a little tea and sympathy

First things first: I really hate coffee. Really. The fact that I hate coffee is a little funny for two reasons.

• Reason one: In college, for a year and a half, I lived at the Wesley Foundation which put on a weekly coffeehouse (which was pretty dang cool if you ask me). I had 3 jobs for coffeehouse: go shopping for supplies, bake something (oh man, I loved to bake), and man the coffee cart (which of course meant making coffee when we ran out). Someone who HATES coffee (even the smell makes me sick) should not be in charge of actually making coffee!
• Reason two: The first year out of college I worked (and even managed) a coffee and tea shop. Now, I had the tea side of the shop way under control. The coffee side, however, ummm...who would want ME to manage a coffee shop?? It took me about 2 months to realize that it was NOT eXpresso, but eSpresso. I will say this though: I got pretty good at making all those espresso drinks thankyouverymuch!

I can't seem to escape coffee. My step-mother used to be some sort of manager at Barnie's headquarters so I was always being carted around to Orlando Barnie's stores whenever I went for a weekend visit. I worked at Barnes and Noble and had to stomach the smell of Starbucks coffee (and that's the worst kind, sorry all you Starbucks lovers, it's just way too strong). And then, when you meet up with friends, what do they always want to do? Go out for coffee! Ugh! So of course I either get apple cider or tea. Oh yeah, hot chocolate is always an option (which I always ask for it to be heated for a child...because otherwise, it's entirely too hot). And what the heck with the Gilmore Girls? I mean, I really like the show, but I get SO sick of their coffee talk! Are the REALLY that addicted?

This whole post came about because one of my students, a ninth grader, came into class today with ... a cup of coffee?! A 14 year old addicted to coffee? Crazy. Anyway, he told me that since we had to unexpectedly come to school today, he begged his mom to stop at the 7-11 to get him a cup of coffee!

I drink a cup of peppermint tea each morning. I can't drink it hot hot hot though, so I have to wait for it to become luke warm, which usually happens midway through first period. Other tea flavors I'm quite fond of include jasmine, rose, and Earl Grey. I am definitely a floral flavored tea person over a fruity flavored tea.

Today, with my cup of tea a dose of sympathy, my little 9th graders told me all their tales of Hurricane Jeanne. I don't have any idea why "they" decided to have school at the last minute because barely anyone is here. I had 12 people absent in a class of 22!