of love and latte

Note from Nikolett: Well, this week has been a whirlwind. Not only did I see MUSE this past Monday (pretty much the most amazing concert I've ever been to), but I've had five papers due in five days. Talk about pressure, eh? Buuut, today we have the amazing Krissy to remind us that on Thursdays, it's worth it to be therapeutic (or TMI, whatever suits your fancy!). Please welcome the amazing, stylish and sweet Krissy who shares some thoughts on love ... and lattes :) And while the scarf giveaway is now closed (winner will be announed on Sunday), you can feel free to join my sister's giveaway here!

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When Nikolett asked for guest posters in one of her posts, I instantly volunteered to be one. I know how swamped she is with schoolwork (been there, done that) and I am kinda glad I am through all those stuff. Being a friend, it's my pleasure to be of help. I racked my brains for a possible topic to blog (because of course I wanted my first guest post to be awesome) so I thought of something we can all relate to.

Before I go on, let me share with you this essay which is from the chic-lit book "The Break up Diaries" written by Filipina author Maya O. Calica.

"Of Love and Latte"

Could the recipe for true love be as simple as brewing the perfect latte?

One hopelessly romantic barista serves up some answers.

I've been asked to write an article about love. About finding it, losing it, and maybe finding it again. Bet you're wondering what qualifies me to do such. Unfortunately, I am no love doctor with a Ph.D. in Romance Physics nor an M.A. in Relationship Chemistry. I have had my heart broken just once, so technically I do not qualify as an expert by virtue of my vast experiences.

What do I know?

Well, let me tell you that I can mix you a mean cafe latte. I am a barista. In all the summers I've logged in at my aunt's cafe, seriving up cappuccinos and espressos, I have learned a thing or two about that thing called love. Just like coffee, both require a certain amount of care to ensure it is brewed to perfection. You will need the following:

- Water, purified of all fear of "what if he leaves me?" or "what if he's not Mister Right?"
- A certain measure of diversity - be it in the form of coffee beans or unique personalities - combined in an airtight container that will allow pressure to build up

- A man and a woman, preferably hot for each other (or with the potential of warming up to at least the prospect of friendship

Now, bring to a boil. In barista-speak, this is the moment when water and ground coffee first make contact, the former extracting flavors from the latter, in a manner that will drip and percolate for you an aromatic cup of espresso.

In courtship terms, this is when boy-meets-girl, when the first blush of infatuation floats up to the surface. This can take anywhere from 22 seconds to 22 months, depending on the temperature set on your machine. Agitate the coffee further with Saturday night movie dates, text messages embellished with smiley faces and animated teddy bears, cute phone calls at 1am involving favorite colors, move-defining-moments and soul mates, and stolen first kisses. (That last one is my favorite.)

Now, with the velvety-smooth froth of friendship, sweeten with promises kept, and you've got yourself the perfect cafe latte. Right? Well, not exactly.

In my experience, I know that no matter how you faithfully follow a recipe to the letter, you don't always get the perfect cup of joe each time. Love - that other four-letter word I know - is much harder to concoct than coffee.

At some point, you'll learn that no matter how hard you play by the rules, make all the right moves and try to be Ms. Perfect In Every Way, you don't always get the results you hoped for.

Or the guy you pinned for, for that matter. Because when reality rears its disappointing, pink-bubble-bursting head, you'll realize Life doesn't always play out the way you wished it would.

The dude who once adored your lattes can snap out of it and proclaim that you're no longer his cup of cappuccino. Just. Like. That.

Suddenly, you find that all that's left is a mug half-filled with day-old coffee that's cold and stale and depressing. So you cry, you curse, you deny, you blame, you rewind, you wish and pray a novena to every saint you know that things go back to exactly the way they were. And no matter how often you kneel in Baclaran or how many candles you light at morning mass, your instant replay never happens.

So what do you do? You wipe away your tears, take your cup and empty it of all its contents. Rinse it under a running tap, making sure all traces of stains along the rim and down its side as well as leftover grounds at the bottom are washed away.

Then, you start over. First, scoop yourself a generous batch of mountain-grown roasts, finely ground so that every granule is bursting with the prospect of new adventures, experiences and relationships. Pour water purified of all your bitterness, rejection and self-pity.

Now, press 'brew'. As you hear the machine whir, gurgle and sputter to life, close your eyes. Revel in the heady aroma of fresh coffee in the throes of being born. You may not see it yet, but just by inhaling its sweetness, you hold the promise of good things to come in your heart the way you would a silent prayer. You dream of a cup so wonderful, so richly golden brown, encircled by a lush ring of crema so perfect you can already taste it.

And the moment you hear it streaming into your cup, you realize why you had to give up that last brew. Something much better was on its way to you. 

And you'll be thankful you waited. Because you know in your bones, in your heart of hearts, that this one's going to be a keeper. And you wonder why it took so long for you to realize that.

But then again, better latte than never.

What inspired this post? Aside from keeping with the theme of Nikolett's blog name, this goes a little bit more personal. For the uninitiated, I am in a "relationship" with a guy wherein we are kinda like a real couple but then again not really because we haven't agreed on a formal commitment yet. We were a couple before (after being really good friends ever since we met) but then he did something really bad and I did not talk to him for five months (even though we are in the same team at work and we see each other all the time). He apologized last February, we became friends again, and then this "relationship" sorta crept in. 

It suited me just fine as I thought so long as we are happy, then we do not need any labels to define us. Exclusively dating, yes, I think is the most appropriate term. Except there are times I kinda wish for something more, you know? Think of Tom and Summer's "relationship" in 500 Days of Summer. Yep, that is the movie version of our story, except in this case ironically I am Tom and he is Summer. I wrote in my journal before, "I don't know if I am gearing up for a  wonderful love story or whether I should prepare myself for a major heartbreak."

This post has actually been through a major overhaul. I wrote this earlier telling all about how he and I had an awful fight that led to a "break up". We agreed to meet earlier today to talk about it, and guess what, we actually patched things up and decided to see where this takes us. 

So, am I strong enough to stay for the long haul? I don't know. But for now, I think I am. Maybe, just maybe, he is the love story I have been waiting for. :)

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Thanks for sharing that bit from that book and your own personal experiences, Krissy *hugs*

Annnd I can't wait to come back to you all (most likely on Saturday or Sunday). I've missed you all & your blogs! Hope you have a great rest of the day and a good start to your weekend!