Eggs.

I'm sitting in Coffee Grounds right now (a coffee shop on campus), completely content. There is just something about curling up on one of the couches, holding a warm cup filled with a strong, amaretto latte, covered in a blanket, while listening to rain hit the window that is making me sublimely happy. Coffee in general makes me sublimely happy, but it is so much more than that right now. 


I think mostly it is the fact that it is silent in this room. I live in the lax bro dorm on campus, and let me tell you I never experience quiet. Even at 2:30 in the morning someone is screaming down the hallways. In fact, now that I think about it, there really aren't many places on campus that are quiet. Dorm, loud. Cafeteria, loud. Student Center, loud. Even the library is loud on the first two floors. Finding quiet is like finding peace. And finding quiet in a room filled with coffee is the very best kind of peace. 


Now that I can actually hear my own thoughts, I thought it might do well to explain the reasoning behind the title of this blog, especially after the mighty long post I wrote explaining my reasoning behind starting the blog (Let me just add here that after reading every post on DashandBella and learning that Phyllis edits her posts, I didn't honestly believe that I would need to. I was wrong, and she was more than right. Turns out that I can really write a lot, and a lot of crap for the most part. Editing is essential, and I still think I could still use some more on that last post, just saying. Have faith though!), I figure you, assuming there is a you out there, might be curious about the origins of my title. 


Eggs. It is a simple as that.


There are very few things that I don't like to eat. At age six I declared my love for escargots after sneaking one off my Dad's plate. The summer I turned 12, I discovered my love of stinky cheese. Things that children would throw a fit over, I happily shoved in my mouth. 


Eggs, however, were never something that interested me. Oysters, sure! But a sunny-side-up-egg left me completely confused (therefore, I ignored the whole "fried-egg" category and stuck to scrambled eggs and omelets exclusively). For a while I didn't even really like the taste of eggs, so I would cover them up with sauteed onions. I just never craved eggs like I did with other foods. 


Recently though, I have been pushing myself to try more things, cook new things, and appreciate the good and the bad. So, one random night, I sat down to dinner and declared, "Tonight is the night. I am going to try my first sunny-side-up egg." (I will admit that this was also motivated by my need to get some protein in a cafeteria seriously lacking a good meat supplier.) My friends were shocked. I am such a foodie that my not having eaten a fried egg before was more than surprising. But they were completely understanding and supportive. All five of them happily coached me through the proper fried-egg-eating process: butter the toast, salt and pepper the egg, crack the yolk, enjoy. 


It was simply amazing. So silky and smooth. So flavorful and delicious. I suddenly understood the revelation in Green Eggs and Ham. Thus, after my consistent indifference towards them, eggs came rushing into my life. 


Ever since that night, my love for eggs has only grown. I love eggs. I am actually scared that students think I am having pregnancy cravings because I eat them so often. I have such an addiction, I now know every fry-cook by name at the eggs-to-order station in the cafeteria. That is probably not okay, but hey at least I'm not addicted to cocaine! 


I was so jazzed by my sunny-side-up egg experience, I decided to eat every type of egg I could find. I only have a few left to try. I will admit that I am secretly terrified to try hard-boiled, and that my gag reflex might physically keep me from eating them. But I am determined, I want to find the perfect egg, my favorite type. 


As of right now, I am partial to the "over-medium" variety. A perfectly cooked egg white, a smooth and silky yolk, a consistency not too heavy but not too light. It is wonderful. And after really thinking about it, I realized that it perfectly describes life. 


Life is never too easy, but never too hard. It has its tough moments, but its soft moments too. And no matter what, it is always refreshing, fulfilling, and worth experiencing. 


Thus, "Life. Over Medium." is born. 
Here's to eggs and life...
-Kate


P.S. I got into the Narrative Nonfiction Course! This blog brings good luck!