We have all been bombarded lately with Ads and articles touting the benefits of keeping your brain active doing teasers, questions, and puzzles. Many of us are willing to pay for the opportunity to participate in these brain games. Why not use our minds more to accomplish what has become routine in our automated society? Write a letter (this is a thing with actual paper and a manual writing instrument called a Pen) to a friend or loved one, calculate the distance of your next bike ride in your head counting the blocks and miles, create a meal like your Mother used to make where she only told you a pinch of this and a dash of that for seasoning (figure it out), and of course Roast and brew your own coffee.
You can outline your template for roasting, a Profile you might try and tweak to perfection.
Which bean to roast? How much? How fast? Change the heat or stay the course? Use a fan or adjust it? How dark to roast this bean? Which Crack is it in and when does it end? How long should it rest before trying a cup or try it over a few days? Should I blend this with another bean? Which one (s)? Different roasts?
How shall I brew this fresh coffee? Drip? Press? Pour over? Vacuum pot? How much to use? How to grind it? How fine to grind it?
Now analyze it and decide how and what to adjust the next time, if anything.
You have now exercised your mind, made a friend or Loved one's day, done your cardio with a sense of accomplishment, created a new one and probably recalled a fond memory as well eating too much (back to the bike), and enjoyed a great cup of Joe that you made with your own hands and mind.
Scott Brill
Author