Giving up the Hard Juice

I'm writing to you today from Command Central, the newest technology hub in East Lansing! Alright, so it's technically a glorified computer desk with a television atop the highest shelf. But, hey, at least it's got internet and cable. It boasts cool, below-ground temperatures... in my basement.

Everyone needs to begin somewhere.

Sean and I are embarking on a new challenge. Taking it a week at a time (my caveat), we'll attempt to stop eating out. No big deal, right? Sean's a thrifty, creative and talented cook, so we'll have plenty of meals and leftovers to carry us through. In that respect, the hard work is already done. Still, we spend a lot of time and money "eating out" around town. Dominos is across the street from us. Quality Dairy (which is considered an eating establishment in this experiment) is a block away. I walk to work on a path which parades me past two coffee shops and a myriad of local restaurants and bars. When we're on the other side of town we like to stop at Culver's (*shudder*) or Cracker Barrel.

I don't know if this will work.

I drink a lot of coffee. I'm fine with giving up restaurant eating, especially fast food. It's the loss of COFFEE that I fear will be my downfall. True, we have a good (semi-broken) coffee pot and a sporadic supply of delicious fair trade coffee beans that my dad imports green and roasts at home, from Sweet Maria's. And yes, there's a free supply of coffee at the bookshop, as well. I can manage to get from our home to the shop without visiting any of East Lansing's fine coffee establishments. I think.

I know Ellen from Grand River Coffee better than I know my neighbors. I met Bob Fish, American hero and co-creator of Beaners (Biggby Coffee), and was starstruck. The average large coffee in this town costs $2.00. Two dollars for a cup of life-sustaining juice from magical beans, imported to Mid-Michigan from afar. Sold! Granted, more often than not I find myself clenching a more expensive drink than I expected to buy, but that's marketing! I'm an important part of the local coffee-buying population, and I'm throwing in the towel.

What we're not giving up are the drinking establishments of East Lansing. To the average 24 year old living in one of America's most alcohol-focused college towns, this is good news! I think I'd rather keep coffee and give up the spirits, though. Ah, well. At least I have Boobs and Beer, a Michigan brew blog, to keep me informed.

I made my own coffee this morning, but I'm going out to lunch with a friend this afternoon. Hey, we haven't started, yet!