Saturday, November 29, 2008

Saturday, November 8, 2008

History

Everyday is history tomorrow.

Profound eh? I know sometimes I outdo myself.

But how often do we think that every action we take becomes part of history? We don't because rarely does an event so historic come around that we actually think that something that we are apart of could have profound historic impact for the future humans that inhabit this planet. When I go to work I am not thinking that the first latte I steam or the next cup of House Blend I pour is going to effect something great. But with the election this past week I have really taken stock the historic events that have come about around me as I've grown as a human being. Some are only historic for me and others are historic for the whole world. Or at least I hope they will be.

What has changed so much in the past few days? Obama. That is what has changed. Obamania to be exact. He has done something so rare that I can't help but be caught up in it. He has brought hope to a world where I see very little of it. People, especially our sisters and brothers down in the states, have hopet that change is possible, the the Puritian resignation to ones fate isnt neccessarily neccesary. We can dare to hope.

Obama has done something very profound and he hasn't even been sworn in as president yet. He has managed to create an atmosphere of 'we' rather then I. His speeches are not about what he can do for you or what you can do for him but rather what we can do for us. And while is focal point will be on the American nation I think we can all take a lesson from him and stop focusing on the I.

I hear so many people complain, whine even, about why they don't participate in the political process and everyone one of their complaints involve the 'I'. Is Obama going to make us think in the us mentality...no, because noone can make anyone think outside themselves. But what i think he will do, what i hope he will accomplish, is to create the beginings of an environment that allow people to grow into the 'us'.

I don't expect him wave a magic want and fix the ills that are permeating the American society, but for the first time EVER I am finding myself jealous of them. Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe its all lies and snake-oil. But I am an optimist - I have to be. I cannot live in a world where their is no growth. Stagnancy is almost as horrible as retrograding and I cannot exist in a world that doesn't have at least i tiny speck of Hope. And I am finding myself hoping, that the first black president of a nation which has global influence can affect a positive movement into the future.

Hope against the odds that the tide is turning and we can leap forward to a future for an 'us' and not an 'I'

Friday, November 7, 2008

Customer #1

No this is not about the number one customer. In an effort to more consistantly blog I am going to try for the next two weeks to write about one customer from my day at work, they may not be the worst or the best of the hoards of people I serve coffee but they will be the most memorable.

So Customer #1 = 200° soy lady

This customer comes in on a fairly regular basis and orders a steaming hot cup of hot chocolate. All is well and good except that hot chocolate is made with Soy (my milk substitute nemesis) and that steaming ' is too a temperature of 200° F which roughly translates into 93.3°C; just 7 or so degrees below the boiling point which definitely scalds the soy. How do I know this - I can smell it. Anyways the other thing that makes this lady so memorable is the fact that I never steam her Soy to 200°F. WCB