I survived 15 years without drinking a cup of coffee. This morning there was no half and half left in the refrigerator. Repeat mantra: I survived 15 years without drinking a cup of coffee.
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| Non-Dairy Creamer = desperation Photo by Taylor House |
Before I was pregnant with my oldest son I loved coffee. The smell, taste, caffeine. I would spend hours in coffee shops communing with my mug while reading a book, working through an article, hanging with friends. Then a (+) appeared on a stick and a sneaky feeling called guilt slapped me hard across the face. Hard. I gave up coffee during my first pregnancy and never looked back. That was, until last spring when I volunteered to make a Starbucks run and didn't come back with tea.
In December I admitted that my coffee consumption could potentially wreak havoc on my family. Not emotionally ... financially. I made the mistake of reading one of those pesky "Forbes" articles that tell you the best places to cut household spending. What was at the top of the list? Daily stops at Starbucks and Peet's. I immediately started doing the math. Ugh.
Of course the answer to this expense is simple: make coffee at home and only buy coffee when out with friends, treating a teacher, schmoozing colleagues, hosting a meeting, entertaining family ... power walking with neighbors ... when someone is home sick and needs a pick-me-up ... if it's a special occasion ... ?
I am a frugal person. Not cheap, frugal. I hate wasting money with an unnatural intensity, so this cutback warranted a serious second look. I started out fine. I can do this, I said. I can make my own coffee. I was genuinely excited and half and half even made it to the top of my grocery list. Then it happened. Christmas. Not one, not two, but five Starbucks gift cards. Slowly my car started veering uncontrollably toward coffee. I was drunk with my coffee riches. That is until the last card returned with a balance. As I paid the difference I felt like I had just discovered Darth Vader was my father.
Fast forward to this glorious morning in late January. As the smell of coffee permeated the kitchen I opened the refrigerator door and ... discovered an empty container of half and half. Adding insult to injury, the last of the milk was used for cereal. As I begrudgingly searched for a trace of non-dairy creamer, it occurred to me that I don't love coffee. It's an illusion. It's a caffeine crutch that filled the void when I gave up diet Coke. An epiphany presented itself: I don't take cream and sugar with my coffee, I take coffee with my cream and sugar.
This divine revelation can mean only one thing. I don't really need coffee. Coffee is just another pricey habit like mani-pedi's and facials and red Cole Haan shoes. God help me, did I just say that? Breathe, Taylor, breathe. When these realizations present themselves, all you can do is go with the flow, put a huge star next to half and half on the grocery list and keep your car on the straight and narrow. It's a good feeling and I'm going to be okay folks, I'm going to be okay. Anyone want to grab some coffee?
I am a frugal person. Not cheap, frugal. I hate wasting money with an unnatural intensity, so this cutback warranted a serious second look. I started out fine. I can do this, I said. I can make my own coffee. I was genuinely excited and half and half even made it to the top of my grocery list. Then it happened. Christmas. Not one, not two, but five Starbucks gift cards. Slowly my car started veering uncontrollably toward coffee. I was drunk with my coffee riches. That is until the last card returned with a balance. As I paid the difference I felt like I had just discovered Darth Vader was my father.
Fast forward to this glorious morning in late January. As the smell of coffee permeated the kitchen I opened the refrigerator door and ... discovered an empty container of half and half. Adding insult to injury, the last of the milk was used for cereal. As I begrudgingly searched for a trace of non-dairy creamer, it occurred to me that I don't love coffee. It's an illusion. It's a caffeine crutch that filled the void when I gave up diet Coke. An epiphany presented itself: I don't take cream and sugar with my coffee, I take coffee with my cream and sugar.
This divine revelation can mean only one thing. I don't really need coffee. Coffee is just another pricey habit like mani-pedi's and facials and red Cole Haan shoes. God help me, did I just say that? Breathe, Taylor, breathe. When these realizations present themselves, all you can do is go with the flow, put a huge star next to half and half on the grocery list and keep your car on the straight and narrow. It's a good feeling and I'm going to be okay folks, I'm going to be okay. Anyone want to grab some coffee?
I, too, drink coffee with my half and half and sugar (and light whipped topping). Change to tea, maybe? Let's not kid ourselves here -- hot tea may smell okay-ish, but it all tastes like dirty water. When you're walking around work with your 'from home mug' (while I don't hug them, I occasional touch a tree..), or strolling the neighborhood with your travel cup o' joe, you feel.....grown up....part of the 'in' crowd...you can toss off that smug little chin-nod to others and raise a toast to each other with your steaming, delicious cup of home-brewed or office-brewed coffee. ...in your red Cole Haan's.
ReplyDeleteAs long as we're in the in-crowd. In my Cole Haan's.
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