Two Rules

Really there are two rules that I would have until yesterday considered iron-clad.
1. I don't pull all-nighters any more.
2. I don't like coffee.

I didn't like to pull all-nighters when I was in college, and there I had good reason to...Physics, Calculus...

But last night, thanks to the spectacularly inconvenient timing of a Midwestern storm, I discovered that the rules of the universe can be bent. Starting with a day beginning at 5:30am on Tuesday that hasn't ended yet and it is more than 24 hours later, I have a new respect for the all-nighter. Making the all-nighter even more grand is that it was spent in an airport terminal on a very cold and hard floor. Mitigating this however was the fact that my little bit of real estate had an electrical outlet. This made it possible to watch episodes of Supernatural all night. A night with Dean and Sam makes everything better. Still, 25 hours in to the adventure I was essentially sleepwalking.

Which brings me to the coffee. Knowing that I still had at least four hours of travel left I staggered into a Starbucks. I told the helpful barista at the counter that I didn't drink coffee but desperately needed some caffeine, I asked her just to make me something. What she concocted for me has, I am afraid, changed my world forever. The magic drink was called a ' tall toffee-nut latte'. I don't know if it was the fact that I hadn't eaten or slept for a loooong time or the stars were in special conjunction, all I do know is it may be the best thing that I have ever consumed. I'm not sure that I am exaggerating. Whatever that case the jolt of caffeine rocked my world and I think I am addicted ALREADY. I can't imagine that I have spent so many of my adult years without this fantastic drug.

All I know is if I ever make it out of this travel purgatory, I am going to learn to make coffee - then braced with this legal stimulant I may stay up all night again sometime.