I think my first encounter with Diet Coke was watching my girlfriend (now wife) drink more Diet Coke than I thought was possible. When I’d come to visit, there would be Diet Coke cans (half-empty) all around the house, her car, etc. I wasn’t sure what I was getting into.
Then I found out this wasn’t just the habit of my girlfriend-now-wife. One of my professors/advisor at Princeton, Kenda Creasy Dean, started bringing Diet Coke cans to class in the morning. And she’d always have one when I stopped by her house. She said she’d leave half-empty cans all over her home as well. She readily acknowledged a love/’addiction’ to Diet Coke.
And then it began to manifest itself in my own life. I’d find myself drinking Diet Coke in the morning - a couple a day. I couldn’t believe what was happening.
And then I come to work at SBL, and found out that everyone was addicted to Diet Coke. Sometimes it was normal Diet Coke, sometimes lime. In fact, one guy always keeps 3 Diet Coke Limes in the fridge at all times - he brings more from home and rotates them through.
AND THEN there was the one time that one of my co-workers came in to talk with me about something, and after he left, I realized my Diet Coke was gone. He had mistakingly taken mine. We laughed for quite awhile about that (and about a phrase he once used: "like lipstick on a chicken…").
So clearly this "Diet Coke"-addiction is widespread. And watch out for those Diet Cokers - don’t even THINK about giving them a regular Coke. **MAYBE** a Coke Zero, but even that is stretching it.
So, for those of you who work in an office setting, what is YOUR drink of choice? Is Diet Coke just an Atlanta thing, or is it even more widespread?
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Your wife did the same thing when she lived in the Northeast. I don’t think it’s an Atlanta thing. Lots of the younger staff in my building walk in drinking a Diet Coke–no coffee fix for them in the morning.
Don’t worry, Adam, you’re still ok. Once you’re craving fountain diet cokes (and have a rating system for various fast food places established), then maybe you have a problem. Some places to start… MacDonalds is #1 by far, and then Sonic. Chick-Fil-A’s DC is usually caffiene-free… beware. And never, ever go to Bojangles and expect to receive DC. They only carry Pepsi products…
It is not limited to the south, that is for sure. I think 5 or 6 in my office are die-hard Diet Cokers…like 5-6 a day easy. Note for any retail food sellers - do not run out of diet coke. I worked a school coffee shop job once and one day we ran out of diet coke. I have never seen so many frustrated people, including my boss and two co-workers.
On January 1, 2006, I drank my last Diet Coke. I kicked an 8-year, 2-liter per day addiction to the soda and all other soft drinks in general. Since then, I can taste food! O’Charley’s food tastes much better. Taco Bell doesn’t taste as good. I recommend quitting!
My office has a stocked fridge. I would say that bottled water is the drink of choice, but Diet Coke and Fresca are probably tied for second.
I’d never really thought about it, but I think you’re on to something here. My first day as an intern at Woodland Presbyterian in Philadelphia I learned that everyone drinks Diet Coke, it’s all they have in the fridge, and I was immediately offered one when I arrived.
I find myself drinking water and… diet coke. And fraps.
Our office at River Valley Church is addicted to Frappucinos, Double Shots, Red bull, and diet coke, in that order. Sometimes I wonder what would kill our pastoral staff more - losing caffeine, or the annointing! Just kidding. Kind of.
rivervalleychurch.org
Not alley.
Coffee.
diet coke is gross…unless you like drinking things that taste like acid. i’m a pepsi girl. but as for my office, they drink entirely too much coffee. there seems to be an endless fountain of it and they each drink probably 10 cups throughout the day, if not more. however, i haven’t really jumped on the bandwagon yet. i mostly drink water at work. going to the water cooler gives me an excuse to get up from my desk.
I knew I liked Sarah. :)