I Need to Perform a Ritual -- Hold That Page!

French press, homemade gluten-free peanut butter cookies,
and The Song of Achilles

I never really thought of myself as a ritualistic person. I don't need to go through the same motions every day to get me through my day. In fact, I enjoy having my days work in a spur-of-the-moment and I enjoy the days I get to sleep in, even though other days I have to wake up early. In my life, I don't like the mundane feeling of sameness. So I don't know when exactly this started...

"I think it's time to read..." I tell myself as I start filling the kettle with water and setting it to boil. I'll either grind some coffee to put into my french press or start picking out my tea to put in my teapot. The water clicks off as it's done boiling and I wait a minute or two for it to cool down with the lid off before I begin to pour it into the appropriate vessel. I'll stir the coffee around in the water to agitate the grounds, set the timer on my phone for 4 minutes or do the same with my tea. While I'm waiting, I decide how sinful I'm feeling that day and maybe prepare a snack -- usually something sweet. The timer goes off, I pour myself a cup and settle down and begin reading my book.

If I'm feeling stir-crazy, you'll often find me in a local cafe drinking a soy latte, still, with my book.

Before you ask; Yes. I am a coffee snob.

Wherever there's a delicious hot, caffeinated beverage involved, I'm there with a book and ready to snuggle into a cozy spot to read while the stimulants of my drink are coursing through my veins. I love this. I feel like I'm almost setting up the mood for a particularly hot date; except instead of dinner, wine and candles, my hot date is a bunch of words, my wine is coffee and my candles are non-existent for fear of accidentally burning such a precious possession.

I wonder if I'm the only one who needs to go through a ritual before settling down to read.

Or maybe, it's not a ritual at all, and an excuse for me to have more coffee and tea. I think I may have a problem.