I heart coffee.

I always say to Tom that the first sip of coffee in the morning is my favorite time of the day. It's just like... a drug. And he laughs and says, yes, Jamie, caffeine IS a drug, but I don't mean the caffeine. I mean coffee. I'll never understand people that don't like the taste of coffee. I mean, I love onions- but I can see why some people wouldn't. Ditto with fish. But coffee??? Not liking coffee is just... inconceivable to me.

Anyway, I was cleaning up around here, packing boxes, and I found an old script from a play I was in in college. It was written, directed, and produced by a student named Jake, a friend of mine, and it was called The Deadbeat Club. I don't remember a lot about it except that it took place in a bar, my character had to have an orgasm onstage (and naive little 19-year old Jamie really had no idea how to do that, lol), and someone died, I don't even remember which character. I have an old VHS taping of it somewhere, which I fear would be torture to watch, BUT-- it had this great monologue in it about coffee, spoken by the group druggie:

Marah:
I tell you now, my friends, that there is no drug more ... what's the word? PUISSANT, than coffee. You say "But coffee is not a drug; you're thinking of caffeine." No, I've done caffeine by itself, and its effect is nowhere near as profound as the entire coffee experience. The color, the warmth, the smell... but I jump ahead. Let me set a scene for you:

A thick, plain white mug, chipped- the pot, stained, dull pseudo-glass- the gurgling flow of the potion into the mug-- steam fairies across the surface of the black brew; aroma, the shameless bean, bitter, sharp- the mug, snug in your palm, but ouch! too hot!! the various condiments- granulated sugar, pure sugar, saccharine, aspartame, milk, non-dairy creamer, edible oil product- rapture! to the lips! the elixir, the temperature without punishment to the palate, the perfect taste; a wash down the gullet and into the welcoming stomach, thence to the bloodstream; from the blood to the senses: Awakening... Potency... Oneness... COFFEE!!

I'm headed out to DC here in a little bit. I'm pretty grouchy and am not looking forward to my week, but after that I go to Phoenix for my birthday and then back here to pack up. Please send all prayers, luck, juju, good wishes, and whatever else you can for Susannah and me to find an apartment soon. I'm starting to really stress about it. I can't really do anything else (forward my mail, change over my renter's insurance, book movers) until I have an address, and come Sept 1 we will both be homeless. *whimper*