Althouse: "I do a little thing about the way people shake the sweetener packet."

April 26, 2013

"I do a little thing about the way people shake the sweetener packet."

"You know, like they're all excited. I want to get all the granules down to one end. I love all these rituals."

15 comments:

Methadras said...: I'm that guy with the packet. The reason I do it is because I'm not worried about getting every granule, but rather, i don't want to open the packet and get sweetener everywhere. So I give it a good shake from one end a few times to move all of the granules down to one end, open it up nice and cleanly and dispense.

I loved that little article. I don't know why. I'm not even a coffee drinker, but I loved it. The way Seinfeld described the way he got into it so much later in life it gave a fresh perspective. As I was reading it, my synesthasia kicked into high gear and it was quite euphoric actually. The article gave me this nice, neat, clean feeling of warmth and comfort. Like being wrapped in a papoose. That was the quality of it for me. It was actually invigorating as a fresh cup of coffee would give you, without actually drinking it. That is a very odd sensation now that I verbalize it. It's an article about coffee with a guy who is fairly new to coffee and it's rituals being read by a guy who doesn't drink coffee (myself) and feeling the physicality of the article about coffee as being invigorating like drinking coffee would convey physically. Damn, I love my synesthasia sometimes.; 4/26/13, 7:34 PM
traditionalguy said...: The little rituals done with the hands are interesting, like the cigarette smokers who tapped the pack down to compress the tobacco leaves in the unfiltered days.

Now we have iphone thumbs.; 4/26/13, 8:02 PM
Phil 314 said...: I like to clang my wedding ring against the side of the cup. My kids love to make fun of that.; 4/26/13, 8:13 PM
Sam L. said...: I think I could care less, but I don't have the energy.; 4/26/13, 9:26 PM
Astro said...: Well at least they're not pronouncing it as 'cwoffee'. I hate that.; 4/26/13, 10:51 PM
Methadras said...: Astro said...

Well at least they're not pronouncing it as 'cwoffee'. I hate that.

Ugh, that New York/Boston/East Coast accent is so grating and annoying. It's akin to when I hear them say idear. Makes me want to punch them in the throat.; 4/27/13, 12:18 AM
fivewheels said...: What the heck is a "Cuban packet" of instant coffee? Is it supposed to be Yuban?; 4/27/13, 3:57 AM
Deb said...: As for me, make it hot and black; 4/27/13, 5:11 AM
C R Krieger said...: Once the ground coffee is wet it no longer smells that wonderful coffee smell, so I do tea.

I hold the packets between two fingers and snap them with my index finger, to get the granules down to one end, just as Methadras says, to avoid spreading them all over the place.

The little rituals are important. People develop tics about them. For example, folks in combat. A LONG time ago I was stationed in Thailand and I got up one morning and tried putting the other boot on first. I did it, but at some level I didn't like doing it. Why mess with what is working?

Regards — Cliff; 4/27/13, 6:42 AM
Eric the Fruit Bat said...: Mr. Seinfeld failed to mention that coffee is also good for podagra (gout in the big toe).

That's first-hand (first-toe) experience talking.

His latest project sounds pretty interesting and I wish Mr. Seinfeld every success.

Still, there is much remaining that needs to be said about airplane peanuts, so Mr. Seinfeld needs to work the coffee out of his system and go back home.; 4/27/13, 6:42 AM
Astro said...: Methadras-
Years ago, in Florida, I took my Toyota to the dealer for some warranty repair. Some guy who was a Boston transplant said I needed to talk to the service manager, Bonnie. A little while later she showed up; his name was Barney.; 4/27/13, 7:26 AM
Nichevo said...: Meth, please do not confuse the Boston and New York accents. I know they don't taaaalk right up there, it's not their fault I suppose.; 4/27/13, 7:38 AM
Nichevo said...: And anyway there are several different New York accents. The Brooklyn is not the Queens which is not the Bronx speech pattern. (And Staten Island, fuggedaboudit.)

All, however, are correct when compared to Boston.; 4/27/13, 7:41 AM
Methadras said...: Astro said...

Methadras-
Years ago, in Florida, I took my Toyota to the dealer for some warranty repair. Some guy who was a Boston transplant said I needed to talk to the service manager, Bonnie. A little while later she showed up; his name was Barney.

4/27/13, 7:26 AM
Blogger Nichevo said...

Meth, please do not confuse the Boston and New York accents. I know they don't taaaalk right up there, it's not their fault I suppose.

4/27/13, 7:38 AM
Blogger Nichevo said...

And anyway there are several different New York accents. The Brooklyn is not the Queens which is not the Bronx speech pattern. (And Staten Island, fuggedaboudit.)

All, however, are correct when compared to Boston.

Oh no, I agree that the accents are distinct. I just don't like any of them. They are annoying as hell to listen to.; 4/27/13, 9:29 PM
Methadras said...: Astro said...

Methadras-
Years ago, in Florida, I took my Toyota to the dealer for some warranty repair. Some guy who was a Boston transplant said I needed to talk to the service manager, Bonnie. A little while later she showed up; his name was Barney.

4/27/13, 7:26 AM
Blogger Nichevo said...

Meth, please do not confuse the Boston and New York accents. I know they don't taaaalk right up there, it's not their fault I suppose.

4/27/13, 7:38 AM
Blogger Nichevo said...

And anyway there are several different New York accents. The Brooklyn is not the Queens which is not the Bronx speech pattern. (And Staten Island, fuggedaboudit.)

All, however, are correct when compared to Boston.

Oh no, I agree that the accents are distinct. I just don't like any of them. They are annoying as hell to listen to.; 4/27/13, 9:34 PM