Vanilla Coke

There is a general routine when I go to my Grandparent’s house in St. George.  We arrive, talk a bunch, go to bed, sleep extremely well, and then wake up.  After we wake up, Grandma is usually making or setting stuff out for breakfast and waiting for everyone else to get up and around.  While most of the guests go straight for the food, you may happen to notice a taller lanky man with thin white/grey hair going in every direction, heading for the garage.  When Grandpa returns from the garage, you can hear a pop and a light sigh sound that my Grandma calls on cue every time to let us all know that Grandpa is now up.  He’s got his Diet Coke. 

 Everyone in my family it seems has their drink.  My dad and brothers = Dr. Pepper, my Mom= Pepsi or Pepsi Max, Dani (s.sis) = water, water and Arizona Tea, roommate= probably milk, Grandpa = Diet Coke, and the list can go on.  I never thought I had a particular drink, but obviously guessing from the Title, I technically do.  I first noticed this when one day my Mom called and asked if I wanted a drink from the gas station on her way home, when I said yes she hung up and didn’t give me a chance to tell her what I wanted.  When she came home though, she had exactly what I wanted, a vanilla coke. 

So I guess I have a drink.  I find it interesting sometimes how a lot of us have a particular drink we need on a varying daily basis, instead of switching up the various choices between beverages.  I’ve concluded that it certainly it is a matter of preference and practicality.  Why would you spend money on something you may or may not like?  Why would you go outside of your comfort zone to get an Orange Fanta when you’re craving your daily or routinely Dr. Pepper? 

In a twisted way, we do this in life all the time.  Same things see the same routine, what is wrong with mixing it up a little.  I think today I’ll walk a different way to class, well I will actually walk.  Maybe instead of doing my homework on my floor at home, well I will for one actually do my homework but maybe this time in the library.  At work instead of nailing kids for being loud and running around I will encouraged it, even though that is aimed for disaster. In my leisure time instead of napping, reading, or checking facebook, I will go for a walk and stop and talk to a friend or stranger.  And when it comes time for me to make a pit stop at a gas station or open my fridge for a beverage, instead of my usual Vanilla Coke, I’ll take an Arizona Mucho Mango (my second favorite), nothing drastic.