Post by Kyle St. Romain.
Most of us don’t enjoy getting out of bed early every morning. Even when you do get to catch that coveted thirty extra minutes of sleep on the weekend, starting your day often seems like more of a chore than it should otherwise be. After all, we ought to cherish every day we get to spend with our friends, family, and loved ones, right? Right! Just after I hit snooze a couple more times….
I’ll admit that I’m one of the worst when it comes to waking up in the morning, especially if it isn’t for anything new and exciting like catching a red-eye to kick off a fun vacation, or getting in line early at a hot new brunch spot. But why is that? I’m certainly capable of waking up in the morning, I just don’t want to. Many of you probably suffer from this same problem, which I have decided is mostly due to a lack of motivation (or caffeine).
Motivation is a very powerful thing and while everyone has different incentives that get them out of bed, I wanted to share with you one of the main things I’ve come to look forward every morning: coffee.
A lot of people already drink coffee in the morning, but I never could. I simply cannot drink the regular hot drip-brewed coffee for the life of me. It does worse to my stomach than eating a whole jar of jalapenos soaked in Tabasco sauce and doing a belly flop into a cold pool (not even waiting the requisite 15 minutes after eating). As you can imagine, this means that coffee has never been a big part of my morning routine. However, I’ve discovered that I can drink espresso (and cold-drip) by the gallon without any problems at all. In fact, I’ve learned that there are a number of other people whom share a similar experience. Wish-you-could-be coffee drinkers, rejoice!
While espresso usually means an expensive coffee machine or a quick visit with your local barista, it doesn’t have to; you can make great-tasting espresso right on your stovetop.
A Moketta (Moka Pot) is a little Italian style coffee maker. You simply fill it with water and espresso grinds, and put it on your hot stove. In about minute’s time, you have a fresh shot of espresso (or two or five, depending on the size of your Moketta). Order a couple tins of Italian espresso grinds like Lavazza or illy, and you’re all ready for the full experience. It’s surprising just how good of an espresso a Moketta makes. So good that it’s forever ruined the burnt taste of Starbucks.
Now, there are a lot of people out there who likewise swear by the French Press method of making coffee. While French Press coffee is good, it’s just a bit messy for me.
So why does coffee work such miracles in the morning? Part of it is due to the caffeine, and the other part is due to the caffeine. But seriously, I really like the taste of coffee and I’ve come to look forward to it in the morning, which is an ideal time to enjoy it. On the occasional weekend you can even replace the sugar with a splash of Kahlua. Now you’ve really got a cup of something special to look forward to! Don’t drink coffee? Teas and Yerba Maté provides you with an alternative caffeine fix.
In any event, everyone has a different reason for getting up in the morning: coffee, a hot shower, the fear of missing work and not being able to pay the bills on time—whatever. So, what gets you out of bed in the morning? Are you fortunate enough to have been born a morning person, or have you created a carrot (or a stick) for yourself? Let us know in the comments below.