The Crankiness Crusher™

I went into New York City for a lunch meeting today with a fellow colleague in the publishing industry. At the end of the meal, I said that I was craving something sweet and she had a fantastic suggestion that became today’s crankiness crusher. 

We took a leisurely stroll to a place I’ve been dying to check out–The Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. While they’re known for their amazing burgers, custards and shakes, we both opted for a traditional ice cream cone with one scoop of vanilla and one scoop of chocolate. We plopped ourselves at the bottom of a big statue and licked our refreshingly cold and yummy ice cream at record speed before it fell prey to the sun’s heat.

While chatting and taking in this gorgeous day at the park, I became nostalgic about my first real job in NY and how my colleagues and I would grab a sandwich at the deli and then sit in the grass or on a bench during our lunch break. Back then it was the perfect way to escape the pile of work on my desk. Today it was the perfect way to slow down and enjoy a lovely conversation with the sounds of birds and laughter in the background–until we realized how late it was and I had to make a mad dash to the Port Authority bus terminal!

We all need a moment of respite in our day. What have you done lately that made you feel like time stopped for a few minutes? Please share your crankiness crushers to keep the happy train chugging along.