CoffeeCoffeeCoffee!

This morning, I was expected to function like a normal human being…. BEFORE I got to make my coffee (pause for gasps!). Gasp! Let me explain something: I am not a human being in the morning until I get my coffee (doncha love when people call it “MY coffee.” “I need my coffee. Wait…… not until I’ve had my coffee”). I am more like a puddle of still-sleeping, still-dreaming, barely-alive primordial ooze. Don’t even ask me how I drive to work in ooze form. It ain’t pretty. Anyways, so this morning I got to work and all of a sudden I was expected to do about a gazillion important things in a very short time span For. A. Client. Meeting. Translation: This shit matters. Don’t fuck it up. Oh, and hurry, will ya? BEFORE MY FREAKIN’ COFFEE! Well, long story short, I got everything done in a timely manner for the meeting, and all superiors were happy. But, the whole time I was scrambling to get things together, all I could think was “Um, what’s up with all these people who think they’re allowed to talk to me before I get my coffee?” Perhaps you saw this on my facebook status. My sister commented saying “best. status.ever.” Like.

Now, my relationship with coffee is a little more intimate than other people’s (and here I go continuing the I-enter-into-relationships-with-inanimate-objects thing). My first job was working in a gourmet shop, and I immediately gravitated towards working the espresso bar. My second job was in a coffee shop called, and get this, “The Cuppa Giddyup (anyone familiar with Middleburg, VA will understand).” I worked in a couple more coffee shops in college too. I loved it. And so, I got to drink really good coffee and espresso all the time. For free! And so I did. A lot. And I got spoiled because I was always drinking really good, high-quality made-by-me caffeinated beverages. Making someone a good latte or cappuccino is an art. Every barista has his or her own style and skill level, just like every artist or musician has his or hers. Except you can’t drink paintings, so screw that.

Continuing with the metaphor, if coffee is an art, then the coffee at work is something your five-year-old brat with ADD could have crapped out in his sleep. It’s horrendously awful. We have one of those one-cup makers where you put in these little pods of coffee, fill the well with water, push a button, and total shit comes out. I’m not sure exactly why it tastes so bad, but I know good, and this isn’t it. But, I drink this everyday. And I complain when I don’t get it. Why? Because crappy coffee is way better than no coffee. And, this is free coffee. Well, free to me. If I spent $3.00 every single morning to get a latte at my local coffee shop, that would be an extra $90 a month I was spending! That’s around the total sum of my cell phone bill and my electric bill (Is it bad that I’m semi-seriously contemplating what my life would be like if I decided to drink good lattes every morning instead of have electricity and a phone?). We had to read this book for work called Smart Women Finish Rich, and there was this whole chapter called “The Latte Factor.” The anecdote featured a young woman (like, my age) who was complaining about how she couldn’t save any money. So, they eventually figure out that if she stops buying her morning latte and saves the money instead, she can become a filthy rich millionaire and buy a big mansion and marry a handsome beach bum and buy all the coffee she wants and drink lattes all day long and be happy for ever and ever. Ok, that last part or two may be a bit of an exaggeration. But, you get the point. So, I drink my sludge every morning so I’m no longer ooze.

Yum.

Ah, Bella! A cappuccino I enjoyed in San Gimignano, Italy

RYAN'S RECOMMENDATIONS:

Reading: Getting towards the end of Watership Down. Seriously guys, this is a wonderful book. If you haven't read it, put it on your list. Also, Dooce.com is still my favorite blog to read (if you're interested!)

Listening: I've been listening to The Band alot lately. My dad and sister got to see Levon Helm last week (so jealous!), who was The Band's drummer and one of the lead vocalists. Inspired me to pull out my Last Waltz CD. I'm hoping to also get one of Levon Helm's solo CDs soon.

Working Out: I've been bad this week, mainly because I've been spending my extra time packing up my apartment. I'm moving out Friday! So, I recommend reading my friend Caitlin's Fitness Tip of the Day blog. She writes great posts and gives great advice. At least while I'm not working out I can further educate myself in the health and fitness department!