Of all the drugs out there, the one I am most afraid of is caffeine. I worry about becoming so addicted to it that it becomes nearly impossible to live without it. I've been very good at living without it.

I always drink tea (the caffeine in tea isn't so bad) and usually avoid soda.

I've actually never had to drink coffee. In my 30 years, I've probably had a total of eleven cups of coffee, all drunk in times of dire emergencies. I didn't even drink cofee when I needed to pull all nighters in college.

I've been very lucky; I've had jobs and assignments that have never required me to be up before 8am. Don't get me wrong...I've never actually been able to sleep "late". Late for me is 9am.

Now, however, I'm obligated to get up at the god-awful hour of 6am, a vulgar and obscene time. When I open my eyes and see the number "6", I throw my head back into my pillow and let out a little whimper. I truly can't take it. 6 is a minute past 5:59, and no one should ever have to be up a minute after 5:59. When I control the world, I will pass a law that forbids the population from waking up before 7:30. I would be a benevolent dictator.

Anyway, back to reality. Now that I have to get up so early, I have found that I can't manage to get through the day without developing a headache and without wanting to fall to the ground in slumber. I've had coffee twice this week and pushed the envelope by having a double shot of espresso today (you gotta hand it to me...when I go out, I go ALL out). I love the effects coffee has on me, how all of a sudden I perk up and am so much more productive. However, I AM AFRAID OF BECOMING ADDICTED. I really don't want my body to get used to this...I don't want for my daily routine to HAVE TO include a cup of coffee in order for me to actually function.



Any alternatives to this drug? Please don't suggest that I get my caffeine kick from tea. I know it's incredibly healthy, and like I said, I drink tea everyday. But it does NOTHING for me. (I tried to fool my body today with a cup of Earl Grey. It laughed at me).

What'll happen if I get used to coffee and Ramadan comes along? Will I have to spend the month suffering because I got my body addicted to a nasty drug???

Am I doomed?