Posts Tagged Coffee
Pitfalls of the Office Coffee Pot
Photo by viZZZual.com
At several of my previous jobs, I belonged to a communal coffee pot. We paid a fixed amount each month, cleaned up after ourselves, took our turns bringing in milk, sugar, and coffee filters, and set up a fresh pot whenever we drank the last cup in the pot. Or should I say, that was the theory. It worked smoother on paper than it did in practice.
The coffee truck is here!
I’ve worked in buildings that had true cafeterias, with egg sandwiches cooked to order, bagels, and tables to sit at. I’ve worked at places that had “buffeterias”, which were glorified vending machine rooms with a couple of chairs thrown in. Finally, I’ve worked in places with neither of these luxuries, where you had to keep an ear open to hear the receptionist announce, “Attention please. The coffee truck is here.” There’s nothing like the sight of the roach coach disappearing from the parking lot while you’re stuck in a meeting, knowing that your next caffeine fix won’t be for several hours. I felt what a heroin addict feels when a cop flushes his stash down the toilet. Oh, the horror!
I promise to do my best…
It was at one of these coffee truck-served buildings that I finagled myself into membership in the communal coffee pot. My buddy Ed, teacher of macros extraordinaire and all things computer-related, nominated me for membership. Don’t laugh; I was turned down twice. It would have been easier getting into Harvard. I must have a dishonest face. The operation was run by Propeller Head, an aircraft engineer who was obviously brilliant, as his pocket protector was jammed full of ceremonial pens from the various programs that he worked on. I swore to never let the java in the pot run dry, and my inclusion into this elite fraternity was finally made official.
Scofflaws
Unfortunately, some of my fellow members didn’t follow the creed as religiously as I did. On several occasions, the smell of burnt coffee emanated from the smoldering urn. The counter that held our accesories was strewn with used stir sticks and empty Equal packets. The small refrigerator was often devoid of milk, making us resort to using Coffee Mate, or as Ed called it, “paint chips.” It was during this time that I learned how to drink my coffee black. There was much finger-pointing during these lapses in responsibility, and the bad blood even carried over into the day-to-day dealings between coworkers. You didn’t want to cross old Propeller Head; you’d pay for it later when you needed his input.
Proceed at your own risk
Which is why I’m glad that I don’t drink coffee anymore. I’m avoiding alot of the nonsense that crops up over petty grievances. Two guys that I work with now are not on speaking terms because one didn’t promptly pay his monthly dues to the coffee pot. One of them quit the communal pot and bought one of these for himself:
So if you do plan on joining a communal coffee pot in the office, be a good member. Clean up after yourself. Don’t forget to bring in milk when it’s your turn. Make sure to refill the pot when you drain the last cup. And always pay your dues on time. It will, at the least, save you some grief, and at the most, maybe your career.
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A Month Without Coffee. Now What? Photo by Andreanna I think I've kicked my coffee habit. It's been a whole month since I enjoyed my last cup o' Joe. Based on the conventional wisdom that it takes three weeks to break a habit, I think I'm good to go. Yippee! What now? OK, so I...... -
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A Month Without Coffee. Now What?
Photo by Andreanna
I think I’ve kicked my coffee habit. It’s been a whole month since I enjoyed my last cup o’ Joe. Based on the conventional wisdom that it takes three weeks to break a habit, I think I’m good to go. Yippee!
What now?
OK, so I can cross “Stop drinking coffee” off of my list of bad habits to break. I guess it’s time for a new challenge. What should it be this time? I can’t stop watching baseball on TV; after all, the Yankees are in first place. Stop drinking beer? You can have my Sam Adams when you pry it from my cold dead fingers! Actually, I only drink about 4 beers a week, usually on the weekends with friends. How’s that for rationalizing? I’ll have to pick something that’s really doing me harm, a habit that has crept back into my everyday life. That habit is: junk food.
No, not the Entenmann’s cookies!
Yup, time to dump the empty calories. I know this because my clothes are getting tighter, and the number on the scale has gone up. Rather than bite off more than I can chew, I’m going to focus on cookies and chocolate for the initial 3 week period. I’m looking for incremental progress, like the way I approached my coffee addiction. I’m a big believer in the “small bites” philosophy. How come all of my analogies are related to eating?
The Witching Hour
I don’t touch junk food until after dinner. I’m good all day at work, because I only eat the food that I bring from home. No candy machine trips for me. The cravings start after my healthy meal, usually after I settle in for the night. This is my Witching Hour. This is the trigger that starts the junk food grazing. The benefits of this lifehack will be not only a healthier diet, but some serendipitous weight loss.
A matter of substitution
When a ballplayer performs poorly, to the detriment of the team, the team gets rid of him, and puts someone else in his place. This is how I’ll approach this challenge. I’ll be the General Manager of my nutrition. I’ll replace chocolate with salad. Cookies with apples. I’m putting Snickers on waivers, and trading Baskin-Robbins for sugar-free Jello. I hope to be back in the pennant race come September.
Photo by maccanti
Stats don’t lie
Being that I’m starting today, I was brave enough to jump on the scale. Here’s the scary number: 214. I’ve gained back nine pounds from my winter weight loss session. Like Patton said, I hate paying for the same real estate twice. Shame on me.
A new feature
Because of the success of Sun-Tzu Sunday, I’ll post my progress every week. Call it Metabolic Monday. Or not. That sounds stupid. Regardless, I’ll fess up every Monday about my habit. I’ll let you know if I cheated, and what foods that I ate that kept me from going off the rails. I’ll share with you what worked, and what didn’t work. It will be easy to stay on track with everyone watching me.
Photo by L. Marie
Do you have a problem with junk food? Anyone care to join me in this experiment? I don’t want to know what you weigh, just that you’re keeping on track.
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Corporate Barbarian Links: Boston Massacre Edition
Another big Yankees-Red Sox series this weekend, and the Yanks started out in first place this time! What a difference a couple of months makes (This is where all of the Red Sox fans unsubscribe 
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Karawynn at Get Rich Slowly is auditioning for a staff writing position. She takes us on a visit to the Island of Misfit Foods.
A.J. Clark is also auditioning at Get Rich Slowly. He’s documenting his journey to pay down his debt. He’s already made some good progress.
Now, on to the regular posts:
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Patrick at Cash Money Life is growing dependent on coffee, due to his new baby. You do what you have to do when it comes to midnight feedings. When he needs to quit the java, he can read this post.
Have a great weekend, and GO YANKEES!
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A Week Without Coffee!
There she goes
There she goes again
Racing through my brain
And I just can’t contain
This feeling that remains
- from There She Goes by The Boo Radleys
I first heard that song in the Mike Myers movie So I Married an Axe Murderer. I didn’t know at the time that it was about heroin (naïve little me). I’ve been fighting this coffee addiction for a while now, and I think that the song can be applied to caffeine, too. You can read the rest of the Coffee Chronicles by clicking these links:
The Unthinkable: Giving Up Coffee
Progress Report: Giving Up Coffee, Part 2
I used to get a real pick-me-up from drinking coffee. It fueled my workouts, jump-started my mornings, stirred me up in the afternoon, and kept me company while my newborn son screamed from colic pains all night. It kept me awake on the four-hour drives to and from business meetings at my company’s headquarters.
There she goes
There she goes again
Pulsing through my veins
And I just can’t contain
This feeling that remains
But coffee hard a dark side. It made me cranky. It kept me awake rather than alert. I wasn’t getting enough sleep as it was, and coffee compounded the problem. My fuse grew shorter. I would sweat alot. ALOT. Having a cup of coffee in the afternoon usually justified a trip to the candy machine for some fat pills. I started looking like Tweedledee.
So I decided to try a new lifehack, and to cut coffee out of my life completely. I can happily report that my experiment has been successful. Today marks one week with not even a drop of coffee. I’m satisfied with my progress, and hope to keep the caffeine monkey off of my back for good.
So long, sweet java! It’s been nice knowing you. But your negatives have come to outweigh your positives, and it’s time to say goodbye.
There she goes
There she goes
There she goes
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Down to One Cup of Coffee
I’m almost there. I’m down to one cup of coffee per day. What a long day it is! I’m almost ready to break the caffeine addiction that started in high school. But I have a feeling that I’ll stick to the one cup for a little while, because old habits die hard: I’d been stuck on two cups a day since the end of March.
Don’t talk to me before my morning coffee…
If you’ve followed my progress here and here, you know my backstory. Giving up this habit is no small sacrifice. I have my one cup, really a mug, in the morning before I go to work. I fill that sucker up almost to the rim, because I know that it’s the last coffee that I’ll taste until the next morning. I also drink it black, so it’s 100% caffeinated goodness.
It makes sense cents
I can’t ignore the financial benefits. Where we used to go through two cans of java each week, now we buy one can every two to three weeks. Given the price of the stuff, I can estimate a $300 - $400 savings over the course of a year. Not too shabby! Now, if I could give up cigars, we’d be talking some serious money. But one bad habit at a time. So much for the economics. Has it improved my demeanor?
I’ll be seeing less of you, old friend
Giving up the cup after dinner was torture! I’m glad I didn’t put a time limit on this goal, because each step has been a struggle. Sure, it’s made me less jittery, helped me sleep better, and saved me some money. I find that I don’t sweat as much. Even my teeth are whiter. But this is COFFEE! It was a dear, old friend. It’s been with me through all-night cramming in high school, and term papers in college. It’s resuscitated me in the morning after a late night of bar-hopping. It’s been an afternoon pick-me-up at work. It kept me alert during my baby son’s nighttime feedings, lest I stick the bottle in his ear.
A grouch with a capital “G”
But all relationships lose their spark over time. You start to notice flaws in the other party. Coffee was no exception. Java also brought out some of my less-than-charming qualities. I won’t miss those. Neither will the people that have to put up with me on a daily basis. Hopefully, in two months or so, I can report that I’ve finally gotten the monkey off my back. It’ll be tough, with all of the iced coffee commercials that arrive just in time for Summer. I’ll just have to suck it up and ignore them.
Besides, it’s barbecue season. Hello, Sam Adams Lager…
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A Week Without Coffee! scholastica ees/ Back~ There she goes There she goes again Racing through my brain And I just can't contain This feeling that remains - from There She Goes by The Boo Radleys I first heard that song in the Mike Myers movie So I Married an Axe Murderer. I...... -
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Bad Weekend for My Fitness Goals
Well, the weekend started off strong. I reseeded the bare spots on my front lawn, and kept up my exercise routine. On Saturday, however, one of my buddies came over, and I had a few beers, a jumbo-sized cheeseburger at Applebee’s, and too many chocolate donuts. I forgot to mention the coffee to wash down the donuts. The same coffee that I attempted to give up here and here. I’m tempted to try this weight loss combo that a reader suggested in a comment about an exercise post.
Although I didn’t take care of my physical self, I worked hard on improving my intelligence. At least I educated myself somewhat. I finished reading Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki, and started re-reading Getting Rich in America by Dwight R. Lee and Richard B. McKenzie. I’ll be writing reviews about them in the near future. I’m especially intrigued by Kiyosaki’s advice about investing in tax lien certificates. I’ll have more research to do on that subject also. Kiyosaki recommends The 16 Percent Solution by Joel Moskowitz as good reading on tax liens.
My pick (Friesan Fire) didn’t win the Kentucky Derby. Hell, he finished next to last in eighteenth place. He beat only one other horse, which is only one more than I beat, and I didn’t even race!
My kids saw the new Wolverine movie with their friends, and said it was awesome! My sons started watching the X Men cartoons when they were little, and got me hooked on them, too. I’ll probably catch the movie when it comes out on DVD.
Well, tomorrow starts another week. I’m going to get back on the program, and really stick to my diet. I hope to have better news to report next week.
Follow me on Twitter: CorpBarbarian
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Related Posts - A Month Without Coffee. Now What? Photo by Andreanna I think I've kicked my coffee habit. It's been a whole month since I enjoyed my last cup o' Joe. Based on the conventional wisdom that it takes three weeks to break a habit, I think I'm good to go. Yippee! What now? OK, so I......
- A Week Without Coffee! scholastica ees/ Back~ There she goes There she goes again Racing through my brain And I just can't contain This feeling that remains - from There She Goes by The Boo Radleys I first heard that song in the Mike Myers movie So I Married an Axe Murderer. I......
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Progress Report: Giving Up Coffee, Part 2
Posted by enrique s in Productivity, lifehack on March 27th, 2009
Here’s an update from an earlier post on giving up coffee: I’m down to two cups a day! I haven’t been down to two cups a day since my twenties. And I’m not a walking zombie, either.
I’m having one cup in the morning, and one after dinner. I don’t have any cravings during the day, either. My body has adjusted to the reduction in caffeine, and I find that I’m sleeping better at night. Waking up in the morning isn’t the ordeal that it used to be.
One side benefit is that I’m more productive. It sounds counter-intuitive, but I’m getting to work earlier, and there’s no “adjustment period” after I get to my desk. I don’t have to finish my coffee before starting work; I just get right into my day.
Another benefit is my reduced weight. I won’t attribute all of it to the coffee, but I’ve dropped over 20 pounds in the last 2 months, with no trips to the evil vending machine. I used to grab a candy bar to go with my coffee, so no coffee = no candy bar. That’s about 300+ calories that I’m saving each afternoon. So cutting the java has definitely helped.
My goal is to cut my coffee drinking to one cup a day. This will take a lot of willpower. But with longer daylight hours, I’ll probably be doing more yardwork, and I hope to drop the after-dinner cup o’ joe.
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The Unthinkable: Giving Up Coffee
I’ve cut down my coffee drinking. I used to drink ten cups a day - well, ten mugs, really. I used to associate my coffee drinking with working. Anytime that I had a task that I was procrastinating about, I would get a cup of coffee. It was my “on” switch, a physical reminder that it was time to get cracking.
My addiction started in college, and just got worse when I landed my first job. The building we were in had no cafeteria, and I used to buy coffee twice a day from a coffee truck that served the industrial park. The receptionist used to announce it’s arrival over the PA system. I can remember going through caffeine withdrawal whenever I got stuck in a meeting when the roach coach arrived.
Things really started to get out of control at a later job, where coffee was free! I thought that I hit the jackpot. But I was getting more agitated with every cup that I drank, and I eventually would hit the candy machine for a snack to go with my java. When I started my current job, one of the first things that I did was scope out the cafeteria hours. Much to my chagrin, the cafeteria closed at 2 pm, so I had to plan my coffee trips accordingly.
About two years ago, in an effort to gain some control over myself, I started bringing in green teabags from home as a substitute. This brought me down to about five cups of coffee a day (two when I woke up, one for the ride to work, and two after dinner). I kept to this ration until this past September, where I cut down to three cups a day.
I can report that I’m no worse for wear. I’m drinking more water than ever, and I’ve even cut out the green tea. I’ve stopped my association of coffee and snacks with working, and my productivity has increased. I bet some of my former coworkers would never believe the change in me, as it seemed that I was always holding a cup of coffee.
I unexpected benefit came from my addiction reduction: I’m saving about $25 a week, and over $1,000 a year, by not buying coffee at work. I’m still working on giving it up completely, which is my ultimate goal.
What addictions have you given up in the past year?
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Lifehack Monday, August 24, 2009 Last Monday, I laid out my typical day's diet. Today, I'll shed some light on my exercise routine. But first, a trip to the scales. I weighed in at 211 today, so I dropped one pound from last week. Not as much as I thought, but I can attribute...... -
10 Best Cities for Job Growth lumaxart Yahoo Real Estate had an article which listed the top 10 cities for job growth. Here's the list: Huntsville, Alabama Albuquerque, New Mexico Washington, D.C. Charlottesville, Virginia Athens, Georgia Olympia, Washington Madison, Wisconsin Austin, Texas Flagstaff, Arizona Raleigh, North Carolina While energy and finance drove job growth in...... -
Self-Reliance Series #2: An Office Survival Kit Photo by 96dpi This is Part 2 of my self-reliance series. I talked about my Personal Survival Kit in Part 1. This post will not address the best anti-virus software, how to overclock your computer, or how to climb the corporate ladder. I like to be able to take......
Related Websites - Easy Antidotes for Menstrual Cramps If you are suffering from menstrual cramps, then the truth is that you are likely suffering needlessly. Here is a handful of antidotes that will help you alleviate your menstrual cramps once and for all. No longer do you need to suffer from those terrible pains during that special time......
- How important are past employer referrals when applying for jobs? I have been working for the same company for 4 years now and am considering searching for a new job. I left my last job on bad terms and know they would answer no to the question of whether they would hire me again. I can get a letter of......
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Why I Read and Review Romance by Lynn Spencer, guest blogger and contributor to All About Romance. Follow her on Twitter @LynnAAR. So, why romance? Unless you've been living in very deep cave somewhere, you probably know that it's one of the top-selling sections of the book market. During this recession, romance sales are still......
