Coffee Break with the Barista

    When the current economic crisis began, I tried to pay little attention to it, attempting to add as little negative energy to it as possible. However, it does seem that the majority of the people I come in contact with are feeling stretched financially — or worse.
    Countless times I’ve heard the words, “We’re all in this together.” Never before have those words seemed as meaningful as they do now. Never before in my lifetime has it seemed so important for us to reach out to one another.
    Regardless of our personal financial situations or how busy we seem to be, we can all do something to lighten the load of another person and perhaps even empower them. I hope you’ll read Fran Taylor’s column on page 16 — I think she’s great!
    February is the time I begin thinking about increasing my exercise. With more daylight, I become interested in running, but I have to actually schedule time for it. I think about it on the drive home from work. If the sun is still shining by the time I pull into my driveway, I’m ready to get my running shoes on. If you need a little motivation, read Julie Hereford’s article, “Get Moving” on page 9.
    Java Journal is pleased to announce our new home at www.javajournalSTL.com. Pay us a visit and let us know what you think.
    Topping the list of popular Java Journal articles is “Haunted Alton.” We were overwhelmed with inquiries about the story on Mitchell Mansion. Yes, from my perspective, it is haunted. I will provide an update in the March issue.
    A big thank you to our readers who wrote to us about how their spouses proposed to them. I hope you’ll read the stories on page 10.
    I love getting notes and letters from our readers. Write to me at info@javajournalonline.com and let me know what you think of Java Journal.

    Marian Rein