What do you imbibe when working on apps?

[greenpointgrad]

Out of the many obsessive rituals I've developed during this long app season (6 months, I'm looking at you), perhaps the most neurotic is my compulsive need to consume some sort of beverage to mitigate the pain of a 5-hour editing-writing-forum-checking session. So far, my triumvirate of libations are 1)seltzer water, 2)coffee, and 3) red wine. Depending on the day of the week, Kombucha may substitute for #3.

Any one else love to consume beverages while working on apps? Share your neurotic ways here.

[ColorlessGreen]

Tea. And I have a tendency to work my way through entire bags of chips without noticing, too. Oops.

[ScreamingHairyArmadillo]

Coffee. Definitely coffee. I have 2-3 cups in the morning, 2 in afternoon, 1 in the evening...needless to say, I've also developed a terrible sleep schedule.

Another neurotic tendency is to check this forum all the time. And if not this one, the "favorite" student emails thread on the Chronicle forums (mostly to dream about how I must be so much better than all of those students and my potential future as a hard-ass professor ).

[greenpointgrad]

Coffee. Definitely coffee. I have 2-3 cups in the morning, 2 in afternoon, 1 in the evening...needless to say, I've also developed a terrible sleep schedule.

Another neurotic tendency is to check this forum all the time. And if not this one, the "favorite" student emails thread on the Chronicle forums (mostly to dream about how I must be so much better than all of those students and my potential future as a hard-ass professor ).

Damn, that's a lot of coffee. I also tend to listen to a lot of classic rock while working on apps. Contemporary stuff doesn't do it for me. Now that's obsessive.

[alexis]

Liking this thread! I wish I could get into coffee for the boost, but I hate it for some reason. I'm on this crappy diet (for medical reasons, long story) where I'm not supposed to have any sugar, caffeine, alcohol, wheat, etc. I do sneak in a glass of wine occasionally, and eat a lot of sugar-free chocolate. Other than that, I drink a lot of water...lame.

Edited December 6, 2009 by alexis

[captiv8ed]

Water. Sometimes with ice, cuz I am wacky like that

[bgk]

Not quite the same .. but when I'm working on writing up a paper I find a glass of wine allows me to focus.

[JerryLandis]

It's freezing here so either coffee or some kind of hot drink with rum and nutmeg in it, closer to bedtime when I can't have the caffeine. That's good imbibing.

[Ziz]

Tea tea tea! I'm too much of a lightweight for wine to help me focus.

[Ziz]

Plus I'm afraid if I drank while doing apps I would hit the 'submit' button in a drunken fit of "let's just get it over with."

[rising_star]

It's freezing here so either coffee or some kind of hot drink with rum and nutmeg in it, closer to bedtime when I can't have the caffeine. That's good imbibing.

Any specific mixers you use to go with the rum and nutmeg? Because that sounds like a delicious idea...

I typically drink water or wine while writing/brainstorming/reading. I drink wine or beer while grading.

[JerryLandis]

Well I used to have this Turkish stuff called salep to mix into the milk, but I ran out of that, so now I just mix together milk (soya), sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon, microwave it for a minute and a half, then add a little vanilla and rum. A tiny bit like eggnog. If I were in the USA I'd buy the soy egg nog they sell around this time and use that!

Hot chocolate and rum also works okay. Not quite as good for some reason, but still achieves the warming effect.

[JerryLandis]

I suppose Kahlua would also be a good addition. But I'm still working on finishing off the rum I bought to use in pumpkin pies.

[workingonit]

Yum to the above.

Depending on the stress level, I usually had water (unstressed), tea (moderately stressed and needed help focusing), or a bloody mary from my favorite English pub (very stressed, wanted the downer effect).

[Roll Right]

It really depends on what's available. I've developed a new mixed drink (new for me anyway). I call it the USSR- mountain dew code red and vodka. Other than that, energy drinks, green tea, or coffee.

I listened to a lot of RATM, especially this semester while writing on postmodernism and marxist philosophies.

[coyabean]

Wish it was a nice cognac, a lambrusco or even a cordial but see earlier post about how much this process costs soooooo it's mostly beer, crown royal bummed from my roommate or plain ol' water.

I also like a nice mug of tea -- cream and sugar.

i was close to eating myself out of all versions of "fit" so i got back on my eating plan but some days its all i can do to not spend my gas money on a bottle of rum and a box of doughnuts.

Edited December 17, 2009 by coyabean

[rogue]

Wine. I also drank so much wine while studying for the GRE that I was tempted to drink a few glasses before I went to the test center, to more closely replicate my study/practice exam conditions.

[zilch]

Wine. I also drank so much wine while studying for the GRE that I was tempted to drink a few glasses before I went to the test center, to more closely replicate my study/practice exam conditions.

theory of drunken recall?

[BCHistory]

theory of drunken recall?

Do you happen to be a fan of Beer Fest?

[coyabean]

Wine. I also drank so much wine while studying for the GRE that I was tempted to drink a few glasses before I went to the test center, to more closely replicate my study/practice exam conditions.

I like the way you think! And drink.

[rogue]

theory of drunken recall?

Exactly. Also see: herd of buffalo theory.

I like the way you think! And drink.

Thank you.

[hubris]

Generally coffee, but some red wine and possibly a stella (or two).

[luar de ouro]

I didn't get to drink this when working on my apps because I'm in China, and western goods are expensive. But...I would've loved to make my weirdly delicious hot chocolate and tequila concoction. For those who are revolted by the idea of it, don't knock it till you try it

A generous splash of tequila in hot chocolate gives it an extra edge as well as a burst of warmth, great for really cold nights.

[rainy_day]

Sometimes I'll drink some wine in the evening, while I work on it. It figure I might trick myself into thinking I'm doing something *fun.* Other than that, I drink a lot of tea.