"BEAN me up, Scotty!"

Aaahhhh, the espresso machine. It’s the birthplace of all things “atte” and “atto” and “ccino!” Meaning, all drinks starts with that little machine…pulling the perfect shots of espresso to brew up the drinks. I have fought with it already many times…and yes…it won. The milk steamer, particularly…she’s a nasty little beast and all of us have the scars on our fingers and wrists to prove it. Baristas are easy to spot because they suffer the wrath of the milk steamer on a daily basis. Now it’s probably obvious why I like to work the register, ahem. The cash doesn’t bite…nor does it spit hot milk or steam at random moments simply because it’s backed up. There is a little digital screen that explains what is going on with the espresso machine and it lights up randomly- sometimes it says, “Fill Hopper” and that always makes me laugh because 1. It sounds funny and 2. The fact that the coffee bean holder is called a hopper just seems so fitting. There are many stories to come about the espresso machine. I thought I would just give it a little blog love, as I did suffer a nasty hiss from her yesterday when I was watching Charlie clean the machine before we closed for the night. I think the machine knows that I am avoiding it…and it is just waiting for the next opportunity that I venture near so that I can get burned…keep your enemies closer, and I’ve got my eye on her, that’s for sure.

On a different tangent, there’s a phenomenon called Reactance Theory. I haven’t done a ton of research on it, but I saw it used somewhere in a newspaper article and I read up a little on it…and I realized the more I learned about it, there are varying levels of it that I perceive every day in my line of work, especially on days when it’s just me and a barista and the barista is on break and I have more of a opportunity to really get one-on-one time to visit with our guests and how much “brighter” they become simply by receiving their Starbucks fix for the day.
This theory is just a simple, summed up version of “The grass is greener” combined with “forbidden fruit is sweeter” with a dash of “reverse psychology.” Together, the cause and effect of these themes form this Reactance theory. It’s a phenomenon of the brain that implicates people under pressure are more likely to make a decision that they have been told to NOT make, (aka, the reverse psychology, “DON’T you dare clean your room, you better leave that room a MESS!”) but only if under pressure from a source that also the power to entice a consequence. Basically, this theory kind of sounds like something that a lawyer came up to help with the insanity plea for criminals that committed a really stupid crime and needed a major cop-out to explain their actions…

Strangely enough, why this theory has even piqued my interest is because I equate many brain phenomenon to coffee, as it is a mood enhancer or stimulant. I am sure that caffeine has had its day in court (who can forget the McDonald’s case where the lady got burned on her hand! I mean, seriously! Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! She’s gonna sue for hot coffee and I get yelled at every day by people that ARE BEGGING for their milk to be at 180 degrees!)…but I don’t think that we have really tapped into the full use of all that caffeine has to offer. The simple, basic coffee bean is such a concentrated little burst of energy, full of antioxidants and flavor! To sit and enjoy, to SAVOR slowly, the taste and abundant richness of coffee is an art form.

I do not take lightly the ability of a simple cup of coffee (that I drink for free now) to brighten my day. I have become more relaxed, laid-back, comfortable with myself, and downright happy since I took this job. Aside from the personal reasons that I enjoy my work, and enjoy being a shift manager, I attribute the simplicity of a cup of coffee to be something that I look forward to every day. I LIKE sinking into a chair, on my break or a couple minutes before my shift starts, and letting my taste buds soak up the rich, black coffee, sipping it to fully appreciate the complexity of the flavor. It is a great environment…I am so grateful at my dad for encouraging me to stick with this job, even if I thought it might not be what I wanted at first. I couldn’t have made a better decision. Starbucks has been like a small slice of home for me, it feels like a wonderful fit, like an old pair of tennis shoes…but without the stinky tennis shoe smell.

Sometimes, I think we forget to thank God for the things that work the way they are supposed to. Like when our car starts just like it is supposed to…and when our house is air-conditioned just the way it is supposed to be…and when our arms and legs feel good and our head doesn’t ache and our heart beats strong… These are all things that happen every day just like they are supposed to…and I never want to be so busy with other brain phenomenon like “reacting” to the world and all its craziness that I forget to look towards heaven and thank God for the little bitty simple things. For a God that is PHENOMENALLY huge, He calls us to use the simple abilities with which we’ve been blessed to bless others in HUGE ways.

I am striving, every day, to be a BIG BLESSER! Haha. Sounds funny, but I believe that because I am here, at Starbucks, I am supposed to use this forum to change lives. I don’t want to stop until I accomplish that! And lucky for me, the caffeine isn’t running low, so I don’t have to slow down any time soon!!! Fill up that hopper with some coffee beans- it's going to be a LONG ride!!!