Coffee Culture.

I am a coffee-holic. I've worked as a Barista since 2010 and I enjoy every aspect of my time spent with both the customer and the coffee I serve. Coffee is an incredible medium that projects the spirit of an artisan. When made properly, you get to see the warmth of a smile on a customers face and that alone makes the job worth the effort. Even if you aren't a people person, you get to work with an amazing set of tools that allows you to really be involved and you get to use your brain at the workplace. When I began my journey as a Barista I worked with Starbucks and there were a lot of things I enjoyed and a handful of things I think could be improved upon. First off, Starbucks does a wonderful job at marketing. They are a global company and they know their market. Coffee already speaks for itself, but Starbucks really is something unique. Before I worked for Starbucks I hated coffee. I couldn't stand the smell nor the taste. I couldn't understand why people wanted to drink this on a daily basis. On top of getting body sweats, I was lost in a new world. There was a lot I needed to understand about this coffee thing.

Like some Barista's, I got the job out of necessity while I was in college. It was a fun and easy way to make money. With flexible hours and amazing benefits, how could I turn the position down? After about a year and a half of working at Starbucks I began to see why so many people were involved. I wouldn't say that I became addicted, but coffee was officially apart of my daily routine. Jitters and all! It took me a long while to develop a palate. Little did I know at the time, my journey had just begun.

Fast forward to 2015, I had 5 years experience under my belt both at a chain coffee shop and with independent coffee sellers. I became an avid home brewer and after I discovered coffee outside of Starbucks, I felt like I was back where I started before I became a Barista. I remember the first coffee I had that wasn't Starbucks and it changed my life forever. It was 2012 and I discovered this small place across the street from the Starbucks I worked at named Zenzero's (Italian for: Ginger). I remember meeting a co-worker of mine there and I treated him to a $12.00 2 cup French press. I thought it was ridiculous and that there had to be a reason as to why it was so damn expensive. I asked the Barista working at the time why it was $12.00 and she said that, "it was a Geisha", and that the 12oz bag was $200.00. My mind was blown away. I thought, "why the hell would coffee be this expensive". Once it was served and I took my first sip, I found out why. It was as if I was drinking the highest quality black tea, but in fact it was coffee. There were floral notes flowing out of the coffee and it was the first time I drank a cup of coffee without cream or sugar. I was so tempted to buy a bag, but I had no idea how to really prepare coffee like this.

Here is where I began to investigate independent coffee. The next day I tried to drink Starbucks and I just couldn't. All I wanted was another $12.00 French press from Zenzero's. I remember going home that day and Googling coffee shops for hours. I made a list of places to try and each and every one of them had something unique to offer. The floodgates to coffee were open and I discovered an entire culture that I hadn't even known. It was like that mental phenomenon of seeing something for the first time then you just see it everywhere all the time.

I remember feeling increasingly disappointed every time I would clock in for work. I just felt like I was just another worker pressing buttons at a fast food joint. I found out that I didn't have a lot of skills outside of Starbucks. Quite literally I was a small fish in a big pond that I finally realized existed. I continued to work for Starbucks for another 3 years and all I could do is pick out aspects of my job that just weren't up to par with other great places that were successful in a flooded market. Let's face it. There is a Starbucks everywhere. You just type the word coffee into a Google search box and I guarantee you that there is a Starbucks within a 5 mile radius of where you are. Before I left Starbucks, my boss had asked me why I was quitting and...in a nutshell I told him that I felt like I was working at a Walmart but only shopping at Whole Foods. Of course he didn't understand it but my mind was set on a bigger goal than I originally planned.

Now, I work at that coffee shop across the street and I love it. I can tell the difference between a good shot and a bad shot and make adjustments according to the flavors I taste. I create hand-crafted beverages that i'm actually proud of. I'm surrounded by like minded people and I look forward to clocking in every shift. It's 2016 and i'm still a Barista. I know there is still a lot to learn and I look forward to everything I have ahead of me.

Politics. Music. Pop Culture.

As we all know, Donald Trump is the most controversial Presidential Candidate of our time. I'm not really sure what to think of his statements and his retractions. He is a business man at heart and it shows through his debates. He has called out candidates for Trumps contributions towards their campaigns. Regardless of his ridiculousness, he's still popular. A part of me thinks he pays people to stand in the crowd to root for him. I wouldn't be all that surprised if that were the actual case.

A question was posed in our class about rap music being a "good representation" of black/or minority cultures in America. The responses we got varied and the majority seemed to have this understanding of rap music and what they say aren't what we would consider to be "reality", in the sense of it's not to be taken seriously. I'm sure there is a small group of people on earth that derive their life lessons from music, however, when given thought, rap is music, and music doesn't always have the best of messages.

Pop Culture in America has grown since its beginnings and continues to grow as a popular topic of conversation. Topics like Gay Marriage/Marriage Equality, Media, Video Games, Sexism are always hot topics of discussion. In the Pop Culture realm, comedians that speak on the topics such as abortion, domestic violence, and even rap receive an interesting mix of hatred and sympathy towards their cynical attitude. If not able to speak of these topics, how do we get over them?

YALE & MIZZOU

Early November, both the Universities of YALE and The University Of Missouri have taken on a lot of media coverage over the protests that are still continuing. Initially, the protests were over racism and since, have sparked a nation wide outrage. As a response, a professor at Harvard University said, “They may want superficial diversity, because for them diversity is a code word for “more of us”. 

Trigger Warnings are being issued before any given talk which warn students that what they are about to hear or read may invoke a negative emotional response. A lesser known subject that may have an effect on these protests are Speech Codes. According to the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) 54% of public universities and 59% of private universities impose politically correct speech codes.

A question that I had was if these Speech Codes had any sort of reproductions and if so, are these protests in violation of such codes?

"Like A Girl".

In class we were shown a commercial from the company Always. Each participant were put in front of the camera with a grey backdrop. The people who volunteered were mostly women and each person was asked to portray a set of personifications. One being, "run like a girl", another being "throw like a girl".

At first, each person portrayed this very whiney and wimpy way of being. It was apparent that they were all over acting, however it was interesting to see everyone's reaction to be the same. After seeing the repetition of the same character. The commercial made me question, what it means to "act like a girl". Is it really this helpless way of being. Someone to just wait around for a hero? No, I don't think so. Granted, the company Always target audience is women. You could say "it's a women's company".

The second part to this commercial turned the view a 180°. Women were acting courageous and portraying women to be proud of who they were and I can see the appeal for women to not act "like as sissy", whatever that phrase really means.

#CoverTheAthlete

A YouTube compilation post was made to enlighten us of the ridiculousness behind certain broad based questions posed to the player. Most of the questions were about the athletes looks and sexual orientation/preference. The players that were asked these questions directly did brush off these absurd questions with scoffs and chuckles as if the journalists weren't being serious. however and unfortunately, they were serous.

One question posed to Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps went something like this, "Removing your body hair gives you an edge in the pool, what about your sex life"? Michael Phelps chuckled, looked over at his manager, and removed himself from the question. Another question by a journalist to a Seattle Seahawk player; "How has your weight gain effected your mobility"? The player responded by saying, "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know what you're talking about".

Questions like these are absurd and have absolutely nothing to do with the actual game. These seem to be "gossip questions". After viewing this video I stumbled upon another video with the same content, only difference was that someone had put together these same string of questions posed to female athletes. Knowing that these questions are for one: Not original, and secondly: Unprofessional. This makes me question the motive behind these sort of questions. Who wants to know this information and what does it have to do with the athletes profession?

Strange & Vague.

Advertisements make us wish and want the items in the images. To be like those whom take the glamor shots for all to see. Each commercial, billboard, magazine add, and radio plug have an effect on us whether we like it or not. When you watch movies, how many plugs do you see? Are all the cars one brand? Are all the laptops a Mac? Or, are all the cell phones manufactured by Samsung?

How much of your purchases really your own? Chances are that the media influence your decisions way more than you think they do. Take Old Spice for example. Although the commercials are hilarious and some what ridiculous. You purchase the items from a laugh. If you see a heart wrenching advertisement that compels you to buy a puppy. You're being influenced by everything in the ad. The music, the up close shots of fluffy puppies, and everything else. There is a science behind marketing and advertising. Don't be fooled into thinking you can escape so easily.

Hyper-Masculinity!

I am a man and I eat meat! I love violence and I hate the weak! I am superior and I make more money than women! Feel my wrath! If you don't like American Football then you can get out of my face! I don't run, I do CrossFit and I love shooting guns at things!

Listen guys, it's okay, you can cry if you need to. You're more than welcome to bake for your loved ones and you're most certainly aloud to have your man bun. Who said men don't cry? Have you seen the movie UP? I cried like a baby and I had ice cream with me. Don't hate me because you ain't me!

All i'm saying is that our ideal American man in media is so far from the norm and you shouldn't sole base your personal image off of the next Rambo. Do you even lift, bro? Of course I do! I lifted this cupcake directly into my mouth and I don't regret a single bite! Deal with it! I've seen The Notebook and I support gender equality. It's 2015 and both women and men are being objectified! Why? Are you really in support of this? I surely hope you're smarter than that. C'mon ladies and gents! Deal with the real!