All the best juju for COFFEE Mate, John

Take a minute and shoot out some big love, good juju, and heartfelt prayers to one of our new COFFEE mates, John, whose family had a big, nasty scare. John's dad had a massive heart attack last week, survived (miraculously, it seems), and is starting the recovery road.

Shout outs to John and the whole Shaffer Crew! And speedy and thorough healing to Terry!

John is recounting the journey here: http://mydogshoba.blogspot.com/

COFFEE news & COFFEE changes

Well, hello there.

Change is brewing at COFFEE. The most immediate change is the addition of two new and awesome mates: Angie and John. Angie once visited as a guest, writing about the Quantum Wellness Cleanse. Instead of regular posting, you'll re-meet Angie and then meet John, an adventurer with adventuring hats and vests, this week. We'll be back with a revised posting schedule  Monday, March 21. Some time after that, you may even see a change in venue.

In the meantime, please keep sending Ms. Tawni, who is starting the long road to post-surgery recovery, good mojo. We love us some Tawni!

And send some good mojo to Ms. Katie, who lost a dear and true companion yesterday, Sweet Bella Dog, a warm and gentle giant. We love us some Katie (& Bella)!

Thanks for reading!

-Patresa

We love us some Tawni. (an update)

Quick shout-out to our girl, Tawni, who has recently been given a scary project not of her choosing.

Visit her blog at MY SHINY HELL for the scoop.

Since this last post at My Shiny Hell (and correct me if I'm wrong here, Tawni), she did get the official

B-9

from the doc. High-five and Amen to that.

But is now facing major surgery. Prayers for Ms. Tawni and her whole family.

We love us some Tawni!

COFFEE Community Update #3

Hello COFFEE drinkers.

How about a quick update?

The good people of COFFEE are taking a short break to close 2010 and welcome 2011.

January 3, 2011, we'll be back and likely with a little extra froth. Wendy J just kicked her project in the fanny (i.e., she DID IT!), thereby upping the bar.

We'll also be back with a slightly altered schedule--integrating a few days of SILENCIO! in the middle and at the end of each round for a little catch-up space.

So… tool around a bit now. Catch up on what you've missed. And then come back January 3, for a new year of doing things that are scary.

What I Have Learned from the Quantum Wellness Cleanse (a Community guest post from Angie)

A guest post from Angie at Angie's List...

So, I just finished my first attempt at Kathy Freston’s Quantum Wellness Cleanse. In a nutshell, if you follow the cleanse perfectly, you go 21 days with no caffeine, alcohol, animal products, wheat gluten or refined sugar. I didn’t end up following it to the letter.  But I did pretty well, considering that in real life I am a foodie/hedonist/life-is-too-short kinda gal.

Here are some of the things I learned during the past 21 days:

• Barring any serious motivators (such as pregnancy, serious illness or strong meds) I am not capable of going 21 days without wine. If I had any French ancestors, I am sure they’d be proud.
• While I can’t resist wine, I CAN resist Halloween candy and Caramacs. Booyah! (Caramacs, for those of you who haven’t had them, are a satanically delicious Hawaiian candy. It is literally not possible to eat just one. Or just five.)
• Quitting caffeine cold turkey is not fun. It is the opposite of fun.
• Once you get past the caffeine withdrawal, you sleep really, really well at night.
• There is no such thing as soy cheese. There is a sad product that calls itself that, which resembles cheese the same way My Little Pony resembles Seabiscuit.
• I have more willpower than I thought I did.
• I have less willpower than I wish I did.
• Certain foods that sound gross in theory are actually quite delicious. Such as raw sprouted buckwheat granola, plain soy yogurt, hemp drink and agave nectar.
• Vegan, gluten free pizza is disgusting. I am pretty sure that’s what they serve for dinner in hell.

Will I do the cleanse again? I think I will. Maybe I’ll muster a little more willpower next time, too. But as for now, I have a hot date with a cheeseburger tomorrow night. And, I am making pie AND cupcakes for Thanksgiving dinner. Chew on that, Kathy Freston!

*******************************************

Angie is a member of the COFFEE Satellite Community of free-range non-chickens. You can visit her at: http://angiebandy.wordpress.com.

If you would like to join our satellite community of brave bloggers, just pick your challenge project, start your blog, and leave us a comment telling us so. We'll post a link to your blog in our COFFEE COMMUNITY section and send readers to visit you as a feature in a regular community update. We'll likely even ask you to be a guest blogger.  And remember, although we all happen to be women here, you don't have to be.

COFFEE Community Update #2 (Plus the inaugural COFFEE assignment.)

How about a COFFEE Community update?

Angie @ Angie's List. Yogi Angie has joined our ranks! Check in over at Angie's List--CLICK HERE--to read about her progress with the Quantum Wellness Challenge. With the encouragement of an energetic and perky trainer named Rob, Angie, a devout foodie, has shucked caffeine, alcohol, animal products, wheat gluten, and sugar, for 21 days (or more). [P's Note: I am writing this as I eat cheese and crackers and drink wine.]

Michelle @ In Search of My Muchness. Michelle's pancreas has jokes, ya'll. The mass may be malignant. As Michelle preps for major surgery, she's tackling a big clean-up project at home, making order out of one chaotic room. Because the Universe has jokes, too, just as Michelle was planning several donation runs to Goodwill, she received a notice for a free donation pick-up service benefitting... children's cancer. Nice. Check in with Michelle--RIGHT HERE-- (and send out big prayers, too, while you're at it.).

As always, if you'd like to join the satellite COFFEE community: Pick your project; start your blog; and leave a comment letting us know. We'll be one big happy supportive family of badasses.

But maybe you don't want the pressure of a blog. Maybe you'd just like an assignment. So here is the inaugural COFFEE Community Assignment:

Assignment 1: Do something that makes you uncomfortable. Go to dinner alone. Go to a movie alone. Drive to a neighboring town and take photos of random items along the way. Introduce yourself to a stranger (preferably one not holding a machete). Whatever. Then tell us about your experience in the comment section below. Do it!


And a P.S.: We all happen to be women here, but you don't have to be. 

COFFEE Community Update #1

We're recruiting! It will be a tremendous movement! A wave of brave bright awesome souls becoming braver brighter and awesomer!

Follow Missy at My Scary Challenge as she snaps both her body and her business back in shape!

Follow Michelle at In Search of My Muchness, as she battles a renegade pancreas and vows to become more present-- to experience more of her life here and now by writing it all down.

We'd love to have you. If you have an idea for a project and would like to link up, leave a comment with your name (whatever you'd like us to call you), your blog address, and a brief description of your project. We'll check in and update regularly, cheer you on (and up), and you may even be asked to be a guest blogger. Remember, it doesn't have to be huge. Sometimes, even the baby steps outside of our comfort zones feel enormous and profound.