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Nebraska
Originally uploaded by benchristen.

So, we were all just screwing around, making up lame gang signs for ourselves, like, a B for Ben, etc. This one was for Nebraska (I’m from there) (obviously you can see how we derived the sign). Anyway, we were out partying that night, and we met some guy from Kansas. So, I being from a rival state (Nebraska is rivals with all its neighbors), threw my sign and said, “yo, I’m from Na-brass-ka.” The guy from Kansas put his head down in shame, “ah, Kansas doesn’t have a sign.”

with coffee! I brewed a pot of kona coffee this morning. I’m back to my old routine. I’ve got most of the coffee in my thermos ready to take to work. What wasn’t put in the thermos was enough to fill a coffee cup. Amazing how I’m waking up now, feeling a bit more alert and ready to get going with the day. btw, kona coffee is delicious. it’s just solid and smooth, there’s nothing wrong with it, every drink ends in me thinking, “damn, that’s some mighty delicious coffee.” Thanks again Mike for the coffee! Onward with my day, and the coffee insanity.

2 cups in the morning and still I had to bed down for a killer nap this afternoon (it is a holiday after all). I guess my caffeine tolerance is still relatively in-tact. We’ll test that theory more tomorrow.

Days without coffee: 0
Days until coffee: 0

That’s right, it’s all over. I went a total 47 days without coffee. I had my first cup at brunch after Easter mass. It wasn’t how I planned it, but who can turn down coffee? (apparently, I can) I had hoped to maybe have a french press of kona coffee, but instead, I had standard restaurant coffee. How was it? It was great, just as good as I remembered it. I had two cups, with some cream. One with the meal, one with dessert. Overall, I have to say I’m just relieved. It’s good to be back to the coffee drinking world and have things back to normal. The first cup back was good, nice and warm, rich and delicious. The taste of coffee is just as sweet as I remembered it to be. I’m not too jumpy or anything, I feel pretty normal. I think I’m talking a bit faster and a bit more alert, but nothing out of the usual (nothing you wouldn’t expect with a cup of coffee).

However, tomorrow, that will be different; tomorrow is the day of coffee craziness!

Coffee, it’s good to be back. I missed you.

or, at least the better documentation of the countdown begins. Talking with friends at work yesterday, we realized it would have been good to document (blog) the entire experience of giving up coffee. But, it’s too late for that now. I could make up stories about withdrawals, having to take naps on weekends and lower overall energy levels, but they wouldn’t compare to the live, on-the-scene reporting that could have been. alas, time to move forward! the end is almost here!

Days without coffee: 42
Days until coffee: 5

The plan: on Sunday, I’ll have a nice mug of pure Kona coffee (maybe two). Then, on Monday, I go all-out crazy for the caffeine, quatro-mocha-espressos on the hour, every hour! The caffeine revolution will be blogged.

You know . . . it’s been so long without coffee that I could almost walk away at this point — never to return to it’s warm embrace. Man, that’s crazy talk.

So, it’s now been 4 weeks without coffee. I’m actually doing ok. I didn’t have the nasty headaches that could be expected and I feel fine. However, I do long for coffee — I find myself daydreaming about the sweet, bold flavors; the warm embrace between hand and hot, cardboard cup; the energizing warmth as it goes down the throat and then direct to my mind! I could go on for longer, but then I would just make myself crazy.

Some observations about my life without coffee: much less focused in the afternoon (so easy to drift without that afternoon caffeine shot); constantly at about 90-95% alertness; taking naps (not intentionally, I just get too tired) on weekend days at around 6pm or 7pm; generally a bit less excited about waking up; finding it more necessary to get a good 8 hours sleep each night.

Coffee! I remain faithful to you in my absence! Nothing is taking your place, there are no substitutes for you and all that you mean to me! Soon, soon, we shall be together once again. We’ll get the gang back together too, maybe a donut, maybe cookies, definitely chocolate.

Only three more weeks to go!

yum!
Originally uploaded by benchristen.

Here’s a pic of the great potato salad at BCD Tofu House! So delicious!