The Last Latte

Today was most likely my last day as a Starbucks Barista. Soon after we married, Mine and Brady's first jobs were working at a small town Starbucks (We applied after reading that it was one of the top 10 companies to work for). We both thought it would be fun, and a great way to get acquainted with the towns people and local events. It certainly has been a great experience and I have since worked at several Starbucks cafes across a few different states. When we moved from the small town of Sandpoint, ID I decided to continue my Barista days, most of all to maintain our full heath and dental insurance, and secondly to have an entertaining second job. Although it has been a fulfilling nine months with the company, we will soon be venturing to the next stop of our "Tour de Newlyweds", and I feel that my Barista experience has been achieved to its full capacity. I hang up my green apron grateful to have had the opportunity to not only learn how to make a perfect Iced, Venti, Quad, 2 pump vanilla, Soy, light ice, extra Carmel, with whip, Carmel Macchiato, but most of all to have interacted with thousands of interesting people. I've dealt with everything from unruly homeless thieves to the downtown"Black Card" business men regulars. I have taken a written drink order from a deaf woman, helped a child who was badly burned by his fathers spilled coffee, and shoveled through two feet of snow at 4:00 am to clear a path to the Cafe front door. Working at Starbucks has not only provided me with a two year supply of tea, it has also taught me a few important lessons:

1. Caffeine is the Devil

2. Money goes where priorities flow

3. You can learn a lot about someone in 2 minutes

4. Tip Jars make people more nervous than a blind date

5. A little enthusiasm makes everything more fun

6. Don't cry over spilt milk, or you'll surely be depressed

7. Nice people get better service

8. Wearing a drive-through microphone makes you an instant Diva

9. Non-slip shoes prevent brain damage

10. Never under-estimate the blessing of employment

Today I made my last Latte, and enjoyed my final free "Partner Beverage" at the end of my closing shift. I chose to drink "My Drink", a Venti, Soy, Unsweetened, Vanilla Rooibos Tea Latte. To me it is "Creamy Herbal Bliss" in a cup. It is described by Starbucks as a "Full leaf African Rooibos tea (naturally caffeine free), also known as red tea, paired with Tahitian vanilla and cinnamon. Sweetened with classic syrup and topped with steamed milk and velvety foam". I savored every soothing sip as I reminisced over my Starbucks experiences and the many smiling faces I have met.