Do you enjoy cream in your coffee?

Every now and then a phrase stops me.

The other day I was asked 'do you enjoy cream in your coffee?'

Normally, I get grunts intending to be questions:

• Cream?

• How do you take your coffee?

• What do you put in your coffee?

• fixins' are there.

It's the first time I've been ask if I enjoy cream in my coffee.  I had to pause and think about how I experience cream in my coffee and if that experience is enjoyable?  That was the point, wasn't it -- to enjoy the coffee? 

I drink a lot of coffee and in college I learned to drink really bad coffee, pulling all-nighters and working in warehouses with felons.  Nothing will wake you up (and kill the tastebuds) like a pot of felon-made, knock-off robusta that's been on the warming burner for 6 hours. I didn't enjoy that coffee.  It fueled me.

But I'm not 19 anymore and my coffee should be something to enjoy, shouldn't it?  So, how do I enjoy my coffee? 

Why is that question just hitting me now?

Why is now the first time I am answering that question?

Why is that question so hard to answer?

Because I never thought about it. Coffee, like my car and my couch have been functional decisions.

So how do I enjoy my coffee?  How do I enjoy my day?  What would look like if I were to design my day to be enjoyable? 

My friend Chuck says that this is where life happens -- in the micro moments of that make life worth living.  Think about it: if my experience of getting to the office is a 4 out of 10, what would make it a 6?  A favorite soundtrack? Windows down? the curvy route by the river? My commute would be 2 points more enjoyable.  Its these decisions that make our days, which make our years, which make our lives. 

I'm going to have a coffee each morning, so I might as well enjoy it.  I don't need Kopi Luwat regularly, but a fresh brew made from history's greatest Italian minds beats the motor oil made by an Italian with a history.

So do you enjoy cream in your coffee?