John Bobey is a writer/producer whose work includes The Today Show, Huffington Post, Saturday Night Live, and The Late Show with David Letterman. He recently moved from New York City to Venice Beach and adjusted his wardrobe accordingly, including picking up a pair of the Myles Everyday Short. This is how he puts them to work.

Probably like you, when I finish a workout I like to hydrate. But probably not like you, water is not my beverage of choice—it’s coffee. (Really, I think of all water as pre-coffee…that ambition, access to grounds, and gravity are the only means by which H2O can reach its full potential.) Fortunately, after I finish my beach run, I’m but steps away from a beachside outpost that serves Los Angeles’ hometown brew, Groundwork Coffee. The first sip is nothing short of CPR for my brain.

Does coffee aid in post-workout recovery? Does it help prevent disease and promote heart health? No idea—I did not study science—very did not study it—at a state college, and not a very good one. However, does coffee enable me to make it through another day on this earth? Absolutely. It would be great if there were some consensus on the health benefits of drinking coffee, but until that day comes I’m happy to report the results of a daily experiment I’ve been conducting on my own for the past 35 years. I can say conclusively that life without coffee is not only not worth living, but for me, not possible.  

You know that t-shirt that says “Instant Human, Just Add Coffee”? Well, I don’t own that shirt (as far as you know), but I believe truer words have never been screen printed. My coordination plummets, nouns and verbs don’t get along with each other, and on the worst caffeine deprived days, the voices in my head suddenly grow bodies with Flintstone feet and Popeye arms with which to kick and pound against the inside of my skull. So I avoid that. And after the dry sand has taxed my muscles and the marine layer slowly burns away, I sit with my coffee and let the sun and caffeine replenish, restore, and rejuvenate. Then it’s time to clean up and change from my Myles running shorts for my Myles working shorts. 

John Bobey is a writer living in Los Angeles, and can be reached at johnbobey@gmail.com.