11/20/2003 10:06:00 PM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|Today, we moved the coffee shop I work in across town and it will be shut down for the next four days. :-( Before my class tonight, I had to make the unfortunate choice of which one of my competitors shops I would be patronizing. Since a new Hasting's store just opened on Monday, I decided to try the coffee shop inside the store. Apparently, with their coffee shop they are trying something similar to the Barnes & Noble/Starbucks combination. Let me just mention that I think books and coffee are a match made in heaven (if done right). Anywhoo, I walk into the shop and everything is very new and clean and generic looking. I really wasn't impressed, but I had to remind myself that this is a chain store. Okay, I accept. Onto the ordering of coffee! I look at the menu choices and decide to order something easy, a triple shot tall mocha. The kid behind the counter asks me "Triple shot of chocolate?" And I say, "Um. No. Triple shot of espresso." He said, "Okay!" My husband ordered his drink and this eager beaver shuffled off to make the drinks. The espresso machine was hidden behind this huge enclosure, so I couldn't see it at all and don't think that I didn't try! ;-) After about ten minutes, I'm starting to get worried. This kid isn't making any noise. So I holler over the wall, "Everything okay back there?" The kid appears, "Yeah, great. Almost finished." Then it dawned on me.... They had one of the those super automatics. That's why everything was so quiet!! I say to the kid, "You're working on a super automatic, aren't you?" After a quizzical glance, he replies, "Uh, I think so. All I have to do is add syrups and stuff." I really had to bite my tongue at this point. I was, at the very least, wondering what a super automatic could produce. When my coffee came...finally...it had this weird clear plastic dome lid on it that looked like it belonged on a cold drink. I was wondering if I was supposed to conjure the liquid from the hole into my mouth, and instead asked for a straw?? (Now, I have no idea as to individual preferences, but personally, I think drinking coffee out of a straw is beyond wrong. It's sick. To each his own, though!) And that first sip...... EEK! Hideous, disgusting, revolting, what other -ing can I put that's awful here??!! Flat, stale milk, over extracted shots, weak flavor, and all of this through a straw! The horror! (I know, maybe too many exclamation points? Sorry, this girl is emotional about her coffee.) So, it was God awful and I'll never go back- for coffee. For books- hey, they've got some good deals. ;-) Bottom line is this- how can someone stand behind the counter of a coffee shop, not having a clue as to what espresso is, how to build a drink, etc. and, get this, he didn't even know what a Barista is!!! And why would they hire someone like that? It just angers me. Jeez! Surely super automatics (with as much as they cost) can produce quality drinks! I can't imagine that they had been handing out drinks as bad as mine all day long? Isn't there any taste testing done? At least I can cross them off as competitors with myself, which is always a good thing. :-) Sorry, I know this is probably boring the tears out of you. I'd just like to say that I have a passion for what I do and there is no limit to my disdain for others in my position who are total schmucks. Phew. In other news.....my Fish and Wildlife Biology test today didn't go as well as I had hoped. I got an 87, which was my first B in this class. I was disappointed, but that's that. I will simply have to study more for the final and hope for a better success! Stress is building as finals approach as well as project due dates that are looming. I have done a famous job of procrastinating and really need to get on the ball. I have a Book Report in VGC due, two videotaped finals for Sign Language, a Persuasive Speech for Public Speaking, a play to write for theatre, a play critique to write for theatre and the list goes on. Oy! I need to get some sleep so I can play catch up manana. Goodnight. Tao|W|P|106939144886678287|W|P||W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com11/19/2003 04:57:00 PM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|Well, the Anole officially bit the dust yesterday. I didn't see it happen, but when I went to check on Zeke, he was solito. So, there you go. Nature at its finest. Kill or be killed. Eat or be eaten. Still, it was nice to watch them both. My husband says, "Just buy another one," but I think it's cruel so I won't. Did pretty well on my Theatre test this morning, I think. It was open book (my first!) so I don't know how you could go wrong. I have a Fish and Wildlife Biology test manana that I am worried about. I am going to study, study, study when I come back from Sign Language tonight. I am glad the semester's almost over because I am ready to have a fork stuck in me. :-P We're moving the coffee shop I work at across town tomorrow. It will be weird to be in a new location. For the past 5 months, I have been watching them build the new Lowe's across the street and, now, 1 day before they open, we switch locations. We're going to miss a lot of business. That sucks. I'll be glad when the new place gets built and I can start working there. I'm still worried about the equipment the boss is going to buy for the new place. I am so worried that he's going to buy some cheap crap that's going to suck. Right now we have a 2 group automatic "Rio" Espresso machine and 2 Mazzer Super Jolly grinders and I love them. I hate to think of moving from working on them to some cheap crap, so let's hope that doesn't happen!! Well, I've got studying to do and children that need to be murdered. Whoops! Did I say that? Tao|W|P|106928666476350440|W|P||W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com11/17/2003 07:19:00 PM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|Well, this is day 4 of the ongoing Bearded Dragon/Anole experiment. We put two anoles in with the Bearded Dragon. The first one was immediately pounced on (man, you should have seen it!) and the other one ran and hid. So far, this 2nd Anole has been very stealthy. They have the ability to change from multiple shades of brown to green depending on their environment. For the most part, the Anole has been hanging out on a brown branch in the habitat. He stays a dark brown for the most part. However, sometimes he climbs up the side of the habitat and turns green with brown striping to match the backdrop. An interesting this just happened. For some reason, the Anole was bright green sitting on the branch. The Bearded Dragon (Zeke) noticed him and instantaneously, the Anole turned brown as if realizing his bad move. Hmmmm. Well, anyhow, it is nice to watch them. I am starting to gain a real interest in lizards. I can't believe I used to be terrified of them! It was Spike, my horny toad (Texas horned lizard) that turned things around. He made me realize that lizards are pretty damned gentle. Zeke has been super chill since I've had him. Only a few weeks now. I love to watch him do his thing, especially when he's in "hunt" mode with his tail up in the air. It's so funny! Any ways, that's about it. Not completely. I am debating whether to start roasting coffee at home or not. That way my beans would be fresher than buying them at Wal-Mart and I could make my own custom blends. Sounds nice. The big issue is whether to start investing money in coffee roasting or on the GPS system I want. *sigh* Choices, choices. Tao|W|P|106912255769666356|W|P||W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com11/15/2003 12:42:00 PM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|Okay, I was too tired last night to start this thing. I'm sick today but I need to get this over with. Hmm. I'm 26, a college student of Wildlife/Fish Biology, I work as a Barista at a drive-up Coffee Shop, married and have 2 sons. I'd like to add that I am a pretty happy camper. I'm not sure why I started this blog, other than it's a place to put my thoughts. No doubt I'll be the only one reading it. ;-) What else? First and foremost, my family means everything to me. I love camping and other like outdoor recreation. I love the TV show Twin Peaks as well as the creator/director David Lynch's other works. I love coffee and coffee culture. I love to read and to learn. I'm a stranger in a strangeland. Some day, I'll go back to my roots. The grunge era is what I call the "Good 'ol Days." I feel kinda stuck there and have been trying to find my identity since then. *L@me* Any ways...obviously, there is a lot more to me than that. But it's a start. I really don't know how active I can be in this since I am very busy as it is. This may just be a place for me to rant and rave about school, work and family. Not sure...... More to come! Tao |W|P|106892580454826595|W|P||W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com11/14/2003 09:31:00 PM|W|P|taoofcoffee|W|P|Too tired to write tonight. Opening the shop tomorrow...... Tao|W|P|106887070906439308|W|P||W|P|taoofcoffee@gmail.com