He's not the Messiah

Smell the coffee: waking up is hard to do

Admitting defeat. Calling it a day. No longer flogging a dead horse. Just giving up. Sometimes you reach a point when there's really nothing to gain in continuing and I arrived at it this morning. 

Human relationships are a funny old business at the best of times; what some people consider perfectly normal behaviour shocks and appals others. And this morning, while having a shower and musing on the year, I took a decision that, while I may not like it, is definitely going to prove more mentally and emotionally healthy in the long run.

Disappointment turns to anger, which then subsides into mild annoyance and general acceptance. When the last point is reached, you just know it's the right time to move on. It could all have been so very different. No matter. It is what it is and that's that.

Avid readers, should there be any, will be no doubt delighted to learn that I'm not calling time on the calendar. No way. This is one of the only things I can truly rely on and while it's not always the most pleasurable thing to do, like chewing a sore lip it's something I can't help but come back to repeatedly.

So at just after midday on a sunny Saturday afternoon, I'm cracking open a coffee brown ale called, somewhat ridiculously, Mochaccino Messiah. Rather an ostentatious name, especially given the brewery is a Danish one called To Ol. Perhaps they needed to call it something long and complicated to make up for their own rather understated name.

I'm quite tired today too, having spent rather too long hoping for an early wicket in the final test between India and England. I did grab some sleep though, but dreamed a dream that mirrored my life about two months ago so closely it jolted me awake. Hopefully the coffee beans in this beer will have a galvanising effect and give me the kick I need to shrug off the dust.

Beer: To Ol Mochaccino Messiah
Strength: A robust 7%
Colour: Strong black coffee
Smell: The closest I can get is creamed raisins.
Tasting notes: I'm still shaking off that cold I mentioned earlier this week, so my sense of taste is a mite lacking today. That said, this is fantastic. Lovely dried fruit and chocolate opening suddenly supplanted by a stinging rebuke of hoppy sourness and tart tangy flavours of slightly too acidic coffee. This lingers so long you think your tongue's about to start bleeding. It's straight up and down stuff; bit like Tim Bresnan's bowling on the Indian subcontinent. Nice and dependable with the odd surprise thrown in but nothing that's likely to trouble the opposition unduly. Sadly it's not having the wake-up effect I could have done with, but it does seem reassuring nonetheless.
Gut reaction: On last night's curry, I can only pray it's not as harsh as it feels in the mouth.
Session factor: Two in one sitting maximum.
Arbitrary score: 28