I left the coffee machine on today

"You'll be the stinky coffee person." That's what one of my friends told me when I mentioned that I wanted to start drinking coffee. How can you hear something like that and not have second thoughts about becoming a coffee drinker?

I didn't linger on the thought for too long. I am a coffee drinker- albeit, I'm holding steady at one cup a day. AND, I might say that I'm becoming quite the barista. My MooMoo even said that I was the best coffee maker in the family. If that's not a glowing endorsement I don't know what is. We talking about an accolade from a lady who drinks fully leaded coffee before naps and bedtime.

Here's what I've been doing lately:

• I go to Sprouts and first and always take a sample from the coffee bar. You know a little teaser to get the coffee juices going.
• I decide if I'm going for dark, medium or flavored blends.
• I'll then take my little coffee bag and mix a few of the different beans together to make my own customized coffee flavors. A little tip: I always work in about 1/4 cup of espresso into the blend. Nothing like a little wake me up.

Give it a go and let me know how it works out. Just don't be like me and get half way to the office and forget if you turned the coffee maker off. I hope it has one of those fancy little automatic turn off buttons...