Creature of habit

I am, as the title of this story states, a creature of habit. I practice many routines, as a result of many years of predisposition toward certain near obsessive behaviors. This idea came to me while I was completing the annual spring vinegar cleaning of my coffee pot.

Each and every morning (unless I cannot imbibe due to scheduled blood work), I begin my day with coffee. Actually, that is not quite the whole truth. Most mornings I groan as I rise from sleep and attempt to motivate my senior body into movement.

I enter the bathroom and complete my morning routine, which includes the following very concise and patterned steps. I brush my teeth and floss (I have become an avid flosser in my latter years, as I have had to spend several horrifying hours in a dental chair). Next, I carefully shave before stepping into the shower.

My creature habits continue during the shower routine. I always follow the same washing practices each time. It is definitely a habit for sure because I don’t even have to think about each step of the process. This continues as I dry off with my bath towel. I never vary even one chain in the sequence.

As a senior who has had multiple health problems including such intensive ones as open heart surgery, my next habit is to swallow the first in a series of daily medicines. I am sure there will be many other seniors who read this who will understand my use of a plastic calendar prescription container. I may be a creature of habit but if I don’t have those meds in that precise daily system I would over or under dose for sure.

After dressing in my daily attire (most days this includes garments suitable for golf), I am now ready to return to the coffee making habit. I have used a Bunn coffee maker for over 30 years. There are many of these new one cup coffee machines that have become popular of late but I still prefer my Bunn.

My favorite coffee is Folgers Columbian. On the front of all the Folgers coffee containers they have a rating system for each type of coffee strength. The Columbian style is the 3rd highest out of 4. I can drink the other rated Folgers coffees, but they just don’t taste the same to me. My morning without that particular first 20-ounce cup just does not feel right.

My next procedural move each morning is to take that coffee to my office. There I open my computer and hopefully jump start my brain and my day. Between the coffee’s caffeine and the office daily grind, I feel that my conscious mind is beginning to free up in the same way my body did in the shower a bit earlier.

Once again the flow of information and process is the same each morning. I check my emails first. This is often a repeat, as I have sometimes already scanned for important emails on my iPhone.

Despite all the recent issues regarding privacy I next go to Facebook on my computer to see what my many friends have added. At the present time, I have made no plan to curtail my use of this social media system. I don’t have much to hide and I actually do more following of friends than posting (if you don’t understand these terms, don’t worry you are probably better off)!

My next step is to go online and verify my credit card and bank registers to ensure that no one has hacked me. It is comforting to keep track and know that for at least another 24 hours one is safe.

I am then ready for some information, and I complete this by reading the online Daily Mail, Joplin Globe and Kansas City Star. I also check out the KNEM website for news. I even check the Ferry Funeral Home site reluctantly, because at my age there always seems to be someone all too familiar on their list.

Three mornings a week, I go to cardio rehab at NRMC. I don’t like completing this step in my routine but it is like my medicines a necessary evil of survival. The worst part of this practice is that it never gets easier and as I get older each week I know that it is only going to increase in difficulty.

My next stop is to go to my local coffee group setting. These fellow seniors are co-conspirators in habits and sentiments. By and large they are a cantankerous collection of individuals, but they do understand each and everything about how I feel as a senior man in our society.

As with any group of men or boys throughout my life, you must realize that if you enter their realm, you are going to have to endure some personal barbs. Taking and dispensing the ribbing is a rite of passage that I have dealt with all my life.

At this morning coffee event there are unwritten rules. Like any social setting, we cover a wide range of topics, but we rarely discuss or argue religion or politics. That’s a good practice for everyone.

My next move of habit is to the golf course weather permitting. Golf is a unique activity. It can be played by children and even senior citizens like myself. It is gender neutral, although our daily group is segregated. It is a personal game and one you tend to fool yourself in its practice. I, like any golfer, always continue the habit of thinking I am going to get better despite my inner knowledge to the contrary.

My creature habit routine ends most days with lots of television and several catnaps before retiring for the night. It will all begin again the following morning. I don’t spend much time trying to change my habits. At my age, I just hope my creature habits continue a bit longer!