What if your act of kindness is the only one another person experiences today? For several years, I worked as a barista at a coffee shop by the water in downtown Annapolis, MD. We had a lot of regulars every morning, some more awake and happy to be there than others. I did my best…
Category: The Way of Coffee
Deliver Your Gift with a Hug and a Smile
It’s not always about your gift. It’s about how you present it to the world. Many years ago, when I was a technician for a large, corporate coffee company, I sat down with my supervisor to discuss a potential promotion. Another technician already had the position I wanted, but I made the case for why…
It Is All A Matter of Taste
Taste is a process of paring down. For the past twenty plus years, I have worked in and around coffee shops. I have held every position from barista to manager to espresso-machine technician. In all of that time, I have tried nearly every kind of coffee-drink combination a person can imagine. I tried different syrup,…
The Milk Is Already On The Table
Jiu-Jitsu White Belt: “Professor, what should I do if somene has me belly-down in back mount, hooks in, with my arms trapped under my chest, and they begin applying a rear-naked choke?” Professor Pedro Sauer: “Tap and start over. The milk is already on the table.” The above quote is my best recollection of an…
Be The One Thing That Goes Right For Someone Today
There is no downside to doing good work with passion and enthusiasm. In my early 20’s, I did not make a lot of money and I did not need a lot of money. I had no credit card debt, no student loans, no mortgage, and no family to support. I made enough money as a…