I don't have any hardcore vices. Yes, I have things in which I like to indulge, and caffeinated beverages are among them. Drinking coffee is one of the best parts of my commute. I like to stand on the train platform and look out at the world while I sip my coffee. Sometimes, Diet Pepsi is an excellent substitute. Both are love, as far as I'm concerned.
I had plenty of time this morning, but I didn't make any coffee or pack a Diet Pepsi. "I don't have to have caffeine in the morning. I don't want to need to have it. I don't need to put all of those weird artificial things that make Diet Pepsi wonderful into my system all the time," I told myself. So, I walked to the train sans coffee, which was fine for my walk, as it was raining and windy.
Now that I'm in my office, though, all I can think about it coffee. A mocha to be exact. Chocolate goodness, deep and dark, perfectly joined with coffee and milk.
Did I mention there's a cafe downstairs from my office?
Another part of the problem is justifying spending money on coffee when I can make coffee at home. *sigh* I'll sit here and overthink this until the craving becomes unbearable and I finally give in. Clearly, I do have a coffee problem, but it's not the caffeine.
Showing posts with label coffee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label coffee. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Monday, November 10, 2008
thanks, BNL
Per the usual, it's freezing in my office. I should bring in some sort of thermometer to see how cold it actually gets in here. And a blanket. I should definitely bring in a blanket.
Despite the cold fingers, I've been PRODUCTIVE, which is pretty remarkable for a Monday, especially so since my Mondays are especially heinous.
I've been listening to the Barenaked Ladies all morning. I think that's helped, though I kinda wish I was "lyin' in bed, just like Brian Wilson did." Mmmm, sleep.
The weekend was pretty good. I was back to volunteer at Planned Parenthood after being gone 5 or 6 weeks (October was BUSY). We had Ethiopian with some of my work pals on Saturday and dinner with my pal Jennjer on Sunday after she played with the College's orchestra and choir in Wrigleyville. I'm not a huge fan of classical-type or choral-type musics, but they were awesome.
I know my friend Roly's excited for the Peppermint Mochas, but honestly, I'm just not ready to give up the Pumpkin Spice Latte. There's no comparison. I had one yesterday on the way to the concert, and there's nothing like a hot cup of coffee on a cold autumn day.
Time for lunch before my 5 straight hours of meetings/out-of-office stuffs.
Despite the cold fingers, I've been PRODUCTIVE, which is pretty remarkable for a Monday, especially so since my Mondays are especially heinous.
I've been listening to the Barenaked Ladies all morning. I think that's helped, though I kinda wish I was "lyin' in bed, just like Brian Wilson did." Mmmm, sleep.
The weekend was pretty good. I was back to volunteer at Planned Parenthood after being gone 5 or 6 weeks (October was BUSY). We had Ethiopian with some of my work pals on Saturday and dinner with my pal Jennjer on Sunday after she played with the College's orchestra and choir in Wrigleyville. I'm not a huge fan of classical-type or choral-type musics, but they were awesome.
I know my friend Roly's excited for the Peppermint Mochas, but honestly, I'm just not ready to give up the Pumpkin Spice Latte. There's no comparison. I had one yesterday on the way to the concert, and there's nothing like a hot cup of coffee on a cold autumn day.
Time for lunch before my 5 straight hours of meetings/out-of-office stuffs.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
sleep, coffee, and colored ice
I got half a good night's sleep last night. Sometime between 1 and 2, the nosepiece (?) on my CPAP started clicking. It didn't matter how I moved (or whether or not I did) and whether or not I held my breath. It was totally random and exceedingly annoying. We both woke up. Rather than mess around with it, I turned it off and slept the rest of the night without it. I'm guessing those 4 hours were pretty unrestful, given how I'm feeling today. I'm wondering how in the heck I'm going to figure out what went wrong with that thing--I haven't had any problems so far. Frankly, the thought sleeping without it after getting used to sleeping with it just makes me want to curl up and pout. I've finally been getting a good, restful night of sleep. I don't want to feel like this again every day. *sigh* Hopefully, I'll be home early enough to play with the damn machine tonight. Or hopefully, Anne will be patient enough to put up with me in the middle of the night tonight if it messes up again.
It's not a good time for this.
On Friday (a day off), I literally slept all day and was a wreck that night when I was awake. I then also slept most of Saturday. I felt like crap both days, and since I haven't come down with anything, I was either able to fight something off with all that sleeping or had a serious case of the allergy wipeouts--I took double the amount of normal allergy meds on Saturday and finally started to feel better. Then, of course, cue the CPAP problem.
In better news, my friend C and I went and saw the Museum of Modern Ice last week. Here's a sample of my pictures:
This is C. She wanted to pose by the refrigeration piping.
I'm also happy to report that it's not totally impossible--though it felt like it--to find fair trade coffee at the average chain grocery store. Good grief did it take a long time, though. The last bag of beans I bought was Starbucks' Estima blend, which is the only fair trade blend they sell at Starbucks. It's also, unfortunately, just about the only blend I couldn't find at the local chain grocery store. The bags of Sumatra were calling to me like the devil conscience on my shoulder, but the angel conscience reminded my I promised myself to only buy'n'brew fair trade coffee at the house. I ended up with Rogers Family Organic Coffee Breakfast Blend because it was the only one I found that explicitly said FAIR TRADE. It looks, though, that in the brand, all the Organic Coffee's are fair trade. I'll have to remember that.
Enough rambling.
It's not a good time for this.
On Friday (a day off), I literally slept all day and was a wreck that night when I was awake. I then also slept most of Saturday. I felt like crap both days, and since I haven't come down with anything, I was either able to fight something off with all that sleeping or had a serious case of the allergy wipeouts--I took double the amount of normal allergy meds on Saturday and finally started to feel better. Then, of course, cue the CPAP problem.
In better news, my friend C and I went and saw the Museum of Modern Ice last week. Here's a sample of my pictures:
This is C. She wanted to pose by the refrigeration piping.
I'm also happy to report that it's not totally impossible--though it felt like it--to find fair trade coffee at the average chain grocery store. Good grief did it take a long time, though. The last bag of beans I bought was Starbucks' Estima blend, which is the only fair trade blend they sell at Starbucks. It's also, unfortunately, just about the only blend I couldn't find at the local chain grocery store. The bags of Sumatra were calling to me like the devil conscience on my shoulder, but the angel conscience reminded my I promised myself to only buy'n'brew fair trade coffee at the house. I ended up with Rogers Family Organic Coffee Breakfast Blend because it was the only one I found that explicitly said FAIR TRADE. It looks, though, that in the brand, all the Organic Coffee's are fair trade. I'll have to remember that.
Enough rambling.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Comedy of Errors
I think I'm going to start a series of posts (not a regularly scheduled series) that I'm calling "Comedy of Errors." They're going to be the stories that are so stupid and hilarious and... yeah... the kind of stuff you can't make up. Inspired by this morning...
I have a potluck today for the book group I'm part of here at work. I made Jandyle's salsa dip, which involves a mixture of cream cheese and sour cream setting overnight in a small casserole dish (you put salsa, which I drained last night, and cheese on top right before serving). I bagged up the cold things in one grocery bag, with my Fritos in another bag. I made coffee for the first time in about 2 weeks (it's not fun when you're sick), and I chose my screw-top coffee mug from Starbucks--a gift from Maddy when she spilled one of my non-screw-top mugs off the counter and spilled coffee ALL over the kitchen. I packed up and headed out a little later than I wanted. It was the average time for leaving when conditions are fine out, but I've been trying to leave about 5 or 10 minutes earlier to allow for icy sidewalks.
Our front porch was newly painted in early autumn, so I'm always nervous that it could be very slick. I took my first step out, and it was only wet. Joy! I headed down the steps to the sidewalk and the gate. I made it almost out of the yard when I hit black ice. I didn't go completely down, but I dropped everything I was carrying: bag of Fritos, bag of cold stuff for the dip, cup of coffee.
I was most concerned about the glass casserole dish breaking, so I went immediately to check that first. All glass was in check, but that's when I noticed that the coffee mug had come up. There was coffee all over the sidewalk (perhaps good for the ice problem) and all over--and inside--the bag of cold stuff. The handle of the bag was particularly wet and sickeningly sweet with my coffee. Needless to say, I was a little more careful on the rest of the walk, which made me nervous for my timing for the train.
I wiped things down as best I could as with the few kleenexes I had in my coat pocket, at which point all I could do was hope my sinus infection would behave itself until I got to work. I headed around the corner and down the block to the intersection where I can catch the northbound bus to one train stop or the southbound bus 1/3 of a mile to the street my usual train stop is on. No northbound was in sight, but a good number of people were milling across the street at the southbound bus stop, which I take to mean there's got to be one not far off--it's rush hour, after all. I opted to wait with them, and a bus came relatively quickly. It was packed.
I made my way out at my stop, and I headed across the street to catch the westbound bus to the Metra. That bus runs more regularly than the one I'd just gotten off, so I wasn't worried about catching one in time. (When you take a train that only runs once an hour, this is usually faulty logic.) I'd waited about five minutes when I saw a northbound bus stopped across the street at a red light. Decision time: flag down the northbound and hope it'll wait for me to cross on the green to head north to the next Metra stop, or continue to wait for my bus. I opted to wait.
After another five minutes (cue nervousness), the bus arrived, also packed. I headed back to stand by the exit door. Approaching my stop, the girl seated across from me pulled the string and got out to stand with me. The bus driver flew right past our stop. "Wait!" I called. She stopped at the next bus stop down, where the girl and I, both grumbling, exited the bus. Between that intersection and my side of the train platform, there's no stoplight for the busy street. And, I knew I was running out of time.
As I walked back east, I watched the light ahead of me for the red, at which point I took my life into my own hands and jaywalked over to the platform.
Thank gawd I did. The train pulled in when I was halfway across the street. And, this asthmatic doesn't run. I hustled up and into the first open car I approached then walked back to my usual car, where the conductor knows me and my monthly pass, so he never checks it.
I rinsed my hands with my water bottle, chugged what little coffee was left, and got out my crochet. The train ride was luckily uneventful.
When I got into the office, I did a good inspection of all of the containers in the contaminated bag--all were intact. I dug out the tub of Clorox wipes and wiped down everything, including my coffee mug, which I noticed was cracked on the outside (that should make for an interesting washing, with water likely to collect inside the outer shell). Clean containers safely in my baby fridge, I proceeded down the hall to wash my hands, walking right into our onesie bathroom... and in on somebody who'd forgotten to lock the door.
I'm rather afraid of what the rest of the day could bring. And you know, I had thought last night, "You know, there's nothing pressing in the morning, and it's a Reading Day for the kids, so I could just sleep an extra hour and take the train that'll get me into the office at 10." If I'd listened to the part of me that really wanted that extra hour of sleep, the sidewalks could have been melted enough to make for an easy trip to the train, although I would have missed the opportunity for the campus shuttle to campus, which probably would have meant me slipping and falling with all the stuff once I got into town here. I don't think I could win either way, but at least I could have had an extra hour of sleep.
I have a potluck today for the book group I'm part of here at work. I made Jandyle's salsa dip, which involves a mixture of cream cheese and sour cream setting overnight in a small casserole dish (you put salsa, which I drained last night, and cheese on top right before serving). I bagged up the cold things in one grocery bag, with my Fritos in another bag. I made coffee for the first time in about 2 weeks (it's not fun when you're sick), and I chose my screw-top coffee mug from Starbucks--a gift from Maddy when she spilled one of my non-screw-top mugs off the counter and spilled coffee ALL over the kitchen. I packed up and headed out a little later than I wanted. It was the average time for leaving when conditions are fine out, but I've been trying to leave about 5 or 10 minutes earlier to allow for icy sidewalks.
Our front porch was newly painted in early autumn, so I'm always nervous that it could be very slick. I took my first step out, and it was only wet. Joy! I headed down the steps to the sidewalk and the gate. I made it almost out of the yard when I hit black ice. I didn't go completely down, but I dropped everything I was carrying: bag of Fritos, bag of cold stuff for the dip, cup of coffee.
I was most concerned about the glass casserole dish breaking, so I went immediately to check that first. All glass was in check, but that's when I noticed that the coffee mug had come up. There was coffee all over the sidewalk (perhaps good for the ice problem) and all over--and inside--the bag of cold stuff. The handle of the bag was particularly wet and sickeningly sweet with my coffee. Needless to say, I was a little more careful on the rest of the walk, which made me nervous for my timing for the train.
I wiped things down as best I could as with the few kleenexes I had in my coat pocket, at which point all I could do was hope my sinus infection would behave itself until I got to work. I headed around the corner and down the block to the intersection where I can catch the northbound bus to one train stop or the southbound bus 1/3 of a mile to the street my usual train stop is on. No northbound was in sight, but a good number of people were milling across the street at the southbound bus stop, which I take to mean there's got to be one not far off--it's rush hour, after all. I opted to wait with them, and a bus came relatively quickly. It was packed.
I made my way out at my stop, and I headed across the street to catch the westbound bus to the Metra. That bus runs more regularly than the one I'd just gotten off, so I wasn't worried about catching one in time. (When you take a train that only runs once an hour, this is usually faulty logic.) I'd waited about five minutes when I saw a northbound bus stopped across the street at a red light. Decision time: flag down the northbound and hope it'll wait for me to cross on the green to head north to the next Metra stop, or continue to wait for my bus. I opted to wait.
After another five minutes (cue nervousness), the bus arrived, also packed. I headed back to stand by the exit door. Approaching my stop, the girl seated across from me pulled the string and got out to stand with me. The bus driver flew right past our stop. "Wait!" I called. She stopped at the next bus stop down, where the girl and I, both grumbling, exited the bus. Between that intersection and my side of the train platform, there's no stoplight for the busy street. And, I knew I was running out of time.
As I walked back east, I watched the light ahead of me for the red, at which point I took my life into my own hands and jaywalked over to the platform.
Thank gawd I did. The train pulled in when I was halfway across the street. And, this asthmatic doesn't run. I hustled up and into the first open car I approached then walked back to my usual car, where the conductor knows me and my monthly pass, so he never checks it.
I rinsed my hands with my water bottle, chugged what little coffee was left, and got out my crochet. The train ride was luckily uneventful.
When I got into the office, I did a good inspection of all of the containers in the contaminated bag--all were intact. I dug out the tub of Clorox wipes and wiped down everything, including my coffee mug, which I noticed was cracked on the outside (that should make for an interesting washing, with water likely to collect inside the outer shell). Clean containers safely in my baby fridge, I proceeded down the hall to wash my hands, walking right into our onesie bathroom... and in on somebody who'd forgotten to lock the door.
I'm rather afraid of what the rest of the day could bring. And you know, I had thought last night, "You know, there's nothing pressing in the morning, and it's a Reading Day for the kids, so I could just sleep an extra hour and take the train that'll get me into the office at 10." If I'd listened to the part of me that really wanted that extra hour of sleep, the sidewalks could have been melted enough to make for an easy trip to the train, although I would have missed the opportunity for the campus shuttle to campus, which probably would have meant me slipping and falling with all the stuff once I got into town here. I don't think I could win either way, but at least I could have had an extra hour of sleep.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
coffee talk, day 3
Finally, I win.
It was a little nerve-wracking, I must admit. I changed the grind on the coffee grinder, and I trusted it that it really wanted to make 4 cups of coffee--although, I should point out that the 4+line on both sides of the coffee carafe, BOTH SIDES, are worn off to practically nonexistent. The beautiful aroma of freshly ground hazelnut coffee filled the kitchen, and I crossed my fingers as I turned on the coffeepot. And when it was time to fill the travel mug and head out? It look REALLY dark. I was scared. I poured a little into the sink, and the consistency looked okay. I thought, "What the hell. If it's still too strong, I'll just pour it out on the hill at the train platform." So, full mug in hand, I headed out.
As always, a little sloshed out the hole in the top of the mug--it's inevitable. It looked to be the right color of overflow. On I walked.
At the train platform, I did my requisite once-over of my teeth with my tongue to warm them up (ridiculous, I know, but my teeth get cold on the long walk, which makes them even more sensitive than normal). I opened the sippy slit, and I gave it a try. Beautiful.
I think the stuff I must have had before must have been really weak (I scooped properly, I swear), which was part of what made it taste like crap. I'm such a convert to grinding my own beans. The taste of hazelnut was fresh and smooth with the vanilla creamer.
It was a good train ride in this morning.
It was a little nerve-wracking, I must admit. I changed the grind on the coffee grinder, and I trusted it that it really wanted to make 4 cups of coffee--although, I should point out that the 4+line on both sides of the coffee carafe, BOTH SIDES, are worn off to practically nonexistent. The beautiful aroma of freshly ground hazelnut coffee filled the kitchen, and I crossed my fingers as I turned on the coffeepot. And when it was time to fill the travel mug and head out? It look REALLY dark. I was scared. I poured a little into the sink, and the consistency looked okay. I thought, "What the hell. If it's still too strong, I'll just pour it out on the hill at the train platform." So, full mug in hand, I headed out.
As always, a little sloshed out the hole in the top of the mug--it's inevitable. It looked to be the right color of overflow. On I walked.
At the train platform, I did my requisite once-over of my teeth with my tongue to warm them up (ridiculous, I know, but my teeth get cold on the long walk, which makes them even more sensitive than normal). I opened the sippy slit, and I gave it a try. Beautiful.
I think the stuff I must have had before must have been really weak (I scooped properly, I swear), which was part of what made it taste like crap. I'm such a convert to grinding my own beans. The taste of hazelnut was fresh and smooth with the vanilla creamer.
It was a good train ride in this morning.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
I fail at coffee, day 2
I guess they aren't kidding when they say "4 cups" on the side of the coffee grinder cup. Geez.
Maybe I need to reread the directions. I poured in enough beans to the 4-cup line and filled the house with the intoxicating smell of freshly ground coffee. I figured (and I was running late, as usual, with no time for consulting directions) that they meant 4-cups when it's actually ground. Knowing that my 4-cup mark of beans would made less ground coffee, I assumed it would be okay for my usual 3-cup travel mug. Boy was a wrong. I didn't even bother. While it wasn't sludgy, it was some of the darkest coffee I've ever made. Note to self: the lines on the coffee grinder must be for the amount of beans; make 4-cups of coffee tomorrow instead of 3.
At least we had cold Diet Pepsi.
This came after a night of tossing and turning with no Anne, who spent the night in Milwaukee rather than driving up at 5am this morning for an all-day inter-office training. The cats didn't like sleeping without her, either. Thankfully, she'll be home tonight. And, maybe she'll even remind me to read the coffee grinder directions. ;)
Maybe I need to reread the directions. I poured in enough beans to the 4-cup line and filled the house with the intoxicating smell of freshly ground coffee. I figured (and I was running late, as usual, with no time for consulting directions) that they meant 4-cups when it's actually ground. Knowing that my 4-cup mark of beans would made less ground coffee, I assumed it would be okay for my usual 3-cup travel mug. Boy was a wrong. I didn't even bother. While it wasn't sludgy, it was some of the darkest coffee I've ever made. Note to self: the lines on the coffee grinder must be for the amount of beans; make 4-cups of coffee tomorrow instead of 3.
At least we had cold Diet Pepsi.
This came after a night of tossing and turning with no Anne, who spent the night in Milwaukee rather than driving up at 5am this morning for an all-day inter-office training. The cats didn't like sleeping without her, either. Thankfully, she'll be home tonight. And, maybe she'll even remind me to read the coffee grinder directions. ;)
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
disappointed coffee drinker
After four days on Priolsec (shit, I need to do my mailorder for the Nexium!), I braved coffee this morning. It was mightily disappointing. Last year for Christmas, I think every person I know gave me coffee, so I've been working my way through it, which is hard when you keep getting frickin' heartburn. I'm almost done with the ground coffee. I opened a small pack, seeing at as no real challenge--the last ground before the two bags of beans. I was optimistic with this small pouch of coffee. It was very dark, tempting me to believe it would be a full, deep, dark roast with robust flavor. It has, instead, been weak and uninteresting. I'm trying to finish it, but I might just dump the rest (2 or 3 travelmug's worth) and opt for the beans. Part of the problem is that Starbuck's Sumatra is one of the first coffees I made for myself at home, and it's ruined me. They classify it as "extra bold," and it tastes oh-so-good. (Plus, I just learned reading the summary on their website that it's a low-acid coffee! Score for the kid with heartburn!) I've vowed, however, not to buy my coffee beans at Starbucks anymore. *pout* They only sell one blend of coffee beans that's fair-trade. I will continue to buy my fru-fru coffee drinks there, though, because I believe they do try to be socially responsible and that they care for their employees here (see the info on their website about this). I'm thinking, then, that I'll try and buy my coffee beans at 10,000 Villages or Metropolis Coffee, which sells several blends that are organic and/or fair- trade. And while we're talking about coffee, how come I can't find Coffee-Mate Latte Creations anymore? At least I'm not the only one wondering this.
Gosh, I've really overanalyzed this whole coffee thing.
Gosh, I've really overanalyzed this whole coffee thing.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Love, Starbucks
Yesterday, there was a package awaiting me, an unordered, unexpected package. A package from Starbucks. To thank me for being a loyal customer. They sent me a cd. Can you believe that?! Because I've had a Starbucks card (automattically bills Anne's credit card to refill itself) for almost 3 years and buy a coffee about once a week with said Starbucks card.
So, let's look at this...Anne buys me Starbucks weekly, and because of it, Starbucks sent me a free cd of good music (so far!).
I win so hard.
So, let's look at this...Anne buys me Starbucks weekly, and because of it, Starbucks sent me a free cd of good music (so far!).
I win so hard.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)