Caffeine buzzed, that is.
The fine art of becoming caffeinated is a fickle, delicate undertaking. Too much? Jitters and a yucky stomach arise. Too little? I’ve never actually experienced too little caffeine, because I’ll drink coffee til I’ve had way too much. When I’m serving, I marvel at the folk who daintily place their hands over their mugs with a demure smile and a small head shake when I come by to refill their coffee. What do you mean you don’t want more? When I sit down at a restaurant and the server keeps pouring me coffee (my personal gauge of good service–I don’t want to see the bottom of my mug, thankyouverymuch.) I will keep drinking it. I will keep drinking it til I’m a mess.
I don’t know what that says about me.
Luckily, this doesn’t happen too often these days. Whether I’m at a restaurant or at work, I’ll have a cup of regular and switch to decaf (which isn’t really the same, but eh). When I”m not working or brunching, I forego the caffeine completely and either do rooibos chai ooooorrr:

Puerh!

It’s pronounced “poo-air,” and it’s a type of fermented, aged black tea that comes from China. Puerh helps with digestion, can aid in weight loss, and has lots of antioxidants. It usually comes in blocks and has an earthy taste, but I’m consuming a bastardized American version that comes in chocolate, ginger, and jasmine flavors.

There is a bit of caffeine in this, about as much as a cup of regular black tea, but I feel strangely energized and ready to take on the day after a cup of puerh. I’ve been preparing it with a bit of rice milk, a few drops of stevia, and I enjoy it with a square of dark chocolate. Yeah.