I never used to drink coffee.
In fact, I couldn't stand the taste of it. At all. But I needed a wake-up boost. I tried those caffeine pills (I don't know if they still sell them or not), but when that boost wore off, it was crash and burn time. There was no taking another one and continuing the energy.
Once that baby was done, I hit the wall and that was it. And I ended up with a horrible headache. I only took them in desperate--very desperate--times.
I don't drink pop. I can't stand carbonation, and if you think that was inconvenient, you have no idea. It was especially bad when we went on field trips in school and all the other kids had pop cans wrapped in tin foil and I had nothing to drink. This also means to caffeine from soda.
The need for caffeine increased when I worked for Northwest Airlines. Early mornings, long days, going home and trying to write, and once I sold my first book, the need to stay awake became worse. I went from writing a book in 18 months as an unpublished author, to having a four-month deadline for my second published book. Can we say terror?
Someone suggested I try International Coffee. (Not sponsored!) It was flavored instant coffee and the French vanilla became my lifeline. It was also expensive, but I got addicted fast. I still remember one Saturday sitting in the chair and not moving for hours. I finally thought, why am I sitting here? I have things to do and I had enough sleep, but I feel lethargic. I decided to make a cup of coffee. Instant coffee. Instant energy.
And then a friend sent me real coffee because she didn't realize what I was drinking. Two pounds of ground coffee from an actual coffee shop. I had to use my parents' coffee maker because I didn't own one. I had a lot of trial and error with sweetener and creamer and then I discovered nirvana.
When I finished the coffee she sent as a gift, I went online to try to buy more from that coffee shop, but the shipping costs were cringe-worthy. I was still living in Minnesota then and Caribou Coffee (Not sponsored! Sadly, I buy all my own coffee) was all around me. I tried their bags of coffee and that's what I've been drinking ever since.
In the large mug. The huge mug. The mug that probably holds about 28 ounces of coffee.
Now, before you worry about my caffeine intake, I’ll confess that I make my coffee on the weak side. Even after all these years, I’m still drinking what I’ve been jokingly told is dessert coffee.
And honestly? That’s accurate.
My brew is probably half-strength, filled with stevia and creamer, and sort of on the blonde side. I love the taste of dessert coffee. I’m just still not a fan of the unaltered stuff. It’s coffee with training wheels—and I’m fine with that.
And if my mug is bigger than the average mug, I’m probably still not getting the caffeine hit a real coffee drinker gets. Creamer takes up space.
