If you live in America today, you've probably noticed that coffee has somehow invaded almost every part of our culture. Hospitals, book stores, malls, ad almost every place you can imagine offers at least a kiosk that peddles gourmet coffees to those who happen to be in the vicinity. The smell of coffee reaches out and grabs your from candle shops, malls, and department stores as coffee houses, coffee shops, and coffee stands are becoming more common than McDonald's.

Is it really that surprising that coffee; next to oil is one of the most traded commodities in the world today? Coffee, for the owners, is essentially liquid gold and coffee shops and houses are laughing all the way to the bank. We're not stopping however at drinking coffee. If you aren't aware, there is coffee flavored ice cream, chocolate, milk shakes, cookies, pies, cakes, and other candies. I've even seen coffee flavored hard candy. It's no wonder that the coffee makers are raking in the dough; they are selling it to everyone.

Because of the recent coffee craze and the impact that it is having around the world, you can even find candles in coffee scents, with coffee beans, and having a little bit of both. I wouldn't be surprised if you don't soon see coffee scented air fresheners and carpet powders. Seriously though, when did coffee go from being a drink to help you get out of bed (remember the commercials from the eighties) to a drink that people enjoy at all hours of the day and night. If there's any doubt about the nighttime coffee drinks, check out your local bar menu. I bet they have a few very nice nighttime coffee drinks.

We meet for coffee rather than drinks these days because there's no fear of driving under the effects of caffeine. We sit all night in bookstores reading excerpts, discussing this and that, all the while drinking coffee and eating biscotti. Coffee has become the drink of choice for people all across the country. When I was a kid, coffee was a grown up drink, now teens are becoming as addicted to coffee as the rest of the working class are. The difference is they can afford the good stuff because they don't have real bills yet.

We find coffee to provide warmth and comfort in the wintertime while drinking iced or frozen coffee in order to stay cool during the summer heat. We have moved coffee from a second-class citizen in America to prime citizen number one. While you're watching the many people around you enjoy a cup of coffee, it might pay to remember that you might be running out so it's probably a good idea to pick some up for yourself on your way home, just in case.

Then you can go home, drink your coffee and wonder what on earth Dennis Leary was thinking when he went into his rant about coffee flavored coffee. There's nothing on earth quite like this iced jamocha latte well maybe a few things, but I can't think of one right off the top of my head. Ask me again when I've finished my cup.