The Perils of Having a Coffee Shop Office

I have two offices. The first is Bagel Boys cafe, which is a bagel shop but also a coffee house. The second is a Starbucks. Most of the time it's great. They're safe places where folks can come and meet me, they're convenient, they're cheap, and they have free wi-fi so I can work when I'm not meeting new people or talking with whoever. Last night, though, I discovered a major downside to having a 'coffee shop office'.

Caffeine.

Last night at 8 pm at Starbucks I met with a couple about their wedding. Nice folks, had a great time. They offered to get me a drink, which was very kind, so I got a 'Decaf Mint Chocolate Chip Light'. It was a great drink, a great night, and afterwards I went home to relax and unwind. I tried, and I tried, and I just couldn't do either. I went to bed late, around 11, thinking that if I just got in bed I'd fall asleep. After 45 minutes of counting sheep, I suddenly realized what had happened. They didn't put the 'de' in my 'decaf'. I'd been given a full on, caffeinated beverage.

Many of you wouldn't even notice. Most Americans treat caffeine as the sixth (and most important) food group. It's the fuel of the American economy. Take away oil and we'll manage. Take away caffeine and it's "Day of the Dead." But not me. I don't drink too much caffeine, and when I do have a latte or something else that's got a lot of caffeine it tends to juice me up for awhile. It was about 2:30 before I got to sleep last night. Thankfully, God has blessed us with the Internet and stupid computer games to pass the time. Otherwise I would have gone insane staring at the ceiling for hours. Even though shooting aliens was fun, I would have much rather been asleep.

The next time I go to Starbucks at night, I'm getting water. Not 'vitamin water'. Not 'energy water' or any other new clever creations scientists have made from good ol' H20. Just a bottle of plain, ordinary water. Because even though I like where I go to the office, I definitely do not want to take the office home with me. Not like that, anyway.