February 2025: Do the Human Thing
An argument against convenience
My favorite quarter-mile in Austin runs between Leralynn and Avenue G. Locals will know it as North Loop, and situated on a precarious s-curve and wedged between two great dive bars, you’ll find We Luv Video, an absolute gem of a non-profit video library and screening room.
Last week my partner and I went on a date there. We took turns pulling DVDs off the shelf like it was 2005, asking “have you seen this?” and gawking at the pure radiance of a young Reese Witherspoon. In the end, we landed on Greta Gerwig’s Little Women and invested in a year-long membership for $99.
Like all things in my world, this comes back to coffee.
Because as I searched the shelves for something to catch my eye, I noticed I was actually having fun. Fun! Something I’d never once experienced while scrolling through Netflix. Perhaps, I thought — and maybe this is crazy — but perhaps making something more convenient doesn’t always make it better! How ‘bout that?!
Coffee is a modern convenience. Wherever you go, you’re never too far from a cafe, coffee pot, or Keurig machine. But take a wider perspective (or work in the industry) and you’ll soon discover that the process of growing, harvesting, processing, exporting, and roasting coffee is actually incredibly inconvenient.
The people afforded the luxury of convenience are largely blissfully unaware, and why shouldn’t they be? Surely our rotting brains can’t hold all of that information at once? Can I sit on my computer and write my newsletter while also acknowledging the hundreds, if not thousands of hands (underpaid, overworked) that played a role in creating the guts of my desktop? And what about the desk, the notebook, the pens? I can’t afford to slow down like that! There’s simply too much to do and not enough time!!!!
This feeling might be all-too familiar for you, reader. I know it is for me. But let’s try a different perspective on a Monday morning, eh?
What if slowing down is actually a form of resistance to a system that profits off the back of cheap labor? Woah. Spicy. Okay — now what if it only really takes 30 seconds to acknowledge the energetic density of everything around us, and those 30 seconds could transform our days from a banal slog to a marvelous wonder? ChatGPT could never.
If we, as humans, only ever do what is efficient and convenient and profitable, we will rob ourselves of the very essence of humanity. What if we’re meant to wait in line and get distracted and go the long way and get lost and lose track of time? It’s all good! It’s all part of it! Why should we feel guilty? Why should we be punished?
Of course, I make this argument from a place of privilege. I’m not in survival mode, though my nervous system might beg to differ. I have no children, no pets. I am safe and loved. I don’t have a lot of money, but I usually have enough to pay my bills. I recognize the fact that many people around the world are struggling to make ends meet, and convenience gets kids on the bus and puts food on the table.
But if you’re one of the lucky ones that have a few minutes today, I’d like to encourage you to consider which everyday conveniences you’ve grown accustomed to, and whether or not those conveniences are enriching your life. Coffee-related or otherwise.
I go to the video store because it feels good. It slows my busy mind and makes me feel like life is worth living. It’s the same reason I take 15 minutes to make a pour-over every morning and why I love Henry Smith’s screen printing, Hemlock’s DIY tours, Lindy’s elaborate makeup designs, and Felt Out’s layered electronic music.
“Because it feels good,” is an awesome human reason. And in a world that’s becoming increasingly artificial and automated, it’s on us to be as human as humanly possible.
I hope you feel inspired to do something inconvenient this week and enjoy it.
Upcoming events:
Careers in Coffee - Monday, February 24 (today) at 6 p.m. at Carpenter Hotel - a panel discussion with five local coffee pros who paved their own paths in the industry outside of cafe management. Free to attend. I’m moderating the discussion!
Coffee Brewing Workshop - Saturday, March 1 at 10 a.m. at Barrett’s Coffee - explore the world of manual brewing using locally-roasted coffees! $75 per person, $37.50 for service industry workers (use code BF-BFF13).
Home Espresso Workshop - Sunday, March 23 at 9 a.m. at Barrett’s Coffee - learn the ins and outs of that beautiful home espresso machine with an expert barista. $75 per person.
Other Vessels at Wonky Power Green Room- Friday, April 25 in Houston, TX - I’m going to expo AND I’m playing a show! Do something non-coffee-related and enjoy some local songwriters. Gonna be a nice evening. Block off your cal.
The Ropes: Barista Skills for Total Beginners - Saturday, April 26 at 9 a.m. at SCA Expo in Houston, TX - Join me for this 3-hour crash course in barista skills at Expo! $252 per person. Register with your pass.
Stuff I enjoyed this week:
Boona Boona’s Ethiopia Mullugeta Muntasha, part of a sample pack of coffees from black-owned roasting companies curated by Portrait Coffee. Brewed on Origami and fruity as all get out.
Spirit Tea’s 2003 Formosa Eight Immortals oolong at Medici Springdale. This tea was soooo beautiful. I only wish the barista served it alongside the tea leaves so I could smell them (and request a second, third steep). Instead I got it in a 16oz paper cup. Meh. Still good.
I started reading Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver and I’m hooked. It’s been a while since I’ve been this engrossed in a novel. It’s juicyyyyy.
On Wednesday, I performed solo at Empire as part of a RAICES benefit by Howdy Gals. It’s also been a while since I played on stage by myself, but I enjoyed it :)
Training baristas at Barrett’s Coffee, Klerje Coffee, Royal Blue Grocery, and Gina’s. Thank you for your trust! <3
love this