I don't do well with caffeine

I learned something today, or, rather, I relearned something about myself today.  Caffeine is a son-of-a-bitch.




A brief history of our relationship:


-Being from the NOLA area, many folks love coffee.  As a child, I loved getting the small cups of coffee my aunt would make after meals.  So, when coffee shops became a thing, I went and expected the same awesome.  Fail.  It tasted NOTHING like what I was used to, and it dried my tongue out for at least two days which left me in a foul mood.  F' that.




-I contemplated it, but avoided it mostly in undergrad after one or two unpleasant encounters.


While last minute cramming for an econ test, a friend gave me several RedBulls.  We didn't exactly end up sleeping, and I felt like my heart was tweaking.  I avoided it mostly thereafter.




As the picky-eater quickly learned when we got together, to keep me happy and functioning, I need: sleep, food, and warmth.  Take one of those away and I get grumpy.  Take two of those away, and me no work properly.  In the rare instances when all three are not present--no one needs to be around me.




-At a get-together in Louisiana, I tried to sip coffee again, and it was great! WTF? Finally, it was made clear. Coffee and chicory! Not just plain-whatever-coffee. Cafe' Du Monde, French Market, and Community are the only ones I like.  I'd never sought it out but would occasionally partake at get-togethers.






-Today:
-The picky-eater and I had Bacon Wednesday brunch, and I thought a cafe' au lait sounded delightful.  I made a strong cup and poured it and some hot milk into a mug,... and it almost spilled over.  I wasn't that careful in estimating how much milk--ah, well.  It was transferred into a larger mug.  I added my customary 3 tablespoons of sugar (I know, super horrible--another reason that I don't partake that often).  We started catching up on a great deal of TV we've missed since I started work, and I drank faster than I normally do...


...I'm all shaky right now, and it's not fun.  I need to do something, but I know enough to not do anything super important because it's a crap shoot.  It might feel more efficient, but it's a dirty lie.  It's sad because I finally found the taste from my childhood.


If you can handle caffeine and like a New Orleans-style Coffee and Chicory, here's how to do a cafe' au lait properly.  Seriously, it's super simple.


Cafe' au Lait


Equal parts coffee and hot milk poured into a mug that will actually contain the full amount of liquid.


I will not preach about strength of the coffee--that's your deal. 


For that wedding registry-thing, some friends got us a bodum French press.  I use two scoops of coffee using the scoop that comes with the press.  When I don't suck it down in 15 minutes, this works for me.



I hope you found my pain amusing.

Good day.