Good to the last...gallon.

[Life isn’t black and white. As much as we wish we simply loved or hated things, there is often that whole annoying gray area in the middle. Like how we love American Apparel basics, but aren't so sure about the gold lame... Or how we love staying on campus all summer, but just aren't so sure we wanna be in the classroom. Damn you, gray area; you make decision-making that much more complicated!]

“One venti double chocolate chip skinny white mocha frappuccino with a single shot of espresso, half whip, skim milk, sugar-free caramel syrup, shaken not stirred.”

Does that sound like you? I, like so many people I know, can’t function without a big mug of Joe in the morning (and one in the afternoon). My eyes won’t even open until the heavenly scent of coffee hits my olfactory glands. Yes, I even grab one on the way to the gym. It’s not my fault – I’ve been conditioned by our go, go, go and caffeine-obsessed culture. But I wonder: is that (extra large) cup of energy-charged caffeine really good for me?

Love It
I admit it: I’m a caffeine addict. Coffee, tea, diet soda, you name it, I drink it. I have many reasons for my addiction, reasons I use to combat the imaginary little guy on my shoulder that tells me all this caffeine is not all that good for me:

Coffee reduces the risk of disease, improves your performance, and even has a few antioxidants in those heavenly beans. Tea has even more health benefits: it fights cancer, lowers cholesterol, strengthens your immune system, and has an amazing amount of EGCG. Some scientists even believe green tea can speed up weight loss. And when you need a fiz fix, there’s nothing like a can of ice-cold Diet Coke. And what about those late-nighters that seem like a college requirement at times? It’s why I currently have 3 cans of Red Bull in my fridge (originally a pack of 4). I mean, I always drink at least 8 cups of water to keep my body happy, but sometimes water just doesn’t cut it.  It doesn’t wake you up like coffee does, doesn’t provide as many health benefits as tea, and isn’t as fun to drink in a little cafe with your friends while you catch up on the weekend’s happenings. So be quiet, imaginary little anti-caffeine man and let me enjoy my caffeine in peace. Read More »

In my never-ending quest to find the best way to retain energy (without doing illegal things) I have stumbled across possibly the most addictive thing ever: caffeinated lip balm.

Invented by “an Alaskan Police Officer, who need[ed] both quality lip balm for the cold and the ability to stay awake during long shifts”, Spazzstick has just recently hit the Internet market.

Simply explaining that the caffeine “absorbs directly into your lips as you use it”, the makers of Spazzstick provide no other information on the website as to how this lip balm—which comes in vanilla, chocolate, mint, and orange flavors—is actually made.

I’m sure you could email them and ask, but I’m perfectly happy to a buy a few sticks of this new product, sans inquiries. I don’t want to know what it’s made of. I just want it’s sweet caffeine to seep directly into my body.

Until they invent a direct IV drip of the stuff into the bloodstream, caffeinated lip balm is my newest quick fix.

I’ll let you know if it works…and if mixing it with Red Bull sends me to the hospital.