i've decided that i'm cultivating my coffee addiction. a few times in my life so far, i've tried to give it up - the most recent being the summer before i went to costa rica. in costa rica, however, coffee is pretty much the national drink, and soon i found myself with a six-cup-a-day habit. and serious canker sores. and an unhappy stomach. eventually i cut it down to one unavoidable cup at breakfast, and one after dinner with my host mom. i drank it black in the morning and with sugar for dessert, and each time i would hold the cup just under my nose and anticipate.


the coffee here isn't as good, of course, but we've got quality beans at the cafe, and i'm starting to actually taste the espresso. we drink far too much coffee during the after-lunch lull, when we decide to start experimenting with drinks. what if you add almond to a white chocolate mocha? what if you add rasberry? mint? tutti-fruiti? we drink the successes and some of the mistakes. in the mornings, we make a big pot of coffee and i hold a mug just under my nose, let the steam curl over my face. you know you've got a good addiction when the first sip seems to realign your molecules, everything shifting back into place. eyes close, and the sigh starts deep as all your blood says, yes.