Friday night and I'm at home reading my work e-mail. Yes, I am that cool, and I couldn't be happier. Sales are up THIRTY-FOUR percent from this week last year. And apparently the blog tour I organized helped Doughnuts reach the top of the chart for confectionary books on Amazon.com!

Self-Espression

I've never felt so uncultured in my life.

I just got back from training at Herkimer Coffee on Phinney Ridge, about eight espressos and two lattes the worse for wear. Is it possible to barf from too much espresso?

My head is spinning from all the detailed information.

Let's start at the beginning. Last week I got a third job working weekends at a coffee shop in my neighborhood. They send everyone to be professionally-trained at Herkimer Coffee - an amazing coffee roaster here in Seattle.

My previous barista jobs have consisted of simple equations: espresso + steamed milk = latte. Espresso + foam = cappuccino. I've never been expected to time shots or hold the espresso cup up to the machine so the espresso doesn't cool off and become bitter in the four inches it drops or taste notes of leather and blackberry in espresso.

The trainer kept pulling shots and giving them to me to taste. "In this one, you should get a smokier profile," he said, searching my face for a reaction. I thought for a second about just frowning a bit and nodding sagely - maybe swirling the cup like I'd seen people do with wine - but ultimately I admitted, "I don't think I have an advanced-enough palate to notice subtle differences yet." I'm getting worse at pretending as I age. Sorry. Espresso tastes like coffee. Besides Starbucks, I don't really notice a difference, (possibly because I add a good 1/4th of half and half).

Despite feeling like an idiot, I really enjoyed the training. I love the minute detail of how many times you should tap the espresso before you tamp it down, how many seconds is ideal to start seeing the "spotting" of espresso coming through the filter... And this was just the first training session. Whew.

Years ago I bookmarked a cute illustration on Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast. It looked something like this:

Little did I know that one day I would be helping promote the artist's work! Sasquatch Books is publishing two adorable board books illustrated by the fabulous Kate Endle. She uses decorative paper glued to stretched canvas to make her collages.

One of the books she's publishing with us is about colors and one is about animals. The animal one, Who Hoo Are You? is my favorite, with characters like "Tipped-over Turtle" "Humpy Bumpy Camel" and "Pretty Prancing Pony." For a while we had some dummies laid out on the table outside my office, and every time pass I'd look at the pictures and go "awwwwww!"

Job Searches and Other Heartaches

I just got back from a second interview for an administrative assistant position at Zeek's Pizza - a Washington chain. My odds are good: 100 applicants > 50 applications read > 8 interviews > 3 second interviews. If I get this position, my ego may just blow up.

It's a happy day. The sun is brilliant, the air is sweet. On the bus, I just ended up with one great song after another on my mp3 player (stuff like THIS and THIS and THIS and THIS). Amazing how music can affect your mood so.

Now I need to get this leftover interview nervousness out and go find some good climbing trees...

I never thought that I would like Seattle this much.


Yesterday I went to a job interview for a coffee shop downtown, and I have another for an administrative assistant next week. I can't believe my luck - on Craigslist no less! Two others (box office for a theatre and preschool teacher - said they might get back to me as well).


The roommates and I are planning a Christmas party...for June 25th. There will be gingerbread men and Christmas clothing, and entertainment... Basically, we just want someone to come over and play music, since Sarah left her piano, guitar, and saxaphone here, and between the three of us they've been very quiet.


The other day I wandered around Fremont, where they have a fantastic troll living under a bridge who collects the toll. It's certainly more interesting than a toll collector. Plus, he eats the cars that can't afford to cross.