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June 14, 2011

Chaos Vs. Order and Iced Coffee


I have been away, a way-way too long. I have been working on several projects at a time and contemplating on Chaos vs. Order dilemma and my vision have narrowed and focused on a certain point in space and time.

And this point became many, too many to keep in order. Sort of like a Monet painting: many chaotic brushstrokes, dots of different color freely dancing in an unorganized pattern.

Atoms, erratically bouncing inside the molecule of everyday life. And I am trying to focus on all of them at the same time, realizing this is a futile pastime.

I need to see the big picture. Like everything else in the material world we live, chaos has its limits. All you have to do is draw a line around, give it a shape, an outline. This outline will be the order that encompasses chaos. To see these shapes, I need to take a few steps back and focus on the big picture.

Now, from a distance, I can see the whole impressionistic painting that is being composed, brushstroke after brushstroke on the canvas of my life. I see the shapes, I see the order. An Order made out of Chaos. And it is as beautiful as it is impressive.

Chaos is part Order. Order is part Chaos.

Creativity is one of the manifestations of Chaos drawn into forms of Order. To be creative is to let your chaotic thoughts and ideas be incarnated in the organized shapes and forms. I have to remember to simply give my thoughts and ideas an outlet or outline to dwell outside my mind.

I'll continue on the path of creativity, no matter how chaotic it might become at times, giving it different shapes and forms.

There are several ways to stay creative and each individual has his own little tricks to stay connected to this force. I will not get into details, for my ways of staying creative are various and change often. One of them, however, quite carnal, I want to mention today: a good ole cup of coffee!

Although heat has relieved in our neck of the woods for the last couple of days, during summer I can't say no to an icy variation of a broadly welcomed beverage. But I find popular joints don't quench my thirst for a quality iced coffee. All they do is dry out my pockets. Thus, I make my own variation.

My father likes to 'upgrade' his cup of coffee with a splash of hard liquor. This inspired me to add vanilla extract to my glass. And my husband's family likes to drink cardamom spiced coffee and I also have grown a taste for it. I added another spice—cinnamon—and a teaspoon of heavy cream and in the end I had a fresh, simple home made and cheap but fancy beverage to get my creative juices circulating.

The purist in me wanted to roast and grind my own beans. This time I've took a shortcut and used already ground coffee. And it's OK!

◊◊◊
Upgraded Iced Coffee
for each 6 oz water:
1 heaping T spoon ground coffee
1 t spoon ground cinnamon
1 t spoon sugar {optional}
3 cardamom pods, crushed
1 t spoon vanilla extract
crushed/cubed ice
Milk, cream to taste {optional}

Brew the ground coffee in a coffee machine with crushed cardamon, cinnamon and sugar right inside the coffee machine.
While coffee is brewing, fill a 16 oz tall glass half way with ice, crushed or cubed.
Pour vanilla extract and milk/cream over ice.
Now when the coffee is done, pour it over the ice.
Give it a swirl and drink up.
Chaos has become Order once again: the coffee grinds, once disorderly and disembodied, orchestrated into one smooth beverage!

5 comments:

  1. I wish my house didn't look so chaotic! I'm enjoying a cup of the iced coffee right now. I like those flavors, thank you very much for sharing!

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  2. Great post, Sharizat! I've missed reading your posts and looking at your gorgeous photographs :) Love this post... I am not a coffee drinker, but this would make my husband really happy! He was just asking for iced coffee yesterday! Thanks for sharing :)

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  3. Thank you Michelle and thank you Marsha!

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  4. Sharizat, I enjoyed your "chaos theory" very much! (And your iced coffee recipe!) This is a post I'll be revisiting and contemplating often. Beautiful.

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