I'm amending my last blog, it's not only been a rough week at our shop, but a rough month.

This week I was starting a morning shift as barista after a few days off, and I was really looking forward to rocking the shift. (And to fully clarify, when I've been away from the espresso bar for any amount of time I feel as if my world isn't right until I'm able to pull a few shots at the vary least.) We just started to get our morning rush of regulars when I noticed that my steam wand was putting… Continue

Having a rough week (or two) at the shop lately. Everything from power outages, fridge meltdowns, and newbie trainiees repleacing the hoards of darn good employees leaving for school. Good news is I get to do more training (I LOVE sharing the passion,) bad news is my energy is sapped by the other stuff.

Let's see...I don't have a lot of coffee related topics to blog about, but I can talk about what I'm up to.



Lately I've been super busy. I'm in the begining of a school semster where I am taking double the credit hours that I'm used to, still working about 30 hours at the shop (which has come to include the fun open and close split shifts,) still setting aside time to work in the a/v area of my church, and somewhere still finding time to do things like sleep.

At first the new… Continue

Geez...I don't log on for a couple weeks and it seems the barista exchange world fast forwards 2 months. This whole not having a computer thing really isn't helping...



Anyway.



I posted a discussion about the cool experience I had with one of the local newspaper writers in the shop, but just for kicks here is the link for the story they did.… Continue

I recently had my hopes for joining in a barista competition dashed. In talking things over with the owner of the shop I work at, I've come to realize that I will have to either do some major fund-raising/sponsor-begging, or sit out yet another year. And due to the energy that the former will require, I'm leaning towards sitting out.



I'm not happy about giving that up, but with my life going in so many directions at once, I am content to keep my coffee world as calm as possible for… Continue

Lately it seems that I am enjoying being at the shop more, and it's possible that this is because I am not there as much lately. (friends, school, church, etc.)



And it looks like that might be the trend next semester as well seeing as how I finally got a grant to help with school. I'm looking forward to not taking 8-10 years to finish a 2 year degree...now it should only take around 6.

I still haven't figured how this will affect getting ready to compete. Either it will help… Continue

Well today is my day off from the shop, the espresso pulling, the training, the brewing, and all things related. This is my day to catch up on cleaning a messy apartment, running errends, etc, etc. ...and yet I find myself wondering around on bX. I guess once your blood turns brown there isn't much use trying to stay away from coffee.



Lately I've been thinking more about the barista competitions and how I've always wanted to see if I could get anywhere within them. But honestly, I… Continue