I like to jot little notes in my phone when I have thoughts that I can't pen down here right away. Then I forget about them :p Sometimes, I discover them - n months or years later.. The latest discovery was that I was trying to wean off my daily coffee when the circuit breaker hit in 2020.
I started with 3-in-1 coffee as a kid. Think I was only in primary school. Back then, my elders didn't know the effect of caffeine on children... Heck, I even had a sip of beer, probably around 5yo! Anyway, caffeine didn't - and still doesn't - affect my sleep.
It was an on-off thing. I didn't drink it regularly coz Mother used to make afternoon tea like fried glutinous rice cake, red/green bean soup and tau suan. Or there would be bread and biscuits for this growing girl.
Coffee was a more social thing in early adulthood. Still remember those long chats at TCC with Kel et al. Later, it became a pick-me-up - gotta love those afternoons in 2007-2008 when a Java chip frap and a muffin beckoned at 4 pm... But these were not a frequent thing.
I remember I had heart palpitations when I first started taking coffee more frequently, but still not daily, back in 2013 or 2014, when I found my work too boring and couldn't survive without some stimulant. This habit continued even when I moved on a more interesting job. That eventually became a daily habit. By then it was just 2-in-1, no added sugar.
But my tummy wasn't pleased. I didn't know why until big boss said maybe it was coffee. Hmmm... Maybe that was why I was trying to reduce coffee intake in 2000.
Anyway, not successful. But I turned to instant coffee with fresh milk instead of 2-in-1 since the former was equally convenient at home. Until now, I take two cups every day. If I really crave sugar, I'll have a 3-in-1 - still have some left as I usually pack a few for AirBnB at Legoland :p
I'm glad caffeine has no effect on my sleep. If I want or if I have a cold, it's nice to have a hot cup of coffee with ginger powder after showering in the evening :) Though nowadays, I also have tea in the evening if I want something hot.
I used to drink black tea quite a bit in the office in my mid 20s. One packet brewed n times with hot water from the dispenser until the taste was so mild, haha! It's more to keep myself warm in the cold office. But you know tea can be quite siap...
So I prefer bubble tea :p But not healthy! Thanks to Yu, I had quite a bit while pregnant with him; couldn't drink water... Later when we stayed in Bukit Panjang, we bought bubble tea every Saturday. Sito and I usually shared a large cup. But sometimes we had one each. So good. So unhealthy. Somehow this habit stopped when we moved to Holland. And strangely, we didn't miss it!
Chocolate is another food with caffeine, especially dark chocolate. We always have dark chocolate almond at home, a habit that started in the past couple of years. Nice to have that as a sweet at night sometimes.
But both coffee and chocolate saw an increase in prices in the past year, especially chocolate! These days, I use quite a bit of chocolate for baking so it's quite a pinch in the pocket. It's probably still cheaper than baked goods outside. Cakes etc are so expensive these days! Lucky I can bake!
While I don't have a lot of options for chocolate coz I want real dark chocolate, I have more for coffee. When I couldn't find cheap Nescafe instant coffee at the value shop at Clementi, I found Sheng Siong house brand - similar taste. Fairprice also has its house brand but I didn't like it when I tried it some time ago. Anyway, now the prices have come down a bit again. Just wait for promotions at the supermarket...
Yang and Yu drink hot milo for breakfast on school days. Prices are also creeping but I could get cheaper packets at the value shop. No difference in taste, or they couldn't tell?
The one common caffeine thing I haven't tried - and probably never will? - is Red Bull. I remember BH drinking that in uni. And related is this scary sounding 5-hour energy shots thingy we heard of in Evanston. Sito also didn't dare to try, haha!
Anyway, it's time for my afternoon cuppa. Will have a 3-in-1 today!
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