So ya’ll came through with helping me figure out what I should write about in October. I have a variety of topics to address, and I’m posting them here before they disappear amongst tweets and status updates. Over the next month, I shall write about:
- The female equivalent to the misogynistic Hardee’s/Carl’s Jr. commercials
- The best female character for lead in a comic book movie and why it isn’t being made but a movie about Tetris is
- The College Republican National Committee ad campaign
- Seasonal M&Ms
- The NFL and how I was right
- A fictional trip to Japan
- Changes in public education from when I was a student to now
- Modern definitions of community
- High School history curricula
- Do something new or different as many days as I can
This is a varied list, a list that provides plenty of writing fodder. So thanks to all who offered suggestions, and please–add more!
Today, I actually did something new: I tried a new beverage.
I go back and forth about ditching diet Coke. There is something so comforting about it–I’m not quite sure what, especially since it’s basically poison to my insides–that makes it difficult to let go of. But I know I should stop drinking it.
I probably wouldn’t have picked up a diet Coke habit if I had never started drinking coffee. For a brief time in my life, I decided to go on a Mormon version of Rumspringa, so to speak, and as part of that, I got into coffee. And I mean, in. to. coffee. I loved it in all of its forms.
But it is verboten, and when I came to a point in my life that I decided my faith was actually important to me, I had to ditch the coffee. I needed a replacement. And it wasn’t really the caffeine that I missed–it was the taste. I wanted something bitter and dark and easily accessible anywhere. So I picked up diet Coke and it’s only been the past three years that I felt it was time to kick that habit. And I have, a couple of times. (Both times, I’ll have you know, I switched to just water and I GAINED WEIGHT. So pardon me if I scoff at medical research that claims diet soda is making us fat.)
In my quest to give up the diet Coke this time, I wanted something that wasn’t carbonated. Something that had a strong taste but was also low in calories. And I found Crio Bru.
Crio Bru is the brainchild of someone in Utah (I’m guessing Mormon, but I could be wrong) who wanted to craft a beverage (I wonder if he also danced with coffee in a less devout time of life) similar to coffee. So he roasted cocoa beans, ground them, brewed them, and now there are a couple of companies that create cocoa grounds for brewing, and I ordered some.
I don’t know what it’s supposed to taste like, but I think it tastes just fine. It’s an acquired taste, for sure, but if I’m willing to believe their website, cocoa has some decent health benefits, and while it doesn’t taste exactly like coffee, it is reminiscent enough that it made me happy tonight. Perfect timing for the fall weather hitting today.
So here’s to ditching the diet Coke…again…
Cool. Congrats on trying something new. I am excited about all of these topics and look forward to what you have to say about them. Your approach to trying something new was fascinating–it was not a major life change, but because of your history with Diet Coke, trying a new beverage became significant. Very nice posting.
Yay for experiments and poison. …..I'm well preserved in my innards as well……:)
Good luck! And another cheer for innovation and chocolate in all forms!