Hot Off The Press

I've bean hooked on it since the wee age of two.

Baby hands grasping for that Starbucks cup, my signature line of request: "Some! Some!"

And from that sip of tan mocha, I was mad about coffee.

So it would only seem fitting that I work in a coffee shop, right? Coffeeholic who feels that her days aren't complete without that heavenly cup of joe definitely belongs in a coffee shop.

So at fifteen, I was hired at Kaladi Brothers Coffee, an Alaskan based coffee roasting company. I've worked on and off for the company for the past six years now and every time I step behind bar, things just come rushing back to me.

How I am able to remember a regular's sixteen ounce quad shot white mocha breve with natural caramel and vanilla with whip is beyond me, but it's ingrained in me somehow!

It's been my third week back and boy am I pleased to be working again. I've never gone this long without working since I was first hired, and I never thought I would say it, but I enjoy working.

There's something about the relationships you form with customers and the sharing of stories over cups of lovely lattes. I don't even consider it "work" because I genuinely adore the creation of espresso beverages.

Honestly, when I graduated, I never thought I would be back here, but circumstances changed and I'm happy to have a home that welcomes me back with open arms.

I still don't know where I'll be in a couple of months, which is still rather exciting, as well as scary.

In the beantime though, I'm back to the grind and sharing my passion for coffee with my fellow Alaskans.

Growing up in Alaska has undoubtedly exposed me to some of Earth's finest assets.

I live within a paradise relatively untouched by man. Of a wild, remote, and rugged land that never ceases to awe me.

Our timber frame home sits on the bank of the Kenai River, which is home to world record king salmon. I live within miles of glaciers, of oceans filled with halibut, whales, otters, and more. Eagles fly past my window every day, and just yesterday, our neighborhood moose came to pay us a visit.

I go to sleep to the sound of silence and wake to the chirping of birds. Pretty soon, we'll have a garden filled to the brim with fresh produce, berries will be plump to the touch, and we'll be living exclusively off the land.

I could go on and on about how special Alaska is to me, but it really won't do a darn thing unless you come and visit!

Anyhow, today is Earth Day, and I was so excited for it to be so.

You see, I haven't experienced an Alaskan spring for the past couple of years, and so I've been quite immersed in this change of the seasons. Thinking of ways to celebrate Mother Earth's day, I decided to pick up trash.

With the meltdown of the snow comes the unearthing of what's been hidden all these wintry months, and most of it.... is trash.

It's quite pitiful. And sad. Frankly, it just doesn't belong on Earth's surface. Following the lead of others who had the same genius idea, I was just beginning my trash pickup, when I realized I had to work.

Sooooo that didn't last long.

But there's always tomorrow and it's the thought that counts!

Anyhow, I can't thank Earth enough for her bountiful gifts she has bestowed upon me during my life. I'm especially grateful to be living in such a pristine part of the world, where the lifestyle is complimentary to Earth's aesthetic. (and where the common Alaskan hobbies include fishing, hunting, hiking, etc.)

Cheers to you, and Happy (B)EarthDay.