There are a few things necessary to a writer. Solitude, inspiration, motivation, and coffee. I do not include talent or skill in this list, as those are things needed to create a writer, not things needed for a writer to write. I speak of coffee, as opposed to vodka or whiskey, because I have not yet entered the self-destructive phase of a writers life-cycle. Some day, when I have several best-sellers under my belt, I will spin a silken chrysalis out of printer-paper, to eventually emerge with wings of brilliant satyr, a bottle of bourbon clutched under one arm. Until then, I consume copious quantities of coffee.

Today, it is raining. My coffee intake will likely double or triple. In tribute to this nectar of the gods, I give you the Dao of Coffee, a repost from another blog of mine.

Coffee, is about ritual, and about serenity. Whether you make your own coffee in a french press or moka, or get it at the same joint every morning, its about ritual. Its part of how you start your day, and its not all about the caffeine. Ok, its mostly about the caffeine, but the ritual is vital. If it weren’t, we would just suck on a tea bag. Changing the ritual, is bad. Shops close, change ownership, or hire new help. Just when you get your barista trained to make your 12 oz mocha with a little cinnamon, they hire this new lurpy kid who does not know a machiatto from capaccino.

Coffee, is also about enjoying the moment, not about speed or excess. That first sip that burns your tongue but is so damn good you dont care. The complexity of flavors washing over your tongue, nutty, fruity, chocolaty.

Coffee, should not be rushed. I am seeing a lot more drive-through coffee windows around here. Coffee is not about convenience, or speed. Do not rush coffee. Some people complain that our society is suffering because people no longer get together for sunday dinner. Now, they work the wallmart night shift instead. I disagree. Society is suffering because we no longer take time in the morning to enjoy our coffee, and watch the sunrise. No, now we power down a 20 oz vanilla-half-calf-white-chocolate-frozen-mocha-latte. Thats not coffee, thats a french desert. Coffee should be 6 oz, or 12 oz. at most. 20 freakin ounces demeans the coffee. It’s not a big gulp damn it. Starbucks has killed good coffee. Im not talking about the coffee they roast, thats en entirely different blog. Im talking about how they approach it. 20 oz monsters with enough cream and sugar for an entire day’s calories. They make their aberrant concoctions so damn sweat its become a soft-drink. Youv’e seen their bottles of sicky sweat frapa-crapa in convenience store coolers. I know you buy them, don’t deny it. Its ok, there is help.

Take some time this morning, go to your local coffee shop, order a 12 oz coffee( do not use the words ‘tall’ or ‘venti’ or anything else in Fritalian), grab a newspaper, and sit down for 15 minutes. Thats it, just 15 minutes for yourself, thats not too much to ask is it? Get up a few minutes early if you have to, but take the time to enjoy the morning, enjoy your coffee, and enjoy yourself. you’ll thank me.