scientific method

Oh, ha ha, you guys. Let me tell you a funny story.

Once upon a time on Saturday morning, I sat down at the kitchen counter to finish my coffee and write up a grocery list. Milk, eggs, bread – one loaf or two? One. There’s a back-up in the freezer. Broccoli, spinach. Apples. Coffee? Nope, I just bought that new bag two weeks ago. And then suddenly, with a sounding of trumpets, Bill Nye the Science Guy came down from the sky in a puff of dry ice fog.

“Two weeks ago?” Bill Nye asked, forgoing any good morning pleasantries.

“Yes, Mr. Science Guy. I was really excited because Sprouts had that Ethiopian coffee that I can never, ever get my hands on.”

“Please, call me Bill. So, you’re telling me, that two weeks ago you switched coffee brands.”

“Yes, and it’s quite tasty. Can I get you a cup?”

“Thank you, no. Two weeks ago. Hmmm,” said Bill Nye, tapping a scientific finger to his temple. “Wasn’t that around the time you developed that wacky eye spasm?”

“What are you getting at, Bill?”

I immediately put down my cup, and gave it the People’s Eyebrow. Could it be? My eye was already beginning to flutter, so Bill and I scheduled our little experiment for the next morning, when I swapped out my luxurious Ethiopian brew for ordinary old Peet’s French Roast and… wait for it… my eye didn’t do jack squat all the livelong day.

I could punch myself in the face.

21 comments to scientific method

  • *snort* Glad you figured it out and that it wasn’t a brain tumor. ;)

    Sorry about the coffee, though.

  • lawyerchik1

    (Sigh!) At least it was that simple. No doctor visits, no medication, no medical bills – just switching coffee…..

  • Melanie D

    Ah… Hindsight is 20-20, right? You could try mixing the two coffees half and half, I guess.

    Glad you do not have anything more serious, though!

  • Glad you finally found the cause of it! Who would have thought, perhaps this brand has more caffeine in it or something (or less)?

    I am like you, very sensitive to small changes and usually pretty unaware when I make them. It’s really helpful considering I get migraines and get one pretty much anytime I change my routine. And by really helpful I mean it’s usually Diz who remembers a change and not me.

  • Barbara E.

    My takeaway: high end consumer products KILL & my love of Folger’s is justified.

    Glad no medical intervention required.

  • Meg

    The “People’s Eyebrow” reference = WIN! While one day does not an experiment make, it seems like you might have finally found the culprit. Maybe go off the lux coffee for a week, see if twitch reappears, and then try a cup of the lux coffee again. If eye twitch comes back, I think you can safely say ‘thanks but I’ll pass’ to the Ethiopian coffee. Which stinks, I know… I love Ethiopian roasts. Glad to hear it’s not something more serious :)

  • Anonymous

    The only thing that changed from Saturday through today was the brand of coffee I drank. And after having the twitch from the very first cup through the last, I don’t think any more information gathering is needed. I will pass on having that twitch for even one day to prove my theory. :)

  • Sarah

    i love Bill Nye!!!!

    i am soo glad he was there to help too!

    *wink *wink (hahahahahahahahahaha)

  • Jessie

    How strange! Glad you figured it out. I wonder if perhaps you should write to the company? Save some others some copays?

  • Vie

    Oh, the joy of food allergies. I’m glad you found the cause, even if it means you have to go back to your regular old cup-a-joe.

  • Kate

    Nice deductive work! And congrats on not being a tweaker ;)

  • Don

    Sounds more like Freddie Kruger than Bill Nye dream. Lay off that whacky tobacky.

  • Annette

    Just found this: “Light roasts have the most caffeine. Similar to regular cooking the longer coffee is roasted, the more caffeine (and other elements, CO2) are cooked out of it. Like performing a “reduction” in cooking. Medium to Dark roasts have more caramelized sugars lending that richer bolder flavor, but they will have invariably less caffeine. This difference in caffeine to most people will be a nelligible one, meaning you won’t necessarily notice that your “french roast” doesn’t wake you up like your light-roasted estate “single-origin” coffee does.”

  • Alyssa (The 41 year-old)

    Also glad it’s not something more serious!

    (I also love Bill Nye. Wish he’d appear in my kitchen!)

    Annette, good info about the roasting process! I would have assumed the opposite. (See?!?!?! I NEED Bill Nye in my kitchen!)

  • CaliGal

    Happy for ya, Fish!

    Even happier that it’s nothing serious. :)

  • Alyce

    I have an ungodly love for Bill Nye the Science Guy. Glad you solved the twitch.

  • Susanne

    On the plus side, at least you don’t have a neurological problem, so yea for that.

    Bill Nye is a swing dancer and comes out in the DC scene occasionally. I’ve not had the pleasure of dancing with him myself, but there’s always a round of excitement when he comes out because swing dancers are a nerdy, nerdy lot.

  • Ashley

    You should probably skip the self-punching. If your luck is anything like mine, it’d start you twitching all over again! :-P

  • Annette

    Alyssa – I would have assumed the same thing. Darker roast = stronger taste and one would assume = higher caffeine. I drink darker roasts and always drink more than other people – maybe this is why?

  • Teresa

    ahhh! good morning… good belly laughs followed by interesting caffiene facts, I love it! Thanks to Heather and Annette!

  • Too funny! A little detective work goes a long way. I guess sometimes variety is not the spice of life.