Coffee is a beautiful thing! Although not loved by everyone, it is loved — by everyone who counts blogs. I kid, I kid because I love! It’s really caffeine that is a widely shared addiction &, just as it’s enjoyed in various forms, coffee comes in almost enough varieties to please every palette. There are those who judiciously avoid caffeine & some of them have managed to keep coffee in their lives though this is typically why someone would — gasp — not drink coffee. The widespread appeal is undeniable, however, complete with cultural misinterpretation [or so I hope ].

Tea is also wondrous. One of the most essential elements of coffee’s goodness is its warmth, second only to its smell. Since a nice spot of tea provides that as well as the ever so crucial aroma, they’re both therapy in a mug. This is why I’m simply a proponent of grabbing a hot beverage when it’s time to take a moment for yourself. Opting to drink something hot is a win-win as it’s scrumptious if you’re cold but helps you adapt to the heat if you’re hot. I hugely respect, oft even share, the need for an ice-cold drink too; the cold coffee & tea options are, in fact, quite wonderful so what counts is that you do find moments.

Take numerous moments throughout your day & every chance you get. Whatever you’re doing, whatever your deadlines, the process can only be enhanced by a breather. You don’t have to be still with your beverage for it to be therapeutic but you’ll be better off for every pause you let it create. Try out your options while you’re at it. Not only can you add variety to otherwise mundane tasks but you’ll discover different drinks for your differing needs. I tend to drink coffee when I need a pick-me-up (though it’s ironically more psychological than physical), tea when I’m not feeling well, hot to relax, cold to wake & — aaahhh — a cappuccino to spoil myself.

Found in a gorgeous e-mail sent me by Lorraine (& again by Karen ).

Given my nickname, this love affair with coffee is no surprise but there’s more to it. From the fellowship my family’s always shared over coffee to the friendship found in sharing it, I believe in the ritual of it. Tea comes with its own rich history. The simplest of tea ceremonies are powerful in action & intention. It’s the intention behind an action that gives it meaning which is why meeting over a drink offers the most return for the least effort. Other drinks will work, of course, yet it’s the savoring that’s key. I also encourage you to share the contents of a bottle, pitcher or blender as appropriate but the sipping required of something hot adds a centering effect.

Furthermore, here are Five Fantastic Reasons to Drink Coffee (Out of a Million):

1. Protects against diabetes [type 2, in particular].
2. Protects against liver disease [especially alcoholic cirrhosis].
3. Caffeine in coffee can rev up the body and keep the mind alert.
4. Coffee has powerful antioxidants [like chlorogenic acid and melanoidins].
5. Protects against gallstones [as well as kidney stones].

What researches have also discovered is that drinking coffee is a positive addition to the lifestyle for those at-risk or already ill. Anywhere from two to six cups a day have proven beneficial. The reason? Antioxidants plus other chemical elements in the complex profile of coffee. Risk factors are reduced and scientists believe that the body’s metabolism of sugar is balanced by the compounds found in coffee. [It also contributes to fiber intake, aids in fighting asthma, protects the brain & reduces pain.]

Taking the time to have coffee or tea with someone creates a connection to them that is equally possible online. Sitting down to a hot beverage together can indeed happen here & is far more flexible than in person. Although the mechanics involved change, the intention need not. Through each other’s sites (or tweets), we can still meet. As declared in my sidebar, I consider coffee tangible friendship.. Science fiction guru, Robert A. Heinlein, created the term waterbrother to denote the bond formed when sharing water as it was considered precious in context. With open hearts & mugs pulled up to monitors, we create our a new context of precious water improved by steeping & shared asynchronously but still shared. I started this with coffee & am about to brew tea; join me?!

(|_|*cheers*|_|)
“Coffee is real good when you drink it, it gives you time to think. It’s a lot more than just a drink; it’s something happening. Not as in hip, but like an event, a place to be, but not like a location, but like somewhere within yourself. It gives you time, but not actual hours or minutes, but a chance to be, like be yourself, and have a second cup.”
~ Gertrude Stein ~

“Duncan Hills Coffee Jingle” by ‘Dethklok‘

Do you folks like coffee?
Real coffee?
From the hills of Columbia?

The Duncan Hills will wake you
From a thousand deaths
A cup of lifeblood
dying, dying,
You’re dying for a cup

Guatamalan blend
Ethiopian
French Vanilla Roast
dying, dying,
You’re dying for a cup

Prepare for ultimate flavor
You’re gonna get some NOW

And scream for your cream

Duncan Hills, Duncan Hills,
Duncan Hills COFFEE!