Routines and the Betrayal of Small Appliances

Yesterday I woke up at 5am - my usual time - and stumbled into the kitchen to hit the start button on the coffee pot that I had set up the night before. I pushed the button and the face of the coffee pot lit up with it's cheerful morning light. I am always pleased with its little LED glow; the promise of hot coffee, buzzing synapses and the jolt to full consciousness so that I can face my day is exactly what everyone should be greeted with in the pearly pre-dawn light. I stood there in the fuzzy pants and sweatshirt that I had thrown on before making the trek to the kitchen and stretched and yawned as I waited for my pot of ambition. 

Considering that I was only half-conscious it took me more than a few minutes to realize that I was not hearing that happy little burble of hot water pouring through ground coffee beans. My still-sleep-addled brain wondered at the lack of sound. 
Was I losing my hearing? 
Had last night's water have such low viscosity that it was simply sliding noiselessly through the filter and the other mechanics of my early-morning-make-me-smart machine. I pushed the button again turning it off. Then turned it back on. I put my hand on the hot plate to see if it was warm (not the best move, but hey, I was not fully awake yet) and all I could feel was the cold dread of a coffee pot that was not going to work. 

Like a Comcast repairman, I unplugged it, counted to thirty and then plugged it back in. Pushed the button. No warmth. No water moving through coffee grinds. No love. 

My hands and feet went numb, there was darkness stirring at the edges of my vision as I leaned on the edge of the counter unable to move or react. 
HOW COULD I START MY DAY IF THERE WAS NO COFFEE?????? 

I didn't understand. This coffee pot and I have had a great relationship. For years it has been my friend and confidante; always greeting me in the morning and helping me to get started, to move, to think. It listened when I complained about life and relationships and gave me wise counsel to move forward with life and not to look back, to set goals and work steadily towards them, to honor my emotions but not let them rule me. How could it just sit there with that stoic look on its little electronic clock face and refuse me now? 

Hurt and disillusioned, I went and laid back down on my bed. As I stared in mute disppointment I could hear my iPhone buzzing as the morning emails began to arrive. I was stuck. Motionless. Completely lacking in ambition. Unable to open my laptop to blog or post an ad; to check on any of the deals that were in negotiation. 

Taking a deep breath, I got up. I checked the coffee pot again.

Still broke. 

I laid back down. 

As the room brightened with the rising sun, I forced myself out of bed, showered angrily and drove to Shenandoah Joes and ordered coffee to drink as I sulked on the used sofa in the corner and read every bit of bad news CNN and USA Today had to offer on my iPhone app. Terrorism? Boy, tell me about it. 

I did eventually break myself out of it (I am sure the coffee and Shenandoah Joe's helped) and managed to get to a meeting on time, sign a listing agreement, ratify one contract for a buyer and get an offer on another listing of mine. All in all, I survived and it ended up being not such a bad day. When i got home last night I went to get a glass out of the cubbard and happened to glance up. There, staring accusingly at me, was my old fashioned French Press coffee pot.  

So what's the point of this little drama of my life? As I sit at the counter this morning sipping the amazingly good coffee from my French Press I am reminded that although routines are wonderful things - they help us to build happy and productive habits, after all - that we must also be prepared to improvise and flex when life throws us things that were not in our plan. As noted by the wise Mother of John Connor; The Future Is Not Set. 

If we are ready for our routine to go awry, willing to face it with curiosity and not be bound by the thought-wall of "but I always do it this way" then perhaps we will be more open to other solutions. Any agent who has weathered the bursting of the bubble can tell you, its about reading the changes and following them, not about succumbing to them and paralysis is the worst reaction of all. 

So, when you feel your business (or your life) changing and the routines that have served you for years are no longer working, look in your mental bubbards for the french press and do not give in to the paralysing emotions that may occur - there is a solution out there, if we let ourselves think of it. 

And of course, If you are looking to buy a home, sell a home, or invest in Real Estate, please call me. I will grab a cup of coffee for us both and work to get you the best deal possible!

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Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams Realty - Charlottesville
1885 Seminole Trail, Suite 100
Charlottesville, VA 22901
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com