I decided to drink a can of Pepsi tonight. It was a free can, provided to me by my school several days ago when on the way out of a buffet, I realized I would probably be needing caffeine some time in the following few days. Tonight I decided to give in. There's a party being held at my house this evening, and I'm at the library trying to focus on my paper until 2AM to let them settle down. I think I'd rather be sleeping, but might as well be productive, right?
So anyhow, this is my first intentional consumption of caffeine in a while now. I'm not opposed to drinking caffeinated beverages, I just tend to avoid substances that alter my brain chemistry or substances on which you can become dependent. And I have my water bottle with me nearly everywhere I go anyhow (and water is free to order in the U.S., too - hooray for frugal graduate studentship).
It's interesting to experience pop (or soda if you prefer) for the first time in perhaps a year or more. I've noted in the past how the caffeine effect is amplified when it has been absent from your system, but the fizzy feeling in your mouth is also amplified. I am also unimpressed with the taste, and wonder why this is such a popular beverage when it is so boring. Looking closely at the bright blue can, I see hot air balloons, trees, and many many recycling symbols. It seems I've chosen the perfect time to try Pepsi as their can design currently echoes some of my values. The flowers lining the bottom of the can are actually stems tacked on to recycling symbols as well. They're really into recycling! Apparently they are a sponsor of the Keep America Beautiful. Good for them. I don't think they'll have a problem with getting people to recycle the can itself here, since they're worth 10 cents. In fact, I often see the jobless or homeless digging through trash eager to find the lazy college student's hastily discarded "trash." But it promotes awareness in other ways.
The fizz takes its revenge and I begin to burp.
Thinking back to elementary school, I recall that I would often barely break the seal and literally suck the pop out of my pop cans. It was especially fun to shake it up and have only a little come out the top for me to lick off.
I remember that while it wasn't a huge deal, my parents began by not allowing me to drink pop very often (just as we rarely ordered pizza, and didn't have cable, and bedtime was at 9PM). But on all of these accounts, they eased up by the end of elementary school. I wonder if my brother and sister had the same experience? And I wonder if my parents conditioned me successfully to not desire cartoons and caffeine, or if it is just the way I am that I do not want them.
Ah, the memories in just a single can.
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1 comment:
I think it's kind of funny how, after getting used to the more subtle flavor of tea, soda (IT'S SODA! NOT POP! SODA!) comes off as almost being an assault on my taste buds. It's as if Metallica broke into a chamber music performance and started playing. Except that would actually be kind of cool.
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