A world without coffee would be a nightmare from which we could never wake. Seriously I can’t wake up without coffee. I’ve ingested roughly 24 ounces of the stuff while working on this very article. And let me tell you something, I’m not alone here. 

Productivity in this country would plummet if it weren’t for the mass amount of caffeine running through the national bloodstream. But don’t mistake our obsession with coffee to simply be about the pick me up it gives us. Coffee attacks all of our senses differently. The tastes and smells are obvious, but there’s also the sound of it dripping into the pot which gives me a Pavlovian response. There’s that cozy feeling that takes over your entire being as you take that first sip on a cold winter’s morning. And I can’t be the only one who can get lost staring into the textured blackness filling my mug as I contemplate the meaningless of existence. 

Oh, damn. Things got real there for a second. Sorry about that. Let’s get back on topic…

Coffee rules. It helps propel us through our day, it gives us a reason to gather, it’s an excuse to duck out of the office and bitch about your boss. Coffee is a way of life. 

Today is National Cappuccino Day, so we’re honoring all you coffee addicts with a gallery of tattoos. Cappuccino (an Italian preparation involving espresso, milk and foam) has only been around since the 1930s, much to this writer’s surprise. The name comes from the vestments worn by an order of monks located near Vienna, the Capuchin order. It must be nice to be able to sip away without worrying about ruining your clothes with an errant drop.

Probably our favorite thing about cappuccino is the way that you can draw in the foam. I like to use my finger and doodle around a little bit as it cools down, but my designs are strictly amateur hour compared to these amazing works of art. You almost don’t want to drink the cappuccino. Almost. 

Grab a cup, take a sip and take a gander at these tattoos paying tribute to the world’s most important bean—COFFEE!