Expertise

          I had my first coffee drink today - a cold press toddy (cold-brewed coffee, a little vanilla, milk, and half&half, poured over ice). It's tasty, and not heavily sugared or syruped. Real coffee! Sort of. Whatever. I'm proud of myself.
          I start work on Tuesday at the hospital (there's a small branch of the coffeeshop there, which I didn't know existed until I was hired), working the register. Heck yes. I'm really excited.
          I'm okay with drinking coffee - I want to develop a palate for it, be able to discern different types, learn my way through drip coffees and be able to pull a really great shot of espresso. I just don't want to get dependent on the caffeine like so many of my friends are. I like being able to wake up and function in the morning without coffee. I like just needing a shower to feel ready to tackle the day.
          But I am excited to learn about coffee. I already appreciate it as a craft. And tea. Tea is equally alluring. It'll be good to get to know the process of how they get from tree to tongue. The science behind it. I love the coffeeshop experience - now I want to get passionate about the coffee. I wanna gain expertise and savvy. Know-how. It's a culture that's a bit elitist, sure, but tell me one that wasn't. I'm okay with a lifestyle that tends toward individuality and tree hugging and community and fair trade and an appreciation of craftsmanship (we're talking about independent coffeeshops here ... I don't suppose corporate chains really fit this description).
          I'm going to be working at Brewed. I keep forgetting this and then remembering it and then getting excited all over again.
          Oh, man. I've come over all shaky - hello, caffeine.



(Something else for which I'm highly excited: seeing The Dark Knight tonight.   !!!)