The First Step is to Admit You Have a Problem

[madbaker]

Hi, everybody. My name is madbaker, and I'm addicted to caffeine.
(All right, I'm also addicted to books. That's not the point of this post though, so drop it for the moment.)

Hmm. I don't feel any better. Or worse, for that matter. Maybe I need to get a cup of coffee...

Monday night I crashed at a friend's house rather than make the hour's drive home. I still went to bed later than I'd like given my East Coast schedule, although sleeping there nets me about 1.5 hours extra sleep. I've done this before, and I still suffer all the next day. Part of it is not sleeping well because it's not my bed; part is not sleeping well because the wife isn't there. (As opposed to driving home and suffering the next day because I've gotten an hour less sleep than the rest of the week.)

But yesterday wasn't as bad a day as usual. Apparently, the biggest part of my fatigue is not getting my commute mug of coffee for the drive in. The friends graciously providing the crash space have a coffee maker, but I feel vaguely uncomfortable running it at 5 AM in someone else's house, even if I had the time, which I usually don't.

However, I just discovered that the coffee chain near their house opens at 5 AM.
Set the alarm for ten minutes earlier, showed up there as they opened, got a medium black coffee. Drank it during the 20-minute drive. And - felt tired, but not completely dragging as usual.

Okay. So I'm addicted. That's really my only habitual vice these days, so I'm okay with it.

At least I'm not in denial. That's worth something, right?

What I'm reading: C.S. Friedman, This Alien Shore

Comments

[falzalot.livejournal.com]

Sometimes I wish I'd developed a taste for coffee. I love diet coke, but it just doesn't smell as nice in the morning. :->

[blkeagl.livejournal.com]

I hear you. Fortunately for me, my coffee addiction is ALL about taste. I'm so obsessed with freshness that I roast my own. Oh yeah, and have my own espresso machine.

Funny thing though, I managed 3 days without any coffee on a recent trip to Texas and didn't feel draggy at all. But my taste buds were desperate for a decent cup by the 4th day, so I had to go looking (avoiding the yucky coffee chain stuff). Found a decent little place, but the guy clearly had no clue how to really make the drinks except in very general proportions.

*snif*

Jonesin'

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

The sad thing with this is that my friends' place is only 20 minutes away from work. I didn't think a 20 minute delay would hit me that hard. Clearly does, though.

Maybe *you* have a problem; I sure as heck don't.

[fionnbharro.livejournal.com]

I drink coffee. And, yeah, I drink a *lot*. My intake is measured in 'Pots' not 'cups'.

I never drink decaf, and I still think I could use a few more hours of sleep (and don't have *any* problems sleeping after a few cups of caffeine).

I don't roast my own, but I do buy whole-bean French- or Espresso-Roast, and grind it on 'espresso/powder' before putting it through the coffee maker.

If I had a ready-source of DI water, I'd use that in the coffee-maker just to extract every last bit of caffeine.

And Flavor. I meant "Every last bit of Flavor". Yeah, that's it.

I can stop with the caffeine *any* time I want. I've gone without it *hundreds* of times. Like now. That mug is *waaay* over on the other side of the room. You don't see me slavishly running over there waiting for my 'fix.' I can wait until I finish typing. *Or* not at all, **IF I SO CHOOSE**.


Hope you get some help with that 'problem' of yours, buddy.

[loup_noir]

My blood must be at least 50% coffee. Love the stuff too much for my stomach's good at times, but can't help myself.

Coffee, espresso, Turkish coffee....

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

Yah. Like you and fionnbharro, I love the taste of coffee. That, combined with my East Coast schedule and West Coast residence, and that the busiest part of my day is between 5:30 and 9 AM, means I indulge frequently.

Heck, even when I was a kid I loved Jamoca Almond Fudge ice cream. And the smell of coffee - who was it who said "If coffee tasted like it smelled, everyone would be addicted"?

Mmmm.