Coffee.
The sound of the word 'coffee' just rolls off my tongue and drips happiness. Truly. I can walk by a coffee shop (be it a gourmet or greasy spoon) and the aroma of freshly brewed beans crawls up my nose, into my sinuses, and I feel the euphoric 'lift' that the magical South American fruit produces.
Scientifically, if you're feeling 'down' if you walk past a coffee shop (or go inside and shove your snout into a bin and huff it like you're about to 'lose it', if you're me) it will perk you up; science has proved that coffee is a 'natural' mood lifter. Isn't that great? I remember that from a $40,000 public university education, from one of my Psy 400 classes. Seems, if not for anything else, that the information about coffee made the whole 3 years worth it (yes, we know I'm a geek, now you also know my dirty little secret, I finished University early). I can also remember a lot about something called "substance dependant learning." Substance dependant learning, in a nutshell, means that if you're cramming for an exam, and you chug, for instance, a 40 oz. keg of coffee, you'll learn the facts with that 'substance' in your brain and in order to have maximum recall when you take said exam, you'll need that same quantity of coffee in your system at the time of the test. Hmm. That could be one of the reasons why I had my I.V. (a HUGE portable coffee mug) with me at all times when I was in school...or could also be because I am hugely addicted to the substance.
Can't you just meet our Maker, in peace, now, that you have that useless piece of trivia to add to the vast quantities arcana that I can fill you with?
I love coffee. My mother told me that I get my love of the warm, brown, aromatic beverage from my grandmother. I'll never forget my mom telling me about a time when Grandma went to England (can you hear "God Save the Queen" playing, yet?) and how she couldn't get a cup o'joe to satisfy her. When she returned home from her trip all she could do was complain about the fact that the British can't brew a decent cup of coffee (after my own visit across the 'pond' I'm inclined to agree with her). Well, I suppose that makes sense, they drink Tea. Tea doesn't have nearly the caffeine that coffee does. The average cup of steeped tea (think 3 mins.) has between 12 and 20 mg. of caffeine; the Brits, perhaps, are a bit more sedate due to their caffeine consumption. We Americans, loud and obnoxious sorts, chug an average of 2 cups of coffee in the morning to the tune of a super-charged 50 mg. caffeine per cup. That's just regular joe, we ain't even gotten into Espresso, here. No wonder we're as hyper and high-strung as we are. But, then again, could we do it 'all' on less? For me the answer is a resounding "NO!"
I tried (successfully) to kick the caffeine habit exactly two times in my life: Peanut and Chub-chub. I quit coffee when I was pregnant. After all, a responsible mommy-to-be follows a stringent regimen of diet, sans coffee/caffeine. With Peanut it was easy. My favored elixir of life made me ill. Just the smell of it was enough to send me to the toilet retching violently. What a horrible association it was for me coffee-nausea. Now, with the Chubber, coffee didn't make me ill. In fact, quite contrary to my pregnancy with his sister, I craved coffee. I couldn't sniff it enough. In the end, at about 8 mos, I did have an occasional cup (I can hear the authors of What to Expect When You're Expecting rage at this injustice I did to my son).
Coffee, especially in the morning, is great. On the rare occasion where I can't have my coffee, to quote a former professor of mine, Ms. Mary Roe, 'life isn't good;' in fact, life is terrible. The only times I am without coffee in the morning is if: a. There has been a power outage, and my automatic coffee-maker doesn't start because the time is flashing "12:00" over and over again, ever so belligerently, or b. I have had a psychotic break with reality and forgotten to set my coffee-maker. I do not do well when caffeine deprived. In fact, you might say I can be a bit of a b*tch.
The sound of the word 'coffee' just rolls off my tongue and drips happiness. Truly. I can walk by a coffee shop (be it a gourmet or greasy spoon) and the aroma of freshly brewed beans crawls up my nose, into my sinuses, and I feel the euphoric 'lift' that the magical South American fruit produces.
Scientifically, if you're feeling 'down' if you walk past a coffee shop (or go inside and shove your snout into a bin and huff it like you're about to 'lose it', if you're me) it will perk you up; science has proved that coffee is a 'natural' mood lifter. Isn't that great? I remember that from a $40,000 public university education, from one of my Psy 400 classes. Seems, if not for anything else, that the information about coffee made the whole 3 years worth it (yes, we know I'm a geek, now you also know my dirty little secret, I finished University early). I can also remember a lot about something called "substance dependant learning." Substance dependant learning, in a nutshell, means that if you're cramming for an exam, and you chug, for instance, a 40 oz. keg of coffee, you'll learn the facts with that 'substance' in your brain and in order to have maximum recall when you take said exam, you'll need that same quantity of coffee in your system at the time of the test. Hmm. That could be one of the reasons why I had my I.V. (a HUGE portable coffee mug) with me at all times when I was in school...or could also be because I am hugely addicted to the substance.
Can't you just meet our Maker, in peace, now, that you have that useless piece of trivia to add to the vast quantities arcana that I can fill you with?
I love coffee. My mother told me that I get my love of the warm, brown, aromatic beverage from my grandmother. I'll never forget my mom telling me about a time when Grandma went to England (can you hear "God Save the Queen" playing, yet?) and how she couldn't get a cup o'joe to satisfy her. When she returned home from her trip all she could do was complain about the fact that the British can't brew a decent cup of coffee (after my own visit across the 'pond' I'm inclined to agree with her). Well, I suppose that makes sense, they drink Tea. Tea doesn't have nearly the caffeine that coffee does. The average cup of steeped tea (think 3 mins.) has between 12 and 20 mg. of caffeine; the Brits, perhaps, are a bit more sedate due to their caffeine consumption. We Americans, loud and obnoxious sorts, chug an average of 2 cups of coffee in the morning to the tune of a super-charged 50 mg. caffeine per cup. That's just regular joe, we ain't even gotten into Espresso, here. No wonder we're as hyper and high-strung as we are. But, then again, could we do it 'all' on less? For me the answer is a resounding "NO!"
I tried (successfully) to kick the caffeine habit exactly two times in my life: Peanut and Chub-chub. I quit coffee when I was pregnant. After all, a responsible mommy-to-be follows a stringent regimen of diet, sans coffee/caffeine. With Peanut it was easy. My favored elixir of life made me ill. Just the smell of it was enough to send me to the toilet retching violently. What a horrible association it was for me coffee-nausea. Now, with the Chubber, coffee didn't make me ill. In fact, quite contrary to my pregnancy with his sister, I craved coffee. I couldn't sniff it enough. In the end, at about 8 mos, I did have an occasional cup (I can hear the authors of What to Expect When You're Expecting rage at this injustice I did to my son).
Coffee, especially in the morning, is great. On the rare occasion where I can't have my coffee, to quote a former professor of mine, Ms. Mary Roe, 'life isn't good;' in fact, life is terrible. The only times I am without coffee in the morning is if: a. There has been a power outage, and my automatic coffee-maker doesn't start because the time is flashing "12:00" over and over again, ever so belligerently, or b. I have had a psychotic break with reality and forgotten to set my coffee-maker. I do not do well when caffeine deprived. In fact, you might say I can be a bit of a b*tch.
Really. I'm sure you could never, ever see me as anything other than sunshine and roses (you can quit laughing, now).
Coffee is the only real 'vice' I have left, these days. I quit drinking and partying; I don't do drugs; I don't buy shoes compulsively anymore; and I haven't smoked since my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer (that was tough for two reasons- 1. mom was diagnosed when she was already at stage IV cancer (terminal), which made me stressed and want to smoke even more, and, 2. because it was already a 10 year old habit). I feel like if I'm going to have any 'vices' coffee is a fairly safe bet. I even heard in the news, a couple weeks ago, coffee is good for you because if somehow contains antioxidants and is a source of fiber. Whoo-hoo!
What can I say? I just love coffee.
Coffee is the only real 'vice' I have left, these days. I quit drinking and partying; I don't do drugs; I don't buy shoes compulsively anymore; and I haven't smoked since my mother was diagnosed with lung cancer (that was tough for two reasons- 1. mom was diagnosed when she was already at stage IV cancer (terminal), which made me stressed and want to smoke even more, and, 2. because it was already a 10 year old habit). I feel like if I'm going to have any 'vices' coffee is a fairly safe bet. I even heard in the news, a couple weeks ago, coffee is good for you because if somehow contains antioxidants and is a source of fiber. Whoo-hoo!
What can I say? I just love coffee.
8-10-07: Edited to add my favorite 'coffee' graphic--when I originally posted this, my computer refused to let me have access to my pictures/uploads.
3 comments:
You are a better woman than I. I didn't give it up while I was pregnant. I mean please, I'm taking caring of them for years to come. What's a little caffiene in the bloodstream?
I just have to comment again. I had to call Sergio in to see your graphic, that is hilarious!! Thank you for the best laugh of the night.
So glad that you enjoyed it. It, for me, is so true. :)
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