I started drinking coffee late in life. Well, late for a Puerto Rican that is. I was making coffee for my mom was I was seven. Yet, somehow my seven year old son can’t even conceive of doing such a thing for me. But I digress.

Yes, I made coffee for my mom at such a young age because she loved coffee and I loved my mom. It was my odd way of showing her my love and just showing off in general. Everyone in my family growing up loved drinking coffee. I loved the smell but hated the taste. I didn’t see the need for it. Even in boarding school when I was pulling all nighters I didn’t drink coffee. It amazes me when I see so many teenagers ordering lattes at Starbucks. Maybe they all watched the Gilmore Girls. I digress some more.

I didn’t start drinking coffee into my last year of my doctorate. I then started drinking fancy coffees. Tons of sugar. Whip cream. Syrups. I no longer tolerate whip cream in my coffees. I still use flavored syrups. Isn’t amazing how there are sugar-free syrups? Skinny lattes are a bit ridiculous. Again, I wander.

Ok. Here is the deal. I don’t like iced coffees. Now that shouldn’t be a problem. The problem is though that people (well, baristas specifically not random street people) try to serve me iced coffee. This has happened to me often in Los Angeles. Last week, the person asked me twice whether I wanted a hot or iced latte. I most definitely said hot and sure enough they prepared an iced coffee and wasted 20 minutes of my time. Why bother asking me if you are just going to give me what you want? This is not a digression.

Why are people such iced-coffee pushers? I don’t care if it is 80 or 85 degrees outside, I still want hot coffee. If it is lukewarm it infuriates me. I need my coffee hot. Burning hot. Yes, I know if I drop it in myself, I’m likely to get burned. I’m not going to sue. So, chill out. This is also not a digression (to a certain extent)

I drink coffee to wake up. Stay awake. Jolt my system. Iced coffee doesn’t get into my bloodstream as quickly and thus loses its power and usefulness to me. Coffee is about functionality to me. Iced coffee does nothing for me. It doesn’t even quench my thirst.

So serve me up some good old hot coffee. And I will be happy, chirper and awake. That’s a good state of being for me