Ode to Coffee

My love affair with coffee began one fateful evening in Minnesota while attending a small concert/talent show at a coffee house. I had been up all night driving, and being the young adventurous 17yr old that I was, I did not want to miss out on the night's activities, so I did what anyone in my place would have done, and downed a cup of that bitter, brown liquid, and enjoyed my night!

Nearly 6 years and approx. 4,500+ cups of coffee later, not only do I drink coffee religiously (addiction.....?), but I've worked at Starbucks, and am a regular advocate of its benefits.

Where did it come from? Coffee was discovered nearly 1200 years ago when (according to legend) Ethiopian shepherds noticed that when their goats ate the berries of a certain plant, they started jumping around madly, with increased levels of energy. So of course one thing led to the other and coffee is now one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world.


Why do I enjoy coffee? Well if you're a fan of zombie movies like I am, you're familiar with the behavior and mannerisms of the walking dead. Plainly stated, that is me in the morning. Communication is limited to Frankensteinian grunts and my level of motivation would be frowned upon by even the laziest of sloths. So needless to say, a strong cup of joe is required to give me that kick-start into consciousness and raise my self-awaredness to the minimum level required to distinguish humans from animals.

Other benefits of coffee? Oh sure they exist, but I doubt there is anyone that actually lists them for any other reason than to excuse their addiction. The health benefits of coffee seem to fluctuate according to whatever study is currently popular, but it is generally accepted that regularly consuming coffee (well, caffeine) helps prevent Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes, and Gout (my favorite!). It also contains antioxidants that help prevent free radicals from causing cell damage.

Dis benefits of coffee? There are none! Okay, maybe a few. But we prefer not to speak of them, it's bad luck. Except for yellow teeth, bad breath, and possible withdrawal symptoms, and maybe some heart burn, the down side of regular, moderate consumption of coffee is pretty low.

So that's it. That's why I love coffee and you should too! It gives me the energy to enjoy life, pass exams, and it gives me an excuse to hang out at coffee shops (where I'm currently writing this).