Monday, March 29, 2010

Coffee Conundrum

Wrote this last week during one particularly intense headache. Couldn't think clearly enough to hit "publish post." You'll see why...

Typically, coffee fits into my routine like this:

8 - 8:30am: household is awake and getting ready for the day. We all grab breakfast. I enjoy half of my first cup of coffee (the other half is either enjoyed in the car later or dumped out/warmed up in the microwave because it got cold).

9 - 9:30am: we drop ShankRabbit off at work and it's time for me to run errands with Peanut.

10am - 11am: Home (arrival depends on what errands need to be done). If I do have the luxury of a second cup, it is consumed during Peanut's play time.


On the days we happen to get up later, I don't have time to make coffee before we head out the door. This pushes my coffee intake until after we get home from errands. With all the hustle and bustle of the afternoon, I don't have a chance to actually make coffee until after 1pm. At this point, the headache has already set in.



This is a critical moment in my decision making. Do I make a pot of coffee just to kill the headache that rocks my brain (subsequently drinking more than I need and go to bed later than usual)? Do I pop some Advil and take a nap (this doesn't guarantee the disappearance of the headache. It just means I don't have to deal with it for a couple hours)?

I haven't quite figured out what to do. And here I sit with a nasty headache and no coffee in my system. This is a baaaaad time to try and make decisions.

Do you have any ideas?

P.S. No need for recommendations of Red Bull or similar substances. I can't stand the stuff.
And if you say I should switch to decaf, I'll pummel you.

3 comments:

Eternal Lizdom said...

One idea is to get a coffee maker with a timer so you can set it to automatically start brewing before you need the coffe- it can be ready to go when you roll out of bed.

Get one of those "one cup" coffee makers that brews into an insulated travel mug. I used to have one and loved it.

Take a vitamin with a good caffeine dose in it. Make sure to eat something like toast or a mini bagel with it so it doesn't tear up your stomach. I take One A Day Women's Active Metabolism- it has caffeine equivalent to one cup of coffee and contains Guarana in an equivalent to another 1-2 cups of coffee.

Busy-Dad-E said...

I agree with Liz's "pot with an automatic start timer idea", even if I'm more of a tea than coffee person.

I'm envious that your "everyone is awake" time starts with an 8. We're usually more like a 6, and sometimes a 5.

Isabella said...

@ Liz - Our awesome coffee maker does not have a timer on it, and I can't justify a one cup maker unless I got it as a gift. :)
I didn't know they made vitamins like that. I'll have to look into it. Thanks!

@ Busy Dad-E - I drink coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon and evening. I don't think I would have such an issue with morning coffee prep if I knew how to use the espresso portion of the machine. I know I could make a quick cup of coffee that way.

And about the wake-up time...I know how crazy lucky I am and cherish it every day. :)