The Clock And Your Cup Of Coffeeby Sandy Knoll

Is this what your clock shows?: <BR><BR>6:30 am - Coffee's brewing. The rich aroma confirms your day has begun. Time to have a cup and get going. <BR><BR>9:40 am - A break in the day. Whether the day is monotonous or frenzied, your coffee break tells you that time is moving forward. <BR><BR>12:30 pm - Lunch time and time to clock out. A work mate joins you at the local lunch spot where you hash over the hassles of the day, talk about your family and discuss your plans for the yearly vacation. Lunch winds down with a cup of joe. <BR><BR>3:00 pm - The afternoon is neither beginning nor ending. A cup of coffee is just what you need to get a boost. Taking a moment to chat with a fellow worker at the coffee pot doesn't hurt either. <BR><BR>8:00 pm - Meeting up with friends for dinner is is a great way to end the day. Drinks, some appy's and a good meal along with conversation that lingers over coffee makes for a fine finale. <BR><BR>Does your day go something like this? Is coffee keeping your day on schedule? <BR><BR>HOW MUCH ARE WE DRINKING? <BR><BR>With Americans drinking an estimated 300 million cups of coffee every day, it is no surprise that our day, and our social interactions are often associated with having a cup of coffee. <BR><BR>The trend towards 'specialty' coffees has only added to our national pastime. <BR><BR>The SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) reports that DAILY specialty coffee consumption rose from 9% of the adult population in 2000 to 16% in 2004. Occasional indulgence is a staggering 56%! <BR><BR>The sales from cafes alone (not including purchased bean sales) was a whopping $8.47 billion in 2003! <BR><BR>Do we stop there? No. We take those beans home to brew as well - and so our cycle goes on. <BR><BR>It brings up the question: <BR><BR>If there was no coffee - would the clock tick? Would the clocks stop? How would we get from one point in the day to another with nothing to measure the time going by? <BR><BR>WHAT ABOUT NON-DRINKERS? <BR><BR>Whether you personally feel that coffee controls your day, it might be valuable for you to take a moment and reflect on how our society is turning coffee into an established routine rather than a simple beverage. <BR><BR>Does this leave non-drinkers out? Has coffee replaced smoking as the social connection? Clearly the hazards are not the same, but the addiction might be. Just to be sure, why not replace the occasional coffee with another drink or even the odd decafe - you'll be enjoying the social aspects as much as the drink in your hand! <BR><BR>And by the way...stop watching the clock!