. That is not specifically what I am suggesting, but instead I am offering you a more creative way to approach combining coffee and alcohol as a sweet treat that is unforgettable. The fun fact about coffee is that pretty much any alcohol is complementary with it, so you just need to pick your poison.

If you are a vodka lover, then you can make a simple Bailey's Espresso Martini, by combining: 

• 2 ounces Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 1/4 ounce Vodka of your choice (I like Grey Goose!)
• 1 shot chilled espresso

All that you have to do is shake these ingredients well in a martini shaker with ice, and pour into a frosted martini glass. This is a completely classy and elegant drink that will be perfect for an evening of entertaining guests, and it is best to garnish it with several espresso beans floating in a martini glass. I have to warn you that you will not be able to stop at just one, so be sure to sip this martini slowly!

Another fun and rich coffee recipe is Keoke Coffee, which uses Kahlúa, Creme de Cacao, and Brandy for a rich after dinner beverage. All you have to do is pour a half a shot of each of the three liquors that I listed above, and fill the rest of your coffee mug up with fresh, hot coffee. It is best to garnish with whipped cream to taste so that your coffee has a sweet flavor, and this is truly a great evening coffee cocktail to enjoy, especially in cold weather.

For those braver souls who really want to take it to the next level with their coffee cocktails, you can actually create coffee infused vodka. All you have to do is crush (not grind) with a spoon a handful of coffee beans, and place them in a jar filled with vodka. Make sure that it is sealed tightly, shake it well, and store it in a cool place like your refrigerator for one week. At that point, all you have to do is funnel out the bean particles, and you have a coffee flavored vodka to enjoy. Get creative, because coffee cocktails are truly on the rise!

Business and professional interests take me on the road often. Required for a lifestyle such as this is a luxurious ride and an extensive database of roadside coffee shops.

7-11 still carries a bad reputation from their truck-stop coffee days but cheap, quick, easily available 24/7 caffeine is always a win in my book. On a trip to a beach, I stopped at the 7-11. Gone was the aroma of hazelnut cream coffee burning on a Bunn hot plate and 32 oz mega cups. Instead, there were 3 pots (Regular, decaf and Dark Roast), and a note when they were brewed. Torani syrups, half-and-half, non-fat milk and non-dairy creamers were available.

The cups impressed me – they felt stiffer than Starbucks cups and didn’t need the cup sleeve. The lids (seen above) have a sliding cover over the drink hole, perfect for minimizing spills in the car and helps to keep the coffee as warm as possible on long drives.

The coffee? Not bad at all — I tried the Dark Roast, and it was freshly brewed – no baked-in coffee flavor. The beans were only slightly darker than their usual coffee, and didn’t have that bitter hit common to cheap coffees laced with Robusta beans. Mild finish, without that “dirty pennies” taste I used to get from their coffee. I’d put 7-11 coffee on par or slightly ahead of Dunkin’ Donuts coffee.

Their coffee is inexpensive, $1.49 for a 16 ounce coffee compared to $1.75 at my local Starbucks. I’ll go to 7-11 and use the quarter I save to feed the meter elsewhere.

By the time I’d gotten over the hill, I’d finished the cup – something I never seem to do with Starbucks or Peets’ coffee. I saw more 7-11s on this trip than I’d seen in years; I suppose a good experience with their coffee removed a blind spot years in the making.

What : 7-11 coffee
Where : 7-11 Stores
$$ : $1.49/16 oz. cup.
Rating : 3 cans.

Here's the emotional guidance scale as per Abraham-Hicks teachings.

Everytime you've ever tried to cheer someone up, they probably couldn't get to where you felt they should be, for the simple reason that emotionally they are so far away from where they need to be, that there is no way they can make it.

Here's the scale.

1. Joy/Knowledge/Empowerment/Freedom/Love/Appreciation
2. Passion
3. Enthusiasm/Eagerness/Happiness
4. Positive Expectation/Belief
5. Optimism
6. Hopefulness
7. Contentment
8. Boredom
9. Pessimism
10. Frustration/Irritation/Impatience
11. Overwhelment
12. Disappointment
13. Doubt
14. Worry
15. Blame
16. Discouragement
17. Anger
18. Revenge
19. Hatred/Rage
20. Jealousy
21. Insecurity/Guilt/Unworthiness
22. Fear/Grief/Depression/Despair/Powerlessness

If you want someone to be happy, they've got to climb out of the level they are at and go to another one first!

Self improvement begins with improving the self. Find that about yourself that you dislike, and seek to erase it. Find that about yourself that you do like, and seek to improve it. Seek after new experiences. Do this and the mind will grow.

As the mind grows the body will improve. Not just the extremes of our capabilities, but also the art of our motion, the visual poetry of our daily lives will increase the beauty of living. Our speech and our writing shines light into what we are, what we have made ourselves into. How elequoent we are, how expressive our music playing, our mastery of the brush and pigment, the hammer and chisel, all speak volumes about who the person is that created the thing.

As the nature of the mind comes to exist through the actions of the body, the character of the mind comes through the word. We are easily entranced by the melody of speech, by the expression of the thought that occurs at the moment of the event, by the telling of what happened, by the passion of the story teller. We seek out always those that can speak an idea with art and precision.

To tell the truth, and does so in a way that says more than the mere definition of the words says. My ideas written, brought to exist for those that come after. Wondering what lessons, stories, events can I write about that will hold true in times ahead. Reading what others have written, hearing there voice alive once again.

With my mind and body I will not only have knowledge of what will be from my knowledge of what is and what has been, but I will know what actions to take, what words to say to create around me the environment that I desire.

I desire an environment that allows me to achieve my full potential.

I haven't smoked much and my craving is starting to level out into nothing but an after-dinner habit, but those are the only two positive things I have to mention. Despite how much better I feel physically, things are looking bleak to a degree I've only ever experienced back in 2004 and had subsequently hoped to avoid. I knew that wasn't realistic, though. I've sort of come to grips with the fact that 2004's problems may have just been the beginning of something really bad that happens every 4 years or so, but it seems that this isn't necessarily the case. It really just seems like everything is gone. Everyone is gone.

I drive around everywhere and think about all the experiences I'd once had at each place. I can remember for only half a second what the world looked like back then, but the only thing I can truly seem to recall continuously is that those days are gone and they'll never fucking be back. Never. Its the only thing that's constant is this reminder that whatever solace I had at one point can not ever be apprehended again. And I've basically said OK, no big deal. I don't need nonstop beauty or positive experiences. That wouldn't be realistic at all, so I can deal with this. But, the truth is that I can't. I feel like I'm rotting every time I look at myself and my situation. In every aspect, I feel like I've just entered this vacuous place....and have not, no matter how hard I've tried, ever been able to leave.

I wasn't certain that I'd attend the Spilled Ink show, but when I got home Wednesday night after seeing them and two other opening bands, I was actually very glad. It was a good experience. I'd only ever heard the band once and, liking it initially, figured as much would occur, but it would be a lie if I said that the band was the only reason worth attending. The band was the impetus for sure, but the crowd gathered there was quite nice as well. You can be certain that within every crowd you'll find a nuisance arise here and there, but it won't completely soil a generally good experience. I caught up with a bunch of people I hadn't hung out with in a long time. The conversations were superficial, but the music did well to accommodate them and make the things we talked about seem a little more worthwhile, even as they might have just been small talk, which I'd ordinarily avoid.

I felt good that night, but I wasn't able to fall asleep before 7am, so I stayed awake since I'd planned on attending Safa's Psychological Anthro class in the morning, which went by rather quickly. I guess the only problem is the fact that its a class and I have to sit through paper discussions and other school-related stuff, but the content really made up for it. I'm actually pretty surprised that this sort of thing is being taught at the university as it's much more intuitive than anything I've ever heard discussed in a classroom setting. I'm also happy to admit that the chairs in the class are really comfortable. A definite bonus.

I actually raised my hand twice and said some things, but I'm not sure if they were on the same wavelength as the class since I hadn't seen the film that they were discussing. It turned out that two familiar people were in the class. One was Stacy, Blake's girlfriend, which was pretty neat, but I have had a class with her previously, so it wasn't as unusual as the next familiar person I saw. When Safa was going around the class and asking people which topics they would be doing for their research papers, I heard a deep monotone voice pompously blurt "I'd like to do the one on Corporate Violence." Kaveh said, "Ok, great. Aaand, what's your name?"

"Donovan"

It wasn't hard to hold in my laughter, but the more he raised his hand and spoke, the more difficult it became until the very end of class, where I was absolutely certain that he'd recognized me. Unfortunately, I didn't say anything to him, but I'm sure I'll have an opportunity at some point, which should be about as enlightening as our previous discussion we had at IHOP some time in 2005.

I guess I won't say anything about that night, though, since at that point he'd claimed to have already completed a degree in psychology.

I went to stay with a friend last month during an overseas trip.
Well, what could be his favourite drink? =)

Wishing everyone a very Happy New Year 2010.
Have fun, be safe. Drink coffee when you get the hangover.

For anyone who has a day-job I am sure that they will somewhat share my sentiment when I say, "I hate Mondays."

It is the start of the week, and the start of a new array of problems with a new array of people. I am very convinced that the IQ of the products that come out of the factory of teacher's colleges drop for every year that passes. This is generally what happens when school boards throw teachers into teaching music for the simple fact that they took piano lessons when they were FIVE! Ludicrous reasoning usually comes from the top of the corporate food chain, and this is something that makes my blood boil.

So, I cannot fault the idiots for being idiots, for they were probably appointed by idiots who are unable to spot an idiot even if an idiot bit them in the face. In short everything is run by the upper hierarchy and social upper-class idiots. I just find it funny that it is those who are at the bottom of the corporate food chain that notice the wronged-ness of the people up top.

A ritual burning of upper-echelon corporate idiots is, I think, in order.