Coffee is life...this morning I had the best cup of coffee in the world.

To so many people in this world, fair trade and specialty coffee has been a god send to small coffee farmers around the world.

A good friend of mine runs a local specialty coffee company and he has been an inspiration to me as I have watched him help to transform the lives of coffee farmers he deals with. His company directly buys from and then gives back proceeds to help build clinics, schools, shelters and more, all while ensuring the farmers get the profits they deserve.

Now, I find myself retired, yet still working full time helping people with tech issues and manufacturing process problems, while enjoying my everyday cup or two or three of coffee.

For many years I have been doing manual pour over techniques like the French Press, Hario v60, Kalita Wave, Chemex, etc...I gave up traditional electric pot methods decades ago. During the last decade I went deeper into the rabbit hole of seeking the perfect cup, or the perfect shot of Espresso. I thought I had done it all and gotten every last drip of flavor I could.

Then I really started talking with my friend about the why of coffee. Seeking the perfect cup and how it ultimately leads to roasting your own beans. Much like growing your own vegetables has long been accepted as the ONLY way you get really tasty produce, roasting your own coffee beans is the last holy ground when seeking to brew the perfect cup.

Beans 24 hours off roast are a wonder to brew with and drink.

There is an old story about a barista who once went into a tiny café and had what he later deemed the worlds best cup of coffee. He spent days watching and learning their technique for brewing their cup. After many failed attempts at reproducing that flavor using their techniques, water, and the beans he bought from them, he gave up and asked what he was doing wrong.

The owner said he was not doing anything wrong. The only problem was that the beans they sold him were the beans that were leftover after a days business, meaning that they were technically 2 day old beans before he even got a chance to brew with them.

The next few weeks were spent in learning, preparation, and trial and error.

One day the barista roasted his first sample batch of beans. 24 hours later, during his morning ritual, he finally had the best cup of coffee in the world.

This morning I made coffee with my first sample roast I did yesterday. My wife, who normally takes her coffee with cream and sugar drank half a cup before adding cream, she said it was the first time she had ever enjoyed black coffee.

A little peek at what it is like when you take a leap down the rabbit hole. Today I roasted my 2nd sample roast.

Peace

Just gonna lay this out here...Cam Cole

Portishead - Wandering Star

Good night DU...the last 30 seconds are simply surreal...heading off to the blackness of dreams.

Portishead - Glory Box

Still fresh...way ahead of its time.

Smashing Pumpkins - 1979

Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometimes - Beck

Just gonna lay this one out here...because I need your lovin'

Uriah Heep - Return to Fantasy.

Saturday Night Album Rock - Stadium Arcadium - Red Hot Chili Peppers

16 years ago in China, I met a future MAGAT, at the time he called himself a Neocon.

I was with my wife and son on a day trip to the Great Wall. We had a wonderful day eating and meeting new friends as we made our way to the destination. On our way to the Great Wall, my wife took the time to teach me the one simple phrase that would spare me the constant harassment of the many vendors leading up to the entrance, bù yào. "Not Want" in Mandarin.

While the phrase did help, many of the vendors spoke fairly good English and lots of them said I was being tricky and obviously had just learned that phrase. They were right and I winked at them knowingly, always with a smile and stopping once to make a small purchase at one vendor. I got a minor token and tipped generously, which my wife immediately admonished me for since we had to make the gauntlet on the way back down and word would spread of the generous Gweilo.

We got to the wall and my son took off and began the 10,000 or so steps to the top of the wall at this particular area. It was a well known part of the wall to the north of Beijing. When I say 10,000 steps, I am not exaggerating...my son was way ahead of me and it damn near killed me trying to keep up and not lose sight of him, lol.

View from the top


On the way home we were tired, but still full of excitement, talking with all our new found friends. One fellow, asked me if there was any truth to the story that the election was stolen and Al Gore should have won. I began to explain the whole debate and discuss all the theories of the day (as there were many). The Chinese fellow was very polite and well informed. A gentleman from Paris joined into the discussion as well. At one point I made the comment that the Republican party was known for trying any trick in the book to win, even if it meant cheating.

Well, little did I know that future MAGAT had been listening the whole time and he could no longer take anymore. An American turned toward me and shouted, "Hey, you should watch what you say about America in a foreign country. It is unpatriotic to talk that way to foreigner's. The election was not stolen, there is no proof."

I looked at the man and could see immediately that he was a Neocon Christian Republican. He had a 2 inch gold circular pendant with Jesus on the cross. My new friends and I were stunned. I looked at this man and said.

"There is plenty of proof, you just have to look." He got angry and said, "Just stop talking about our country like that, you're an American, have some pride and show a better image."

I shot back, "Funny, an American in China, telling another American to be silent...mind your own business." Well, this pissed him off and he told me to shut up, but just sat there fuming after that remark.

I turned to my new friends and ignored the MAGAT wannabe and said, "This is why Al Gore conceded the election, he felt that to further challenge the election and get to the bottom of the fraud would damage our democracy as there needs to be a peaceful transition of power and the right does not believe in peace."

My new friends just nodded in agreement and we moved on to discuss the day of wonder and fun.

So that is my story of the day a MAGAT tried to silence me in China. The Chinese people are truly a beautiful people and everyone I met was extremely generous and kind. All of them wanted to know more about democracy and freedom of speech. I gladly talked to anyone who would listen. Never fear, the rest of the world knows the truth, MAGATs are evil and democracy is tenuous.

We must hold fast. We must never let them win.

cayugafalls

Greta Van Fleet - Live at Red Rocks (September 24th, 2019)

Friday Night Rock Concert!

This is not a quick hit...But the concert is incredible. GVF is the real deal.