The Second Cup of Coffee

The first cup of coffee that I drink in the morning is mundane. Valued and loved nonetheless, a happy ritual that if abandoned would undoubtedly end up in heartbreak, but certainly nothing that I would call special. It is a means to an end, that is, to wake up. The second cup, on the other hand, slyly enters the realm of rebellious and reckless indulgence. At times it becomes a magical potion that if taken wisely with a small nibble to avoid the jitters, allows one to see the world as brilliantly perfect, beautiful, a kaleidoscope of wonder for my caffeinated observation. With such affects its little wonder that one does not partake in second coffees everyday. Who wouldn’t want to feel endlessly inspired? But, like all things in life, this gem of a treat has its drawbacks. And, once again, we are reminded that what comes up, must come down, we must face the realities of our lives and pay tribute to the dark corners that are also in the room. That harsh reality might reveal itself emotionally in the form of self-scrutiny, doubt, fear following moments of brilliance, or perhaps it takes on more of a physical reminder that acidity and caffeine are not always tender on weak stomachs. Point is, the second cup of coffee is brilliantly magical and also a devastating reminder of reality and our limitations as mortals. (If I were immortal I’d drink coffee all day long!)

Such is the frequent dilemma that I often share with my sister, Jessie. We have a mutual understanding of the concept behind the second cup of coffee without even having to articulate it. We yearn for “seconds” but are also keenly aware of the sometimes-negative affects, so when we finally find occasions that lend themselves for more coffee we regard it as special. Take Paris, for example. While most American tourists felt justified in eating three chocolate croissants a day, my gluten-free sister and I chose coffee…. strong coffee. We thought, do like the French Philosophers. And, closer to home, during the winter of ’06 in San Francisco, when non-stop rain greeted us nearly everyday, that second cup was just enough to lift our spirits from our non-threatening seasonal depression.

We pay tribute to that second cup of coffee, and all its complexity, through the writing and images of this blog. We hope to share the world as we see it, sometimes caffeinated, sometimes realistic, but always a beautiful reminder of our existence.