Moody Muggings

People are strange. There has never been any doubt about that fact. The comforting part about this is that we're all strange in our own ways, and we ALL do and say "crazy" things. Just look around. The world is a virtual amusement park!

Maybe you'll notice the guy practicing his business (or romantic) proposal in a Macy's store window; or maybe you'll cock your head at the woman whose dog is sporting the same exact hair do as her own (or worse! Maybe it's the same as David Hasselhoff's). Perhaps your focus will trip at the sight of a kid visibly calculating his next mischievous action (involving a salt shaker, a dead June bug, and a bobby pin) aimed at his sweet, unsuspecting little sister.

Whatever the circumstance, I take comfort in knowing that I am equally (and sometimes MORE) strange than those around me. It's a nice feeling to be bonded to all of humanity in this way, and realizing that we have room for all of the beautifully odd ones around us makes life increasingly meaningful!

For my part, I realized this morning that I have a morning mug routine that mirrors/projects my mood for the day, another in a myriad of quirky habits I embrace.

One "normal" guy may determine the way in which his day will go by starting it off with mirror edification; "I'm good enough, smart enough and doggone it...". Or maybe he'll spend time in mindful meditation or prayer, breathing in the peaceful morning, the playful noontime, and the restful, lavender evening.

Maybe he'll start off with a shot of whisky and a Marlboro, kick ass cowboy style.

Or maybe he'll blink his way through a hot shower, allowing the droning daily news show to seep into his tired pores as he prays to stay awake through his mundane morning commute. (Here's where loud music is helpful. )

I've personally tried all of these morning routines in an effort to get ready for the day or to help jump start me into the "right" attitude. But lately the most effective day determining factor comes from my dependence on my morning mugs.

I am, straight up, a coffee addict, which is hilarious because the only reason I started drinking coffee in the first place was because it made me FEEL more like an intellectual, simply because I thought it made me look like one. After all, the smartest people on the planet are never without a mug of coffee. Even their breath smells smart.. or something like that.

Even though coffee is vital to my system, it's the mugs that are my morning crutch. Coffee, then, is the birth parent of my strange morning mug habit.

Here's how it works: If I am feeling giddy or playful about the day, I pour my medium/dark roast Folgers into my very favorite Kermit mug, an unusually random souvenir from a blissful vacation. If you see the Kermit mug in hand, the day is already a thumbs-up!


If I know I need an extra dose of ballsiness for the day, I sip out of my Judge Wilson mug, a parting favor from my time spent on a jury last year. (Did you know you get jury duty parting gifts? How very Bob Barker meets The People's Court!) No one messes with me on a Judge Wilson day. Judge Wilson mug + black lace underwear= get the hell out of my way!If I'm feeling a little bit mousy and need an extra dose of warmth, it's the snowman mug to the rescue. This one was a gift from one of my seventh graders and was given to me among the dollar store ceramic Jesus statues and "rose" smelling bubble bath bottles. The little girl who gave it to me was full of warmth and was completely crazy (a girl after my own heart). This mug is slightly bigger than the others and for some reason it feels warmer to hold. The snowman mug is decidedly NOT a seasonal mug. (I have others that are.) Then there are the days that I need an extra boost of something. Those days require The Tanker. This one is a travel mug that I can take with me to school. I get made fun of for carrying The Tanker around, but I feel most confident that it's the RIGHT THING to do on those particular days. Maybe I think it can be used as a weapon? Or maybe it's cuddle ready? Perhaps I get my daily cardio work-out by hefting it around, since I usually can't finish the contents of the mug before the coffee gets cold. Whatever that "something" is that I need that day, even if I don't know what it is, I am certain that for some reason I can get it from this, the most magic of my mugs.I'm not sure where relying on morning muggery puts me on the oddness scale, but I don't really mind being toward the top of said scale, as long as I have the right mug to accompany me on my journey.

So what about you?

What rituals/habits make you as crazy as me and the rest of the world?