My Room Smells Like Coffee and Incense

This summer has been a little hellish for me. I didn't accomplish much of anything. But I survived, so I'm counting that as a win. Now the end is in sight and a new beginning lies just over the horizon. Things will be very different this year. That leaves me feeling more than a little nervous, but also cautiously optimistic.

Now I feel like sharing a few things that got me through these endless days:

1. Cinnamon Coffee

After an entire year of consuming Cinnamon Roll Lattes almost daily via Java City, I was more than a little lost without them. But halfway through the summer I came up with the inspiring idea of adding a pinch of cinnamon to my regular coffee. I know, I know. This idea should have been much more obvious. Trust me, I hit myself in the head like those folks in the V8 commercials used to do when the realization finally came to me. And it turns out, adding cinnamon to coffee has unforeseen benefits.

2. Doctor Who

a big ball of wibbly wobbly time-y wimey stuff

The first episode I ever saw of Doctor Who was "Blink" way back when I was probably about 16. I remember thinking, "What is this delicious piece of science fiction?" Ever since then, the show has been on my to do list. At the beginning of this summer, I finally got around to watching the series. Now I am an unapologetic Whovian and a big fan of anything David Tennant does. Also, I finally have something to talk about with my brother.

3.  Historical Murder Mysteries

Over the past few years I have developed a liking for a very certain type of novel: historical fiction that features a female detective. It has all the fun a your average historical fiction murder mystery with the added element of the struggle of a women to escape the shackles of a repressed society. Watching these characters begin to ask questions that ladies of quality ought naught ask and then learn to navigate the treacherous waters of the underbelly of polite society provides hours of entertainment. Grisly murders, depraved villains, intrepid detectives, French spies, and mad kings. What more could you ask for?

4. Cardigans

Even with this 90+ degree weather, I still wear a cardigan almost everyday. In my defense, I live in the basement and it gets really cold when the air conditioner is on. Besides, I never feel more like myself than when I am wearing one of my favorite cardigans.