coffee ..... the sweet elixer of life !

I LOVE the aroma of coffee. Even in it's most unworthy form (totally black)- it smells delicious. My relationship with coffee began rather unromatically. I was working in an office that, during chilly/cold weather would feel frigid when opened up for the work day (which before long became my regular routine). The the salt pans seemed to heat up rather quickly, and after commenting once about the cold building, someone pointed out to me that if you set the thermostat on the heater first, then start up a pot of coffee, then turn on the salt pans, then the salt pan is hot when the coffee finishes and you can warm your hands over the pan & keep your cup of joe hot by burying the cup into it by an inch or so. Problem was- I didn't like the bitterness of the coffee. I did it a time or two out of desperation- but one day while hunting for the container of coffee, I found a packet of hot chocolate mix so I ran water thru the pot (before the days of a microwave in every office) .... then one day all I had was a portion of a chocolate packet so I made a short cup, then the coffee, then I put the chocolate IN the coffee and tah-dah .... I had my first mocha (and actually enjoyed the flavor of the coffee) The rest is history. The brand doesn't make a big difference to me, nor does the flavor. It all comes down to "my" concoction of additives that make it that perfect consumptionable mug of coffee! I admit without embarassment that I am a fru-fru coffee consumer (I am the same with alcohol) AND, I might add- that the vessel in which I partake of my brew is of some importance as well. I dooooo love a fun cup style or design. No thick sides if you please. So, as you can see I am not a purest in any sense of the word and that is fine with me. I can't tell the diff between caf or decaf, or even fat-free VS 1% milk once it's frothed. I have my favorites of course but the ONLY coffee I have found that cannot be "fixed" is the mud served at Dennys. There is no point to serving me $20lb ground over that far cheaper,... as for me coffee, is coffee, is coffee- I work from the outside in. what kind of cremor/powder/ syrup do I have to work with? - that's what I care about. AND since anyone who's hung out in my kitchen will attest, there is NEARLY ALWAYS a selection to choose from. I either decide on my coffee and build my breakfast around it, or vise versa. THAT is what starts my day in the most perfect of circumstances. I realize that this warm fuzzy beverage is consumed by millions, of which I am not even a speck on the map- but might I also add that she who is noted in this picture is another who loves the stuff in moderation (although not as picky as I on the flavoring). Might I mention as a disclaimer here that I have gone for days at a time with NO coffee at all and my life is still groovey. If I can't make it my way- I can do without it just fine. Yeah, my coffee routine might not be easy, but I am. And .... now I shall have ANOTHER CUP :o)