What Do YOU Drink in the Morning?

     The clock radio comes on around 6:30 a.m., my eyes crack open and I see the gray light sneaking in through the window shade. I slide my leg over to the other side of the bed to see if B is still there. If she is, it's not time to get up yet. If she's gone, then maybe I'd better wake up. Depends on how badly I have to go to the bathroom. Oh ... I can hold it in a little longer. Lemme get another ten minutes of sleep.

     And then I think of my morning cup of coffee. And that's what gets me out of bed.

     I imagine holding the warm cup in my hands, smelling the coffee flavor steaming up from the cup. I like my coffee with a little sugar and lots of milk -- almost like a nice, warm coffee milkshake. And if I'm going to climb out from under these warm comfy covers, I'd better have something warm and sweet to greet me when I get downstairs.

     I know everyone has their addictions ... or let's be generous and call them our favorite dishes or our usual drinks. B always goes for orange juice in the morning, first thing. I like orange juice. But, jeez, not first thing in the morning. Too jarring!

     B also likes tea. She drinks tea in the morning after her orange juice and cereal; tea in the afternoon at work; and tea at night before we walk the dog. She doesn't tolerate caffeine too well. But she doesn't go for the herbal stuff, just regular decaffeinated tea.

What gets you up in the morning?

     I like tea, too. I usually keep B company with a cup of tea in the evening. But it just doesn't make it for me in the morning. I need something stronger. Something to jump start my day. A reason for getting out of bed.

     However, for all you real die-hard coffee drinkers out there, I have to stop and issue a warning. The following statement may contain information or subject matter that you could find disturbing. Please confirm that, before you read the following paragraph, you are an adult, you do not have any heart issues, and you warrant that you are not easily offended. If you cannot so warrant, please skip the next paragraph.

     I drink instant coffee.

     Okay, there, I said it. I do not grind my own coffee beans. I do not brew coffee in a coffee pot. I do not have a French press. I just dip my spoon into the instant coffee jar, scoop some up, throw it into the cup, pour in the hot water. And, bam, there we go. Coffee!

     Most of my coffee friends are horrified when they find out my dirty little secret. I have one friend, a real coffee addict, who downs 10 or 12 cups a day. Black. He practically has a heart attack every time I remind him I drink instant, with milk and sugar. (I'm too polite to suggest that maybe he almost has a heart attack because he drinks way too much coffee.) But even B, who rarely touches coffee, makes fun of me for drinking the instant kind. I don't care. That's what I like -- it's not too strong, not too bitter, not to insulting too the tongue.

     I do not frequent Starbucks, except on rare occasions when someone wants to meet me there. But I will admit to driving up to our local 7-11 to put together a cup from their coffee bar, which features at least a dozen different ways to adulterate coffee with all kinds of flavors and sweeteners.

     But not often. I usually drink two cups of instant in the morning. Sometimes three. And then I'm done for the day. I've read up on the health effects of coffee. The Mayo Clinic points out that high consumption of coffee can lead to high cholesterol levels, but for "most people the health benefits outweigh the risks."  According to the Harvard Medical publications, "in moderation -- a few cups a day -- coffee is a safe beverage that may even offer some health benefits," possibly lowering your risk of getting diabetes, contracting gallstones, developing colon cancer or liver disease. Coffee may also improve cognitive function. And I can certainly use that!

     If I get cold on a winter afternoon, I'll brew a cup of tea or make a hot chocolate. And, like I said, I usually have a cup of tea at night with B. I drink the caffeinated tea. Doesn't keep me up. Besides, I believe tea has a lot less caffeine than coffee -- although someone recently tried to tell me different.

     However, there is that photo of a cup of coffee. I'm writing this post in the afternoon. I wanted a picture of my coffee. So I had to make an extra cup today. (It wouldn't do to show you an empty cup!). And then, of course, I didn't want to waste it. So I drank it. But really, hardly ever in the afternoon. It's not like I'm addicted or anything.

     So ... what's your favorite drink? Take the poll at the top of the column on the right.