potential

It's odd. Work has gotten me a nice PC with dual monitors to do my job better and it helps with some of the data I have to work with but I just can't find the time to move over everything from the Mac laptop I've been using for work for almost 2 years and wrote most of my thesis on.
Thing is, I like laptops. After thesis research and writing it seems clunky to be at a desk. Consequently it's turned into a bit of an overpriced sticky note board. If I ever get some time I have to switch because I dread breaking my lappy and losing everything. The PC automatically backs up to a server, which I could then access from my lappy if needed...it's just not happening.

Ah well.

On the plus side?
I am now caffeine free -it's awesome. Now that I've reached happy normal again I will do my best not to go back.

Courage.

talk amongst yourselves

Ah. What a nice weekend. I hunted down caffeine free colas and cheesy penguin crackers and relaxed and went for a few long walks. Still caffeine free and starting to feel normal again, and realizing how much I relied on caffeine to fight tiredness. Now I'm finding other ways. Fall is starting and the evenings are really cooling off now. Sweater weather is upon us. Arm warmer time :)

Tonight my sister gets in from ontario on the plane and we'll be visiting my brother tonight. Tomorrow she and I are off for  a week to visit my Dad. As much as I am sad J can't make it up with us I am really looking forward to this. He'll survive at home without me. I'm gearing up for some forest runs and getting set for some good reading (I've been saving most of Let's Pretend This Didn't Happen for this week), relaxing and catching up. I need a holiday. It's supposed to be nice all week and I can't wait to read in the sun and go for a few canoe rides.

 There's no internet up at the lake so I'll be signing off until next week.
Talk amongst yourselves :)

6

6 days into my caffeine detox and I'm feeling a bit more human again. I still drag my ass in the afternoon and the half a cup of coffee I've been allowing myself have been blissful, but I am crawling out from the fog and tiredness and do believe I shall soon achieve normality.
Only a few more days and I can have a few days off away with my sister and Dad. I need a break. I so very much with J could come with me, but unfortunately he can't...I'm such a suck. I miss him already...

my fix

After my morning workout and a regular day with a slight headache I just had my first and only half cup of coffee for the day at about 3 PM. This is a good thing. I'm doing it!

So.
Delicious.

...and I am slightly embarrassed at how good I feel right now...

Cranky panda

I am Geo's soon to be conquered caffeine addiction.

To try and learn more about why my self enforced caffeine withdrawal is so much "fun" (if by fun you mean cranky exhaustion...sigh) i put on my investigating hat. Turns out caffeine is addictive because the molecule  fits perfectly into our brain's adenosine receptors. Adenosine is responsible for signaling the brain that it is time to rest or sleep. Since these receptors are blocked with caffeine molecules, dopamine (the happy time brain chem) works more efficiently. Add to that the fact that excess adenosine signals the adrenal glands to release adrenaline and you feel more alert too. Happy and energetic! What could be wrong with that?

Well, over time, the brain adds more adenosine receptors to compensate for the caffeine, which causes a tolerance to build up to the caffeine molecule. So you can drink a tonne of caffeinated beverages to feel normal or don't even feel it's effects anymore (ahem. me.) So when I have the order to cut back to a cup or less a day like I have been the last 3 days, my brain is then flooded with adenosine, and dopamine doesn't do it's job properly for a while. The sudden drop in adrenaline levels my body is accustomed to has produced many of the caffeine withdrawal symptoms I have read about. Thankfully keeping a strong cup of Earl Grey in the am menu has staved off any particularly evil headaches and I have tried to fill my days with things I enjoy to be occupied. Even so-I am glad J is working all weekend. I have been a cranky moody tired little hermit and I dearly hope I level out soon and get back to a more decaffeinated normal. 

Thankfully I found some really good swiss decaf. I am one of those  weirdos who really loves coffee and tea. Hot drinks comfort me. I actually drank a cup of hot water with lemon like a granny on friday at work because I had no herbal tea. I am a (sad to admit) caffeine addict. I get a warm rush when I smell roasted coffee...feel elated when I have a sip. To think I drank almost double this to cope with grad school...jeez. I thought I *was* cutting back...

 I am glad my doc told me to do this or I don't know how well I would comply otherwise...

My peeps, I am a sad jittery cranky panda at the moment. Wish me luck.

Berry nice

My sister in law works weekends at the local strawberry u-pick ranch. She texted me a few times today saying I should pick some since there were so many ready. Usually I am not a berry farm person, but I decided to come by since today was pretty mellow for me. 

She was right. The strawberry Ranch is a few minutes out of town so came out to visit her and leave her a cup of some great locally roasted decaf I had been drinking in my kitchen which she sipped while I picked...for all of 10 minutes. I kid you not that there were so many berries ready that I picked 8 Lb of strawberries (which was all I had $$for) in under 10 minutes. I would pick berries more if it were that easy all the time! She didn't even finish her coffee before I headed back home. I was making meat buns and they were rising while I was out so this was a perfect tasty diversion.

I have eaten my fill of them by now and think I will can some in light syrup (I am all jammed out) and freeze the rest...I might make 1 or 2 jars of jam...honestly not sure if I have any jars left, so that will be the deciding factor.

I am on a strawberry thing today...even racked over my strawberry beer for one last settling out to get it off the fruit after a few weeks into the carbuoy. It smells delicious. The few mouthfuls don't seem to have as much fruit flavour as last batch tho where I put the fruit in the primary with a wheat beer though...we'll see.  This time it's a lager style-I was hoping it would let the fruit shine thru more...we shall see.

After all that, I'm off for some beer and craftiness in the craft pit. J needs a thingamajig for the 200th episode of his show tomorrow and I'm gonna try and make with something...

Later! 

It's true