Coffee Conundrums...

"Our culture runs on coffee and gasoline, the first often tasting like the second." ~Edward Abbey

Yesterday morning I went to the grocery store to grab some baking ingredients for Taya, with my travel mug of coffee in hand. I was in the store for less than 10 minutes and got three different comments from three different people about bringing my coffee with me..."Wow, did you have a tough time waking up this morning?", "Look, this guy brought his own coffee with him!" "You must really like coffee...", etc.

I said "I'm from Washington, we don't do anything until we've had coffee." But they just stared at me. They didn't get it. One lady said, "Why, do they drink a lot of coffee in Washington? I can't stand the stuff." I had to laugh, it's just different here. Obviously the travel mug business and the drive-thru coffee stand business hasn't made much of an impact on the people of Arkansas, yet everyone here seems to know which restaurants have really good "Sweet Tea."

Then this morning I got up early so that I could get a good jump on my day at the office, just before heading out of the house I tried to make a quick cup of coffee to take with me. The machine sounded like it was working, but nothing was happening, not a drop of coffee would come out. For some reason it just wouldn't pump the water through the filter. I fiddled around with it for twenty minutes without one ounce of caffeine to show for my efforts. Finally, I decided to forget it and just head in to the office. I have a french press there to make a good strong cup. By the time I left home I had already used up half of the "extra time" that I was hoping to get at work this morning. Then, I spent most of my twenty minute commute wishing I would have given the machine at home just one more try. When I got to my desk, I grabbed the french press and ran to the break room to get some hot water. As I was filling the press up with hot water, it slipped out of my hand and shattered on the ground. What a way to start the day! I think I should switch to water as my morning beverage, it's easier.

"I put instant coffee in the microwave oven and almost went back in time." ~Stephen Wright