I need to go to sleep considering that I've got work in 10 hours. (It still feels odd considering I've been a "lady of leisure" for so long.) But I screwed up with my schedule request (I thought Labor Day Weekend was Sept 6-8, not Aug 30-Sept 1) and I hope that won't cause problems. Argh.

Today's training class was fun. The funnest part was the coffee-tasting. It's a lot like wine-tasting. We used a french press to brew four different kinds of coffee and then poured them in little cups. You take each cup, smell deeply to describe the aroma ("Umm... it smells like coffee."), then slurp it to figure out what part of the tongue tastes it ("Umm... in the center?"), and then you drink it too describe the taste ("Umm... it tastes like coffee."). But I do have to say, there is a difference. At least between the Starbucks stuff and the stuff out of the can. (I think it was Folgers.) The Starbucks stuff, at least the "bold" coffee, isn't as acidic (i.e. sour) so it's something you could even drink black.

Anyway, to answer your question, Beno, as a barista, I would mostly brew. I think. I haven't been trained to make espresso stuff yet. They actually have a 9-shift new-hire training schedule. I know that the espresso-based cold drink bases are made from a mix, though before they actually brewed the espresso for each batch. It's more complex than I thought, being a barista. Mainly due to all the different drinks and coffees there are. But it beats telemarketing. :) And the company does seem to care about their employees. Oops, I mean partners. In 90 days, I'd qualify for stock options, where I can buy SBUX shares for a 15% discount. Nice. But it might not be 'til December that I qualify for medical.

I think I'm finally getting over the jitters. Caffeine on an empty stomach isn't a good thing. :)