Free Coffee

My fave mug

In Mid-late December, a Corner Bakery Cafe opened just a mile away from my office.  I was stoked, because their food is yummy.  I was over the moon with elation when I found out that the first hundred people through the door on opening day got free coffee for a year.  Boys and girls, I knew I had to be all over that like frat boys on a fresh keg.

So I got in line at 5:15am to wait my turn.  I was somewhere around 60th in line.  Sweet.  Victory was mine, I just had to wait... and wait.  Did I mention it was very very cold?  It was.  But, oh, for the love of coffee I can do almost anything.

The free-ness of my coffee is the greatest thing ever.  Yes, we have coffee at work.  Yes, I have a coffee pot at home.  But knowing I can walk into a restaurant, flash a card, and in seconds have coffee is the best.  AND they have 4 different kinds to pick from!  I mean, you don't get that kind of variety on a daily basis at home.  That variety, I am pleased to say, made me shift my way of thinking.  I always shook my head at people who drink decaf.  Why?  Drink tea, or cocoa.  I mean, I get it if you're pregnant and you just need to pretend you aren't missing out on your fave caffeinating ritual.  But for the long term?  No way.

...Until I tried the decaf at Corner Bakery.  Last week, I left my house too late to stop in and get my coffee before work.  After work, I wanted my coffee.  But, with me getting up so early in the morning to work out, I forced myself, just that once (I promised myself, just this one time, never ever again), would I grab the decaf.

And then I had to eat my words.  It was one of the best cups of coffee I have had in a long time.  It was so perfect, exactly what I wanted and needed in that cup of roasted goodness.  So crap.  How is any other cup going to compare?  Do I have to give up caffeine in favor of yummy?  Why would they do something like this to me?  I can't really be wanting to give up my Hazelnut coffee in flavor of after-dinner decaf, can I?

My head was spinning as I considered the options.  I knew there was only one thing I could do: go half-caff during the day, and decaf at night.  My half-caff is not as good, but I don't feel so weird about drinking it first thing in the morning.  And really, I've noticed that if I have more than a couple of cups of regular in the morning after a workout, I get really anxious the rest of the day.

Do I think I'll ever be a fully decaf person?  Probably not.  But as long as I have free coffee, I know that the decaf at Corner Bakery and I will be b.f.f.'s.