Latte Dawdy Who Likes to Coffee

Coffee has been a staple in my life since the age of 15. For those of you that remember angst ridden youth in 1995 and watched a lot of Singles and Reality Bites, you knew that if you were at a coffee shop, you were in the place where all the stuff happened. What stuff you ask? I don't know. Underage cigarette smoking indoors (for those of you that remember that too) acoustic guy with dreads on guitar, poetry guy that would be sitting in the corner rabidly scrawling down his feelings because we didn't have laptops yet, ready to get up and share those deep and intricate thoughts with all twenty people that were in there, and pointless fast hyper caffeinated conversational hours to waste away with friends.

I remember back then (in ye olde days) that in order to go to a coffee shop for me, it required sneaking out of the house. It wasn't approved of at all, so I always felt like I was doing something ultra cool when I made it out. I was hanging out with the older crowd, full of wit and conversation that I didn't quite have a grasp on, but so badly wanted to be a part of. When you are a kid, people that are a mere three years older than yourself seem to know a lot more about what's going on than you would ever imagine comprehending. But this was right on the cusp of adulthood, before jaded and jagged had set their little talons into your brain. Coffee just exacerbated that energy that was already flowing through my active and passionate about life and wonderment little soul that was still kicking around inside of me.

I never thought of caffeine as a necessity, maybe it was like Cocaine for wussies in those days, (for the record I have never tried cocaine) making it so that you could amplify those hormones.

Later in life, as the necessity to get up early and have a job, pay bills, learn to exist on no sleep, and getting old kicked in, it has become something that I cannot live without because it is what keeps me level. I don't go to coffee shops to hang out now. I go because I want to get in line, get that latte, and get the hell out as fast as possible. Gone are the days of the acoustic dude and the poetry writing guy, and here are the days of the people smoking their cigarette and stubbing it out before they get in the door, opening a laptop and placing it on a table in the Starbucks so that they can get some work done.

Over the years, I have become impervious to most things energy enhancing. I used to drink Red Bull because I liked the taste. It had no other job but to continue being delicious and I would consume it. Rock Stars were just a bigger version of that for me. I pick up Zing Tea Energy drinks every once in awhile and will sit on the couch watching a movie at 11:00 at night sipping away on one, and then heading to bed at 1:00 and slumbering away. I am at the fatigued point in my life that the only thing that coffees, teas, and energy drinks do for me is keep me that one step away from not falling into a coma. I just feel there, not more alert, not more tired. Just there.

I remember when Five Hour Energy Drink first came out, it was touted by many of my reputable friends (shady friends you know who you are) that it was the best thing ever. No caffeine shakes and just a natural sense of alertness. I went into the gas station and picked up my vial of potential savior and brought it home, cradling my little guy in my hand. At first I proceeded haltingly, taking down only half the bottle in case I couldn't handle the high charged happy rush that was bound to warm my body. I waited 20 minutes. Nothing. I downed the rest of the bottle thinking that maybe I just had to do it all in order to get the full effect. I went and sat on the couch. And proceeded to take a 2 hour nap.

So for the most part I gave up on the calorie laden energy drinks, and the calorie-less shots of hope and promise and stuck with my dear friend coffee and tea. Over the years I have gotten pickier with what I put in my body though, because when you are bound to a beverage for life, it is time to start researching everything you can about it in order to make sure you are getting the full benefit of your vice. I used to drink Folgers every day, but I bet if I had a cup now I would start crying while my unsatisfied taste buds rejected it. . I can only stomach breakfast blend coffee in any brand plain ol' black at this point, or a latte is my staple drink. I love Christmas time because I get the delicious egg nog/gingerbread concoction sugar in a cup mix.

Teas used to come in $3 a box green form, but now that I have discovered the wonderment of loose leaf all flavors under the rainbow stuff that in your bag and steep it type, I cannot get enough. I scour the tea shops and internets constantly looking for the next best rose or lavender or violet flavored teas. I have an affinity for consuming all sorts of plant life now.

I recall two weeks ago (I know it is amazing I can even think back that far anymore) going a week with only one cup of coffee and one cup of tea, and the narcolepsy that followed along with the pounding headachy feeling and weakly saying "Dim the lights!" every time I came near a fluorescent bulb, and began to wonder if this was an acceptable addiction that I was harboring.

I have come to the conclusion that as long as I still refuse to say things like "Caramelito Frappalatte Skinny Frozen Chickychita Blended With Cream on the Side and a dash of lemonita scabies Soy Milk Cicle" large please,” I am in the clear.