Ode to Coffee

There's a thread at Mothering.com about coffee. You wouldn't know it now, but I used to love coffee. Then something happened.

I started drinking coffee in one form or another when I was 6 years old (and at 5' 10", it didn't stunt my growth, which is one the things it allegedly does). At various times in my life I've enjoyed up to 6 cups a day. Towards the end of the day I'd switch to decaf. I'm not terribly sensitive to caffeine, but I respect my limits. To say I loved my java was an understatement. My middle name is Jo, by the way.

I used to work in a cafe before cafes were ubiquitous. I learned how to make perfect cappucinos, Turkish coffee, I learned how to roast even. In college, every major paper I wrote for my Biology classes had something to do with coffee. If you pricked my finger, I'd bleed coffee.

One of my best memories of being an exchange student in Japan when I was 15 is drinking coffee with the local government representatives. None of the other gaijin would touch it. I had about 3 small cups of coffee. I felt cool!

When I was pregnant with Ingrid, something changed overnight. My body rebelled. I had my small pregnant lady size cup of joe, and ten minutes later I'd have horrible stomach cramps. I switched to decaf. Same thing happened. I started using soy milk instead of cream. No change. I started drinking it black with a little sugar. No change. I tried just black. No change. I felt like I was dumped by a lover because I got pregnant. It broke my heart to give up coffee, although my gut thanked me.

Then the smell of fresh coffee started to make me sick, as did the smell of chocolate and strawberries. After Ingrid was born, I could eat chocolate again, until Ingrid developed a milk allergy, and strawberries were back on the olfactory menu. But not coffee. Ingrid is 3 1/2 and I still get a little sick when Chris makes a pot. And he usually buys the good fair trade organic stuff, no flavoring. I still go to cafes, but I sit away from the counter. I still like the smell of fresh ground, just not brewed.

I miss coffee.

Jesus & Moses: Community Organizers

Pharoah and Pontius Pilate:
Executive Experience.

Just sayin'.


This is your nation on white privilege.

Next Week I Return to the Stabbing

Anyone wonder where his or her pretty Fisherman's Wife book is? I have them. I'm working on them. After GenCon, mundane life jumped on me, school started, I went back to work, had a birthday (I'm 38!), went back to being a Wife myself, and those fleeting hours devoted to bookbinding fled. Next week looks calmer. My work schedule is much kinder, Bea's settled in school, so I'll finish them up and mail them.

Here's something fun to tide you over. Click on the image to see it bigger, then make your own word cloud:

Speaking of Bea, my cool 9 year old has taken up the drums in band. She's a rocker chick in the making!

Whatcha Eating?

From Very Good Taste

Here are the directions

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile (but I've had alligator)
6. Black pudding (I have blodpudding in my fridge as I type this! YUM!)
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects (fried waterbugs)
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake