9 posts tagged “coffee”

i've been home a week from my six-day adventure in new york city. there, in a way, i learned how to be a better person and a better friend.

we did some touristy things, but my favourite moments were in cafes, some were in the morning, or afternoon, evening, or early, early morning. the early morning (1-4am) cafe moments were the most memorable, absurd, hilarious and/or exciting.

i left with the resounding feeling i must return. ideally, in the summertime. i have no phobia of travelling in the winter asexemplified in how i have spent my februaries two years in a row, but obviously summer would be a bit easier/enjoyable.

my favourite neighbourhoods were greenwich village, soho, chelsea & williamsburg, brooklyn. my favourite things to consume were cupcakes, bagels, pretzels, pizza and coffee.

i was surprised and delighted by the diversity of street vendors (falafel! pistachios? pretzels! bagels!) and subway performers (r&b family singers! pianos!). i was distraught and disturbed by the lack of "homeless" folks and the fact that i did not see one woman wearing a hijab.

je t'aime!

today, while i entered jet fuel, my favourite coffee shop, the owner said "let me hold the door for you, soy mocha queen!". i smiled so hard & said "you got it!"... and then when i ordered, the barista said, "soy mocha?"

it just made me so happy.

i worked on my social work paper there for two and a half hours, then went home and folded laundry and drank orange juice.

i effing hate folding laundry. hate hate hate. it is really difficult for me to handle. i need to take breaks because i get so frustrated. i no longer fold underwear or pajamas because i find that useless.

also, i've been listening to air's album talkie walkie soo much.
I LOVE IT! especially venus & cherry blossom girl.
really into air-ish/caribou-ish stuff right now.

i LOVE my placement and am excited about how i can make it my own-- there is so much room for initiative. i freaking loveeeeee housing work and want to stay in it for a long time.

WE HAVE MICE IN OUR HOUSE AND I HATE THEM and their droppings.

my room is clean. this is exceptional and i am very proud of myself. mostly brought on my the fear of  mice and them hiding in my piles of clothes.
i have been doing a lot of domestic things this weekend, that i have been neglecting lately. i cleaned the washroom, my room, vacuumed, did lots of dishes, did laundry and folded it, ........... they are all a very big struggle for me.

 

balzac's in the distillery for a breakfast of one of the best soy lattes ever
followed by a chinese food picnic at cherry beach.

it's very heartwarming to spend time with other ex-baristas, post-starbucks.
it gives me a lot of hope.

& now i have to do homework.
i think i'm going to put on a pot of coffee.

was my last day at starbucks!

my last partner beverage was a double (espresso shot) iced venti soy light ice tazo chai
i threw out my smelly, smelly, smelly work shoes in the garbage there
i squealed when punching out for the last. time.
and hugged and squealed/screamed some more when i left the store with my (soon-to-be ex-barista as well) co-worker
 friend
i wrote everyone a little card
my last drinks made as a barista were a tall non fat no foam latte & a tall no foam latte

it's not that i hated my time there, but it just ain't my calling.

i have a tiny starbucks brochure that is given to new partners that's been taped up in my room for a while, and it says this:

ALONG THE WAY
This may be the place you hang your hat. This may be a stop along the way- to other things, grand ambitions, true callings. Either way, we hope you have fun, make friends and create uplifting experiences that enrich people's daily lives.

i've had this taped up for so long (and usually i do not succumb to starbucks propagandha) because it rings so true. Starbucks was a stop along the way, where I had so much fun & made really important friends and had really important experiences. I believe in the power of a cup of coffee (whereever you might obtain that cup)-- cause it's not just the coffee that has the power(caffeine-wise), it's the experience, the love in it.

i've spent the afternoon reading the amazing adventures of kavalier & clay. i got the book as a gift from a particularly quirky former co-worker of mine, and am enraptured in the story. my particularly undisciplined ways are not allowing me to finish it as quickly as my inner self wants to, though. on my rooftop patio, i could hear the arcade fire playing from the Neighbor Who Plays Music Too Loud, but this time, it was just right. i coupled the book this afternoon with microwaved meatless chicken strips&pickles and a soy mocha to-go from my across-the-street-coffee-shop-haven, jet fuel. i will find it extremely difficult to ever leave this area, if only because of my fondness for the place- even when i get a snobby barista that makes me feel a little less than welcome. now that's loyalty.

august has been the month of no-work; shifts are far and few between and the past couple weekends have been five-day weekends. i don't mind, but i know my future, less-employed self six months from now will.    as the summer wraps up, i find myself dreaming of the upcoming; new classes, a new placement, growing nephews, the overwhelming idea of graduate school applications, getting the travel bug out of me somehow, and maybe, just maybe, a date.

     

so, yesterday at tuesday night potluck, jenna & michelle & i bleached parts of our hair... but mostly, it was my hair. & first the colour alarmed me and i became needy and annoying about how i did not like it, ... but now i do. just my bangs & first layer-ish is bleached.

also.. i'm getting my haircut tomorrow at a hairdressing school.... it's cheap, but it takes a long ass time... so i've booked my day pretty free.

i keep on thinking it is the evening because i opened at starbucks today; i worked 5am-12:45pm. it's a total change from my usual work day at the group home of 11am-7pm, so my brain is a little confused.  today was bittersweet as i realized how much i really do like working at starbucks, but aren't really able to very often.... maybe that's why i like it so much currently. i really don't know what i'm going to do when i don't get a free pound of coffee a week & 30% off frappucino splurges.

tonight i am going to see my friend mike harloff play at sneaky dee's, he's half decent. :)

day two of giving up caffeine:
i'm so exhausted, and it's only 3pm- i got a 8 hour sleep, and all i've done today is go to a housing not war rally & now i'm sitting at school working on an essay.

this sucks.

stay tuned for the next two days: opening at my caffeine-abundant workplace (have to get up at 4:15a).
AHHH!

ok, the whole point of lent is self-sacrifice in order to prepare and reflect on the death&ressurection of Jesus. so i'm going to try to do that. i just need a wee bit of grace.

I read in my Great-Grandmother's bible today: "I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness"* and felt like, yes, I would like to things with little recognition or acceptance if only to be in the presence of my God.
I have no affinity for the King James Version but I do have a great affinity for this bible; I keep it with me nearly every day. It goes travelling with me; bump bump down the street on my side as I ride down Queen Street, hides with me in a oversized chair in a fair trade coffee shop, comes to school with me too. Its pages are gold plated and its leather cover is worn. Her writing shows she was a faithful bible reader.
Ideally I would like a small bible with a version I prefer/understand more fully at first read, but maybe God is teaching me something about longevity, concentration, cherishing what is given to me.

Or maybe I just really like old looking things.

*psalm 84:10

I guess sometimes you just need a mirror held up to you.
How is it that I could be so 'fuzzy' about a decision when such significant things were occurring that were obviously pointing me one way? Too often I let my doubts, fears and selfish wants get in the way of, well, life. I can so easily write off things that are quite possibly things God is calling me into. shh... wanna know a secret? you're one of the first to know,.... i'm going to zambia in july

It's really scary trying to follow Jesus, but I highly recommend it.

I'm back to listening to Regina Spektor. I know what that means, and I don't like it.

I'm too tired to make this post more reflective or elaborate, so goodnight.
Can't wait to start my day tomorrow with a beautiful americano & a gorgeous 5K bike ride! Seriously, I got on my bike today and started giggling. I'm infatuated.

"I do not exist," we faithfully insist
while watching sink the heavy ship of everything we knew
if ever you come near I'll hold up high a mirror
Lord, I could never show you anything as beautiful as you
-messes of men, mewithoutYou