Coffee: A History

For much of my life, I have hated coffee. I never understood the big deal.

In my house growing up, I don't remember my mother drinking coffee but I do remember my Dad always starting off with a Pepsi.

Not a Coke - a Pepsi. Otherwise he mostly drank Lemon-Lime Gatorade.

Moving on to High School - I had this Chemistry teacher who spent most of his time hiding in the men's room smoking. Somehow I became his favorite and he sent me to the teachers lounge to get him coffee. He told me to make it really strong.

Um - I don't know how to make coffee..

Down I go to the teachers lounge hoping some is already made and it's not. Great.

I am a relatively smart person, in contrast to my hair color, so I knew about the filter and water, etc. However when you don't make coffee, don't drink coffee, and don't live with those who DO - being a pinch-coffee-fetcher is stressful.

Needless to say - that cup of coffee probably wasn't his best. But he DID keep sending me on this errand the rest of the year.

In college, my go-to for caffeine was Coke. (a-Cola. not the other kind..) Late nights were Snickers Bars and Coke and loud music.

Then I was introduced to a Mint-Mochasomethingorother at Java Jacks by way of Donald.

I will never forget my first experience with THISMUCH caffeine.

I drank it on the way to work (I was in the Help Desk department at a call center) and by the time I finished this cup of minty-mocha goodness I was WIRED. I probably out-talked Donald, which is an urban legend to this day.

After that, I was a little more careful with the amount of caffeine I would consume but I couldn't stop drinking that damn Mint-Mochasomethingorother.

As I got older, coffee became more of my daily life. When I first started out it was always some coffee contraption like a Vanilla Latte or White Chocolate Mocha. Nowadays, it's just coffee with cream and sugar, or Iced Vanilla Coffee with Milk.
After Logan, my coffee consumption probably tripled and I can't get through the day without at least 2 cups.

Even then I have about 1/4 of the energy he does....