Ange’s take on: spring

Well, spring has sprung! Apparently. I mean, officially, as of March 20, the season shifted from winter to spring.

Strange self-isolating times aside, people generally have strong feelings about this time of year. We talk about spring in terms of newness, rebirth, fresh starts, the earth coming to life. And while all of that is true, I think, I have a very strong feeling about spring.

I hate it.

Unpopular opinion? Probably. But hear me out.

The time spanning the end of March to the end of June are not great in terms of weather. This time of year, the weather is, in scientific terms, all over the f-ing place. It’s rainy, it’s snowy, it’s windy, it’s 0 degrees, the next day it’s 17 degrees. It’s sunny, it’s cloudy, it’s cold, it’s warm, it’s thunder-storming, oh look, there’s hail!

See what I mean? Aside from never really knowing what to wear, which shoes are appropriate and constantly having to remember where you left your umbrella, for me, the constant and drastic shifts in the barometric pressure give me splitting headaches that last for a week at a time, and worst of all, migraines.

Sidebar: for those of you who need a quick education on the torment that is migraine – they are NOT headaches. I mean, yes, obviously, that’s the main component, but they are a wholly different beast than their cousin, the headache. Not to say that headaches can’t be awful. Headaches can be really painful, making it hard to concentrate but they go away with some ibuprofen and maybe some water. With migraines however, people experience all kinds of symptoms including, but not limited to; nausea, sensitivity to light, sound and smells, seeing an aura, feeling dizzy, vomiting, feeling faint, feeling very warm, feeling very cold, loss of appetite, belly pain, upset stomach, and pale skin. Sounds delightful, doesn’t it?

Sorry for the sidebar rant. I’ve suffered migraines since I was a kid – I can remember getting them as early as 7 or 8 and I had no idea what was going on. I remember even having to go lie down in my BFF’s parents’ bed during her 10^th birthday party because I was so sick. I missed the whole thing. And it was a pool party.

So, suffice it to say, I get super annoyed when people say they have a migraine when what they mean is that they have a headache. I get those too, so I know the difference! In fact, when I was in my early twenties, they got so bad I went to the clinic and was diagnosed with both chronic headaches and migraine. TWO. DIFFERENT. THINGS.

OK, now that we’ve gotten that sorted…one of my strongest triggers (there are lots of them, and I personally experience many) is sudden shifts in the weather/barometric pressure. This happens almost daily during the spring, hence my disdain for it.

Also, during the spring months, the world is generally grey and dirty and barren, at least for the better part of the season. Everything is always wet or damp, there are no leaves on the trees, no flowers blooming yet, everything is dull.

Until, of course, it’s not, and the weather finally shifts (for good). Something in the air changes, leaves and grass start their rebirth, and you start to hear birds chirping. You start to realize that there are more sunny days than not. And then one day you wake up and suddenly there is colour outside again! Of course it’s been happening for months, but you always seem to notice it all at once and it’s as if, overnight, the season has changed.

So, maybe I’m being a little hard on spring. After all, it’s just the first part that I hate. It does get better. The headaches lesson, the migraines retreat (for the most part), the smell in the air reminds me that summer is just around the corner. And I start to feel hopeful.

I retract my earlier statement – I don’t hate spring. It’s still my least favourite season, but she always wins me over in the end, it seems.

So, happy spring everyone! I hope that even though we’re confined to our homes right now, living life on the inside and adjusting to our “new normal” for the foreseeable future, we can still somehow invite spring into our homes and our lives.

After all, the season really is about rebirth, renewal, and new beginnings. And I think we all could use a little of that right now.

Ange’s take on: the best ways to drink a Coke

I would venture a guess that there aren’t many moments in life when you pause to consider the most mundane, ordinary things that happen to and around you. And I bet there are even fewer moments when you might, having given those mundane, ordinary things thought by way of ranking or reviewing or deciding a preference of that thing, decide to share these thoughts with another human.

I am such a human. And I have a strong suspicion that there might be others out there like me who give time and energy to these types of thoughts.

One such thought I’ve had and shared, via an actual fully formed conversation was with my best friend. It came about because she was at my place and I offered her a Coke to drink, as you do. She remarked that the diminutive size of my smaller-than-normal Cokes were “cute.” Because they most definitely could not have been the most economical choice to purchase, there must have been some sort of witchcraft at play when I decided to buy them – I blame the tiny, adorable bottles that seemed to be crafted to fit perfectly in my tiny hands – see? Witchcraft. Or, marketing. Potato, potAHto. This was the catalyst to our very detailed, thoroughly serious discussion about the ways in which we enjoy consuming Coca Cola in the form of a ranked list.

This really happened. We are adults.

I should include a little bit of context before revealing the fruits of our conversation: I grew up in a “pop” house; meaning we had soft drinks around and were allowed to drink them (except with dinner – that was strictly a milk occasion). So, it’s not like Coke was forbidden to me.

I’ve spent most of my adult life drinking pop, particularly Coke (except for those restaurant industry days when I was forced to drink Pepsi – gasp! – because our restaurant was owned by Pepsi. It’s a period I don’t like to talk about much).

Anyway, over the last six years or so, I cut pop out – cold turkey! I just stopped drinking cola and pop of any kind and primarily just drank water, coffee and wine, (when the occasion called for it). I would only ever allow myself the very occasional Coke – usually if it was being offered, if I was at a restaurant, or visiting my parents. In other words, I stopped buying pop because if it was in my fridge, I’d drink it, and in case you haven’t heard, it’s not so good for you (which is disappointing).

I consume Coke a bit more often these days, but suffice it to say, it’s still very much a treat. So, when I talk about the best ways to drink a Coke, trust me, I know what I’m talking about.

So, herewith, my official ranking (as corroborated by my BFF) of the best ways to enjoy the fizzy beverage of champions. Champions of what, I have no idea, but it seemed like the most appropriate description of this liquid gold we call Coca Cola.

Best ways to enjoy a coke, ranked worst to best:

13. In a glass, flat and warm, no ice

12. From a can, flat and warm

11. From a bottle, flat and warm

10. Fountain coke, no ice

9. From a bottle, warm

8. Directly from a can, warm

7. In a glass, warm

6. Directly from a bottle, cold

5. Directly from the can, cold

4. In a glass, cold, no ice, poured from a bottle

3. In a glass, cold, no ice, poured from a can (it really does taste different from a bottle, I’m not making this up!)

2. Fountain Coke, lots of ice (especially when you’re after that distinct sugary hit of the syrup that can raise your blood sugar in 0.03 seconds)

And…the number one, absolute best, most delicious way to drink a Coke:

1. In a glass, cold, lots of ice, poured from a can or bottle, preferably a 2L bottle as opposed to any of the smaller sizes. It tastes different, it just does. I’m not a scientist, nor do I play one on TV, but it’s just the truth. That is simply the best. It’s blissful, it’s serene, it’s thirst-quenching and satisfying. Worthy of taking a moment to enjoy the glory of the act of consumption.

So there you have it, my definitive review of how best to enjoy a Coke.

Go forth and enjoy your Coke with a smile – a smug smile knowing that you’re doing it right.