Warm, delicious addiction.

There is something about that cup and its contents.  It's an addiction.  It provides a feeling of happiness and a hope that I can tackle the day.  It's part of a ritual whereby I gather friends and coworkers for a ride down the elevator and then up the escalator on our quest for something warm and delicious.  On special occasions I will block an hour off on my calendar to meet a friend and sit there and chat while enjoying our warm, delicious addiction.

In an effort to preserve the budget, I have spent time considering how I might be able to mimic the ritual without paying for the iconic cup and its contents.  After much thought I have reached a preliminary conclusion.  It may be possible to ride the escalator up and back down again holding a generic cup of nothing more than hot water.  Many mornings after making my visit to Caribou I return to my office only to be distracted by less important things.  An hour or two later I mistakenly take a disappointing lukewarm sip.  Somehow I seem to have survived the morning not due to the caffeine intake, but rather thanks to a 5 trip upstairs and a short chat with friends and coworkers.

If my preliminary conclusion has any merit to it, my bank account will be fortunate enough to grow a little.  But let's get a few things straight:  1.) it's the middle of a MN winter and 2.) it's just the beginning of busy season.  These are two factors that will likely have a significant influence in the coming weeks and months.

I would love to find a home for the oil painting above.  Check out the artist's coffee cup grid .