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So if Thursday is the (not-so) new Friday, that got us to thinking; most of you are in our spot, sitting at your desk, with the mildest of hangovers, kind of wishing you were nursing a mimosa instead of yet another stale cup of office coffee.
In the Chicagoist offices we used to yodel Kelly Clarkson songs to blow off steam in the early a.m., but we stopped doing that after Margaret shoved a balled-up Styrofoam cup in our mouth and told us we sounded "like San-JA-ya, and would you please shut the FUCK up!" We still don't know what this Sanjaya is that she spoke of, but we have since stopped utilizing that particular early-morning therapy.
Since then, we have retreated to our iPod and relied on it to offer our aching heads solace on those early Friday morns, when our weekend has already received a jump-start the night before, and we're counting down the seconds until we can continue the revelry (or at least take a nip of the hair-of-the-dog without alerting Gothamist HR). And we have discovered that we often find comfort in the least likely of places. For instance, what are we listening to this morning? It's Fleetwood Mac's Rumours. Last week? The Eagles. And we are NOT fans of the Eagles, but for some reason they just do it for us when our senses are shot and we just need some driving background music to fuel our frazzled morning.
So, are you the same way? What helps you ward of the Friday morning blahs? Is it the unlikeliest of candidates, or is it the latest, greatest thing. Let us know ... we're alway open to new suggestions.
Image via Natalie Dee
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False! I love Kelly Clarkson!
And listening to "Good Morning, Baltimore" from Hairspray shakes out the brain clouds for me.
I have a collection of small "Peanuts" stuffed characters as well as a collection of Rudolph Valentino memorabilia, including a paper doll of Valentino and tabbed costumes many of his movies (most of which I've seen). I stage scenes from these movies with paper Rudy and the "Peanuts" gang.
This morning I started weeping while listening to Part Of Your World from the Little Mermaid.
Did I just write that out loud?
Ugh. Our office coffee (excellent by most office coffee standards actually, it's Starbucks packets) just hasn't been cutting it this week and has been strongly considering a little 4-cup machine for my desktop where I can brew my own stuff the way I want it...
As for music, I have KEXP on constant play/stream here and that definitely gets me through my day - especially Fridays.
Can somebody tell me why so many people like burned coffee beans?
I say stick with the Kelly Clarkson.
Ferdy, I think it's not so much the burned coffee beans but the caffeine that accompanies it... you get addicted (it is a drug, after all!) and then after a while you start to like the taste as well - especially if it's not over-roasted charred garbage like what most offices have.
Ferdy, I think it's not so much the burned coffee beans but the caffeine that accompanies it... you get addicted (it is a drug, after all!) and then after a while you start to like the taste as well - especially if it's not over-roasted charred garbage like what most offices have.
I like listening to Disney songs.
You cannot help but to get a lift when "Under The Sea" from The Little Mermaid comes on.
Or hearing Louie Prima sing songs from The Jungle Book....you're never too old for classic Disney!
I typically listen to something un-intrusive like Boards of Canada, DJ Shadow, Aphex Twin (the ambient stuff), or Brian Eno. I wouldn't even dare go near the coffee in our office. It looks like diarrhea. I I make my own at home and bring it in a thermos.
I like to dial up something good on my internet music website (usually last fm) and take a good long time assembling some sort of breakfast from our (surprisingly large) mishmash of foods and snacks in the break "room". Gives my brain time to adjust and start the day.
This morning while driving to work, I heard Billie Jean on the radio. I turned it up and sang along. It made me happy. I don't care who knows.
Stephen - I know Starbucks makes you think you're getting a triple dose of go. That's because their burnt beans taste strong. They don't have more caffeine than a great-tasting cup. So I guess that's why people like burnt beans--the perception of strength...
Early morning Illy, made in my stove top coffeemaker, all the way.
spence: marry me.
Ferdy, you're right. It's actually the medium and lighter roasts that tend to have a (marginally) higher caffeine content per cup :-) Which is why when I have a choice, I'm drinking the good stuff I brew at home. However, "free" + "marginally acceptable" often trumps "not free" + "good", it seems... so long as caffeine is present at an acceptable level in both equations. Plus with three miles of walking every day, I'm just not willing to drag a thermos with me to and from work.
I rarely get to call in sick, so:
Dead Milkmen, Fear, or The Exploited (or something of that ilk) on the car radio; stolen coffee from work; zone out on Chicagoist (reload, reload...); a twenty minute "just resting my eyes" cat-nap at desk; and finally more coffee and a sneaky smoke outside (or 3) usually gets me through the rest of the day.
By-the-way, I'd like a new job, please. Anyone looking, let me know.
;-)
I hear ya, Stephen. I'm extremely fortunate that my hubby is not only really into coffee and buys all kinds of great beans, but he also gets up and makes me a French press or cappuccino to go, and I drive to work. I'm extremely spoiled.
BTW, Stephen, my favorite Metropolis is Spice Island.
Maybe I should show my wife how to make coffee? I like the Spice Island too. Currently working my way through a bag of La Cordillera. If you get the chance to try their Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, it's good stuff!
Enough with the coffee nerdery though. Quittin' time approaches and with that, a glass of scotch.
La Cordillera is fantastic. I've tried the fair trade Cordilleran from Steep & Brew, and it's yummy.
Scotch not my thing. Give me a nice sauvignon blanc any day or champagne.
"It's been a long day man, and I hate the fucking Eagles!"