Coffee as a “Sometimes Food”
Or, how I went out for a coffee and wound up with self discovery
So, I’ve quit coffee for a few weeks, but I made myself a promise that I could have one cup this past weekend.
Sounds a bit counterintuitive, but for me, it’s a lot easier to give up something if I can have that thing occasionally if I am craving it. I like to call it a “sometimes food”. In my diet fish, fruits and veggies are everyday foods. Everything else is occasional, with some things more occasional than others. The real trick with this is once I have that thing I was craving, it is RARELY as good as I remember it, and I usually feel crummy afterwards. (Sticking the the everyday stuff makes me feel better.) Hence, the coffee this weekend.
I went to Ritual (which is always a fantastic cup of coffee) and got a Gibraltar (not too much milk…), sat down and relished the feeling of doing something a bit naughty. It had been a bit, and having that first sip was filled with anticipation! What was it going to be like?!? Would the caffeine throw me for a loop? Would I still like the taste? Would I be off the wagon for good?
I took the sip. And, it was nice: an excellently created cup of coffee. And, nothing earth shattering happened. I felt a little ridiculous thinking something major was going to happen.
And, then it did happen. I could feel my thoughts getting quicker, and everything just coming much faster. My hands were really shaky. I grabbed my notebook, and jotted down a bunch of ideas that just jumped out at me, more ideas than have come out in the last week.
What was interesting was how this felt similar to another change I’ve made in my life: working out / doing exercise in a more focused way. In the past, I just did some calisthenics, but now I am working on isolating muscle groups (and having more fun and seeing some nice changes to my body). Working on isolation, I can really feel and control my body better.
Taken time off of caffeine, having one cup allowed me to “isolate” that part of my brain, and really see the effects! Now that I’ve found “segments” in my brain, I’m looking forward to find ways to exercise it without coffee. I guess the same can be said for alcohol and other substances.
It also made me think about how much a role coffee has played in my thinking and behavioral patterns. If one cup of coffee can send me hurtling in one direction, what has multiple cups for years at a time done? It’s going to be something that I ponder for awhile. (And I’m sure I’ll post an update or two here.)
I think I’m good on coffee, and won’t be having any in the near future, but it’s really cool to know I have it on the tool kit. Now I have something for special occasions!
WHEN:
Thursday, May 31
8PM - 9:45PM
WHERE:
WHAT:
FREE Low-Tech Renegade Karaoke! Portable screen and projector, youtube lyric videos, no microphone, on the stage at Stern Grove. Come feel like a star! Best of all,
NO ONE IS LISTENING, because no one else is there!
RSVP:
