I'll bite. . .

I'm a barista with the green apron empire, though I have had a fair bit or experience in other coffee shops. While I have hung out in independent coffee places since high school, several months ago I hit the ceiling of what I could learn in my current position and began studying a lot on my own and taking with more experiences people in the field. I'm hoping to soon start getting into espresso machine maintenance and (long term goal comming up:) to design my own machine.

I think what fascinates me most about the art when it is practiced properly is how nature, luck, skill and machine can combine to make a product that is worth its weight in gold. There is nothing better than hitting that perfect shot.

I hope that folks here don't judge me by my employer and realize that there are those of us that strive to be a part of the barista tradition.