I don’t drink coffee. I never have.
I’m the mother of four young children who on average begin to sleep through the night consistently at age four. I’m also a writer.
I repeat. I don’t drink coffee.
My Facebook feed is littered with memes like this: 
And this:
And this:
I joked recently that I feared someone would snatch back my book from its virtual self when it was discovered it was created without even a half-ounce of coffee.
In college, I completed a radio station morning show internship that required me to be at the radio station at 5:30 a.m. – I think. The memory is a little fuzzy. Probably because I did not drink coffee. On days when we broadcasted from a remote location, for example, a bar where we hosted special guest John Wayne Bobbit (yes, that John Wayne Bobbit, sad but true), it was even earlier.
I tend to be a night owl. Left to my own devices, I’d routinely stay up until midnight or later. Oh, wait. I do stay up that late. Maybe later if I’m reading a good book.
And yet, no coffee. My hot drink of choice is herbal tea.
I have no medical, social, or other reason for avoiding coffee. I simply don’t like the taste. For his own amusement, I suspect, my husband sometimes offers me a taste. He drinks his strong and black. I wrinkle my nose and stick out my tongue.
Current thinking holds that drinking coffee may be good for your health, and I suspect I could acquire a taste for it. (Although a woman told me this weekend she tried over the course of a year and gained only misery for it. She never could learn to like the taste and remains an herbal tea drinker.)
I’ve been especially tired lately, mostly due to minor illness but also due to kids who won’t sleep. Maybe coffee is the boost I need. Maybe not.
Caffeine has never had a discernible effect on me. Then again, I’ve only had limited doses in Coca-Cola or Mountain Dew.
My question for you, as I embark on another National Novel Writing Month:
Should I give coffee a shot or stick with my beloved tea?
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I think you’ll do your best work when you drink what YOU like and not what the Internets are telling you to drink. Don’t let them make you feel like you’re missing out. NaNo is enough pressure without adding in beverage issues.
(And I love coffee, but I can’t handle strong and black. I need cream and sugar, unless the coffee is iced, when I can manage without the sugar.)
I took a nap on Saturday afternoon and got a decent amount of sleep that night and am starting to feel more like myself. Truth is I’ve always had an aversion to anything that either (a) EVERYBODY loves and (b) alters mood or mind. I recognize that’s totally contradictory to many other things I enjoy, but it’s always colored my thinking. I may give coffee a shot, but will only drink it if I like it. No need to force the issue.
I say go for the coffee…it can really lift a fog and give you some energy. Plus, there are so many types…there must be something like you like! But, I’m not very convincing…I’ve been working on Ryan for 11.5 years of marriage to no avail :).
Michael’s been trying to pawn off his hazelnut blend K-cups on me. I don’t think he cares for them. If I’m going to give it a shot, I might start there.
Skip it. If you want a caffeine boost, try a strong cup of tea. Although I must say that a nice caffe latte makes for a good writing break.
Sometimes I think just drinking something is the pick-me-up I need, regardless of whether it’s coffee, tea, or plain old water.
Skip the coffee!! I’m not a coffee drinker either, I normally have a glass of water near by. I got through my master’s thesis research and writing with the help of M&Ms. I say if you’re not into coffee, no need to try to like it now. Stay strong!
Thanks, Kerri! Yes, the peer pressure is tremendous! 🙂