I look back on how much diet soda I used to drink and it freaking amazes me...  I know that when you're used to things, you don't feel the impact on your body that much, but I just can't believe how much chemicals I was pouring into myself. 

I haven't had a soda in well over 3 years now and am thrilled about that.  Granted, I was never a fan of rum and coke, so that obviously helps.  Now my choices of beverages are generally water, carbonated water, coconut water and tea.  Obviously wine as well... and thanks to the Trader Joe's next to me that sells wine (somehow I ended up next to one of the very few that do!!), I can indulge that habit cheaply.

But a daily treat is generally tea, which I looooove.  I haven't quite mastered a ginger tea yet, although I'm trying, since it's delicious.  Quick tips for other newbies:  ginger is super flavorful.  You don't need an entire piece of it.  And be careful how you grate the ginger.  One scraped knuckle and the whole pot of tea looks like a massacre.  And guests won't care that it was "only a drop".

So I went with a nice, blood-free cup of Earl Grey this morning.  Since I've been doing iced tea a lot lately, I forgot that the hot tea is, well, hot.  (Duh.)  So apparently I won't be tasting anything else for the rest of the day.