Back on the Bean, an Ode.

Last week, I made the mistake of trying to ''give up" coffee. I knew in my heart of hearts that this could never actually happen. Caffeine is not only in my bloodstream, but also could probably be found in my hair follicles and other remote regions of my body, such as under my toe nails.

That's a pleasant image, I know. You're welcome.

But in all seriousness, I've had a life-long love affair with coffee and and meet all of its incarnations with equal enthusiasm-espresso, cappuccino, lattes, cafe au lait.. In preschool, I would down coffee milk (the official drink of the state of Rhode Island!) by the gallon. This actually resulted in medical issues that required the attention of a doctor. But nothing could keep my away, not even an ultrasound of my intestines at Boston's Children's Hospital.

Since then, my love has burgeoned to greater heights than I ever considered possible. I currently own two coffeemakers, an espresso machine (with milk steamer!), a coffee grinder, and various flavors and roasts of coffee, ground and whole bean. For a Web Design project, where we had to create a Web site for a pretend business, I, of course, chose to make one for a fictional cafe. It exists in my mind and it's beautiful. You should come by sometime.

Needless to say, the two achingly agonizing days that I was off the bean made me realize the depths of my caffeine addiction. Above all, I drink coffee to stay awake. It is a necessity because, in many ways, I am an 84-year-old woman. One of these ways has to do with the ease with which I drift off to sleep in public, sometimes when I am in mid-sentence. It's not really due to boredom, or laziness. I could be perfectly alert when entering a movie theater and then rapidly descend into unconsciousness before the opening credits are through.

Besides its practical applications (ie, "Keep your eyes open, Grandma! This is my wedding!"), I am deeply in love with coffee. It noticeably boosts my mood. When I drink it, I am actually very aware of the ways in which it wakes up my brain and improves my concentration (This is true Ashley. Not a placebo effect. I read it.) I loves its heat, its full-bodied taste, its versatility-- bitter or sweet, hot or cold! It's aroma can fill a room (and frequently fills mine. Sorry Ashley). It boosts my mood, alertness, productivity, and well, sometimes there is nothing more comforting or satisfying than a cup of hot coffee.

I am never going to give it up. Perhaps it's a vice. I usually spend $10-$15 a week on it, and that' s not including what I make myself. But that's okay because you can't put a price on love.

Fun fact: Coffee is the second-most widely traded commodity after oil.