Peace. Quiet.

Two simple things in short supply these days. With weekdays full of honking cars during dreaded commute traffic, ring tones that jolt, emails that never cease and all manner of pinging high-tech gadgets tethered to us 24-7, our lives are assaulted by so much noise – both figuratively and literally.

So, when Folgers recently asked me to write about how coffee and music play into my morning ritual in order to help tout its Folgers Jingle Contest that supports aspiring musicians, I got to thinking. I realized there are few things I appreciate more now than the stillness of an early Sunday morning. I covet creeping out of bed before my husband wakes, when sunlight is just started to seep through the edges of the curtains. The soothing sound of solitude is broken only by the rustling of the pages of the morning’s newspaper, the whistling of the kettle as I make my French press coffee, and the caressing vocals of Adele that emanate softly from the CD player.

Yes, I’m old-school. And I make no apologies for it.

Sure, I carry a smartphone, write my articles on computers, shoot with a digital camera and exercise to streaming tunes. But when it comes to Sunday mornings, I want none of that. I don’t want to read words on a backlit screen. I want to hold a real honest-to-goodness newspaper in my hands, the kind that lands with a thud on the porch. I want to turn its pages, one after the other, joyously discovering story after story just because they happened to catch my eye. In the background, I don’t want a thumping techno beat created by the wizardry of electronics, but a soulful, plaintive voice of a chanteuse that harkens back to another era. And I don’t want the latest-greatest gadget that dribbles out one tiny solitary cup of coffee at the touch of a button. No, I want the civilized ritual of actually pouring steaming water over fragrant grounds until they swell, before I push a plunger down forcefully to release the deep, dark, brooding brew.

To me, that is a perfect Sunday morning. I relish each and every one of them, too. Because like a great cup of coffee, it does its intended job. It relaxes me, then slowly but surely perks me up me to take on the challenges in the week ahead.

Only one thing could make it even better: If Folgers could ever get Adele to croon its jingle. Now, that would make my Sunday complete.

 

Folgers Jingle Contest: Be sure to vote for the best Top 10 finalist in Folgers’ Jingle Contest. Meet the Top 10! Take a look at Folgers® Jingle Contest Finalists, and listen to the tracks that earned them a spot in the Top 10. Cast your vote once every day through June 19. You could win exciting prizes, like free Folgers Coffee, iTunes® gift cards, signed CDs from Gavin DeGraw, and even a $10,000 Grand Prize just for voting. Vote now. Click here for official rules.