Coffee: Goodbye My Love

I love coffee.  I love waking up in the morning to the fresh aroma of a freshly brewed pot of coffee.  I add 2 cubes of Sugar in the Raw and enough half and half to get my coffee that perfect tan color.  I love going to Starbucks and ordering a Grande Non Fat Extra Hot Toffee Nut Latte or a Grande Americano Misto (I once dreamt my cousin made me an Americano Misto, but for some reason I never drank it and I ended up craving one for days).  I love meeting friends and having a great conversation over a nice, hot, yummy smelling cup of coffee.  I love trying out new beans and tasting the differences.  I love creating my own mixes using flavored beans from McQuarries, such as Snicker Doodle or Highlander Grog (love, love, love them both) and then mixing them with some type of medium roast bean.

This is my coffee cup collection.  I like to pick the mug I'm going to use depending on my mood.  For instance, if I have a hankering to get outta town on a trip, I use the great big mug in the middle, its from Vancouver Starbucks and is a picture of Stanely Park.  You can even see my dorky Periodic Table of Elements mug towards the end.  Below my collection is my "Coffee Bar" which holds my coffee maker, grinder, special measuring spoon, and various containers which hold my precious beans.  (for some reason I feel like Gollum when saying that)

 . . . my precious . . . 

So a while ago I had been really really sick and had no inclination to eat or drink for 3 days. During my illness I spend some time reading about Lent.  I have never observed Lent and have no clue what this religious observance is about.  I figured it was about eating yummy pancakes and then giving something up for 40 days, except maybe on Sunday?   While I was recuperating I read an interesting blog which offered the idea that it's not what you give up (using your own strength, perseverance, determination, etc), rather its about reliance.  The idea piqued my interest.

I really had no intention of not drinking coffee, but I had realized that 4 days had gone by and I hadn't had a single drop of coffee.  By the time I was feeling better I was still weak and the thought of a strong cup of coffee scared my stomach.  Out of sheer curiosity, I decided to keep going. . . . .

. . . . So now it's been 14 days.  I had thought I wouldn't be able to function the entire day without a cup of coffee.  But I did and and I can and you know what?  I feel great!  Not just great, I feel fantastic!  I have been having the best sleeps I've ever had.  I don't toss and turn at night, I could probably just slide out of bed in the morning and my sheets wouldn't look slept in.  I don't have to hit the snooze button 4 or 5 times before I get out of bed.  I don't feel like I'm internally vibrating when I try and take a nap.  I feel less emotional and more focussed.

So I'm saying goodbye to coffee with the help of my good friend James Blunt:

Goodbye my lover.

Goodbye my friend.

You have been the one.

You have the been the one for me.

If anyone is still reading this incredibly long post, check this out:  Storyville: The Truth.  It's a pretty funny mockumentary about coffee beans.