Our Morning Cups: A Documentary

I thought it would be marvelous to see what each of us drinks in the morning. So I put out a request for photos, and received quite a hearty response! Here they are, for your viewing pleasure. I, myself, like to start the day with a squirt, followed by a venti chai or half-caf. I think this says that I am ridiculous, yet pretentious. And oh-so-hip. Let's see what the residents of Blogland have in their Morning Cup, and ponder what it says about them. The Bloggers' own words are in italics. My assessment of what this says about them is in small plain text.

Sleep Goblin

Morning Chocolate Milk!

Sleepy G is chaste and unimpeachable, with a decadent and playful side. Also, unrelated, she was the most beautiful bride.

JLee

I HEART my sugar free caramel latte, drunk from my heart mug I made myself. It makes me feel all warm and gooey.

JLee has expensive tastes and appreciates the finer things in life. She is cosmopolitan, yet parochial. She has an eye for art. She is warm and gooey.

sleepydog

I Love Pepsi -- by sleepydog

I do not drink coffee
I do not drink tea
My beloved Pepsi
Is the only drink for me

Sometimes I like chocolate milk
Or spicy hot V-8
But Pepsi comes first
All those other drinks can wait

Sleepydog is highly energized and practices good oral hygiene. He grabs life by the ears and punts it in the crotch. His tastes fluctuate between the radical and the debonair. His mustache taunts me and begs to be stroked.

Jane
oh my dad, I love her so much I can hardly stand it!!!

This was Jane's best shot. She's drinking her favorite: tall water with extra water, non-fat, no whip, extra cold.

Madge said that on the first attempt, Jane "pulled a diva moment on me and refused to be photographed drinking anything." But on the second attempt, total compliance.

I think Jane's choice of beverage and mug show that she is indeed a diva. She was born to reign our hearts with her seemingly innocent charms. Underneath that purr is an uncannily wise being.

Madge

oh my dad, I love her so much I can hardly stand it!!!

Drinking peppermint tea.

Madge's choice shows us her vigorous, strong-willed nature. At the same time, she has an enormous capacity for love. Her towel jauntily informs us of its ability to snap at our rears if we misbehave.

Lee Ann

My first sip of my drink in the morning .... a hot cup of Maxwell House, a little creamer and Splenda. It is not what I would be drinking if I had a choice. That would be a Starbucks Caramel Macchiato, but this is the coffee we have at work and it's free!

Lee Ann shows us that she is a survivor. She waits for the splurges of life, knowing that the waiting makes the prize all the sweeter. Also, she is a chemist at heart.

Bill

OK ... so here are two because I believe in options. First, the groggy, dishevelled yet honest portrayal of morning and coffee in my world.

... and then there's the mise en scène shot.

Bill's portrayal shows us that, like most of us, he really has two sides: the posed, calculated window-dressing, and the undisguised, lived-in back rooms that only the closest can see. Thank you for showing us both, for you tell a deeper and more beautiful story than you intend.

Freewheel

It was really hard finding someone to take my picture. Here I am enjoying Caribou’s dark roast of the day.

By sending in this [possibly] posed shot, Freewheel is telling the world that he is a man in motion. Growing up, he didn't see the writing on the wall. Passing by, moving straight ahead he knew it all. But maybe sometime if he feels the pain, he'll find he's all alone, everything has changed. But play the game! You know you can't quit until it's won! Soldier on! Only you can do what must be done! You know in some way, you're a lot like me. You're just a prisoner, and you're trying to break free.

Brian

Nothing too exciting, and a shameless commercial for Fourbucks.

Brian is under the employ of the coffee behemoth. But I jest! Look at that wonderful coat. You just know that this man is who coffee-on-the-go was designed for. He is going someplace important, to do big things. I think Brian's tongue-in-cheek comment tells us that, despite his ultra-professional appearance, he doesn't take himself too seriously.

Osbasso

[I] am not a morning person. I was fortunate enough to not get sucked into the coffee routine. I think my parents equated it with cigarettes -- just don't start. So I didn't. I have no desire to start, nor do I salivate while passing a Starbucks. But I do need my morning caffeine, so I get that from a 20 oz Diet Coke (usually w/lime). In general, I've had at least one by 8:30-9:00 in the morning. Doesn't help my morning look, but I'm usually just surfing from my laptop, long before the morning shower.

This is a favorite shot of mine, because Osbasso makes no excuses for who he is. I admire that. Osbasso's choice of beverage reveals that he likes to get a good buzz on, albeit safely. Osbasso is semi-law-abiding. He tries to look at the brighter side of most things. His mood needs a boost now and then.

Jamwall

You and I are lovely happy shiny people who happen to bathe in ketchup ... it's like a vinegary-tomatoey explosion of sexiness.

Jamwall is referring, of course, to our mutual love of condiments, an unholy bond that ties us together, probably for life. I think his choice shows that he is depraved, yet a copycat. He also guzzles olive oil in the late evenings, which probably explains the need for a zesty system clean-out in the mornings.

In truth, I believe this picture is perfect for showing Jamwall's legendary sense of humor, and the little bit of sickness that lies beneath his jovial exterior. He will always take an idea, expand on it, put a bizarre twist on it, and push it to the very edge. He is frighteningly silly, my muse, my long-lost soultwin, and an ally in this painful world. I crave him.

Thus ends our documentary. Do you feel that my assessment of these characters was spot-on, or off the mark? Please feel free to share your own insights as you comment, or link to an uploaded photo of yourself cupping something, to add to our study. Thank you for participating everyone, and bottoms up!