Up to Date!

Its been almost a year since I last blogged. I couldn't find time nor energy to blog. My mind is constantly churning away at things business.

Today, on a bright sunny Sunday (only day off!), I want to dabble a little and answer some questions from friends. Hopefully, I can get some sense of self:

What kept you away?
Lost in the daily grind of operating a new business and working at it, day in/day out. Thinking about work, breathing about work and traveling on work.

What has happened since the last you blogged?
Had a burnt out period. Didn't stopped training new staff since January 2009 till April 2009 and that means working extra hours. Now, I have a team of great staff. Wonderful people. Took some stress out from me since managing staff usually takes up most of my energy.
On a good note, business is growing (slowly). Still a long way to go to where I want but am working hard to create my wholesale business and hopefully a training program for barrista wannabe. The cafe has started buying some award winning coffees and this is one of the most exciting news for me. We are slowly getting a recognition for roasting great coffee. And fast becoming the neighborhood cafe.

How are you, on a side note?
All I can say is ONE DAY AT A TIME! Opening a business takes a lot of gut, strength, sacrifices and mental health. Not forgetting physical stamina.
Tiredness is a constant theme. Stress is the most constant companion in my life, right now, my one true love. One of my goal this year is to get some personal time and create a healthy boundary between work and self. So far, I've manged to attend a photography workshop, moved to a different apartment better for my mind. Though, I have yet to find time for a regular exercise program but I made time to find myself a MAN (he is fast replacing STRESS, my true love!).
Am very thankful. I could have a nervous breakdown. Jokes aside.

What is Stress?
Juggling the daily operation of business, learning how to balance my finances for business (what to pay and what to add to cafe and how), strategy for growth, staff management, creating an awareness to public (branding & marketing), planning for growth etc.
There probably isn't a minute that goes by I do not worry, think, deal and mull over decisions I have to make. At times, it can be overwhelming.

How do you handle the demands on you?
First- tears (buckets of it!), second - talk to people around me. When I am stress, I talk a lot (need to watch that I am not boring others and become too self absorbed), it relieves the burden slightly and when I listen to myself and others, I get a perspective. I am thankful I have quite a few people I can turn to. Lastly - I pray; I become quiet and I wait. I read to escape and relax (sadly, not enough).

Is it worth it?
I feel really bad for some of my friends. I feel I am constantly busy and have no time for them. Sometimes, I feel I am too selfish, constantly putting work first. But when one has a business, there are sacrifices. Thankfully my friends and community push me to work at it. I learned so much and am still learning. Learning to run a business, keeping abreast of the industry, challenging myself and team to always become better, getting as much training as I possibly can and best of all, self awareness. Understanding my strengths and weaknesses. When time gets tough, I try holding firm to what is important to me and what I really want. Making sure my core value remains the same or is strengthen when challenged.
I don't know if I have the personality or knowledge to make it successful but I am trying really hard.

What comes next?
After 15 months in business, I need the business to grow (through wholesale, e-commerce and more foot traffic) at a rate that is healthy to achieve certain goals. I want more training for all at cafe and I hope to take at least 2 months off work to properly rest and travel to coffee origin and work with farmers. I wish to provide my team opportunity to compete in 2011. I want time to self and time to visit family whom I have not seen for a long time. I hope to find energy, time and money doing what I love and do it meaningfully and well.
(A lot to ask for)

Each time when I feel really burden, someone comes along and gave me a mental lift. I can think of so many people who wants me to do well. And I can't thank my care group and boyfriend for the support they have been to me. I am stronger because of them. I am thankful for my community at work and friends who supported me; constantly stopping by to give me a friendly cheer! Thank you.

Is Harper right in wishing to cut Art funding?

Its Saturday again and I love Saturday! Love love it! I am usually at my best self on Saturday...The Jazz, the coffees, the fall season; Can't ask for more! I am usually at my most quiet self watching the world go by in front of me.
And it has been awhile since I last blogged and I actually have friends asking me when I will blog again. Life has been too hectic and running a business sometimes dried up my creativity. Alas!

But last night, I went to NFB and watched Kanehsatake, a documentary on the clash between the Mohawks and the government on land rights back in 1990. I feel a need to write on my take on the importance of Arts and its influence on a country. Why is Art so important on the well-being of a country?

Till last night, I do not know much about the first nation here in Canada or anywhere in the world! Till last night, I didn't understand much of the history of the first nation here in Canada.
I now understand better the issues surrounding them and their cultures and their struggles.
At the Q&A session, a lady from Kenya stood up and say this movie could be in Kenya, she felt the same struggles, the same emotions and the same needs; no matter what background and cultures we come from. We are the same - one global village.

Art allows us to express ourselves and can be healing. For example this documentary, the director ALANIS OBOMSAWIN was able to have closure of the Oka incident and she continues through films preserve the heritage of the first nations.

Art is creative and that is so good for a country and its people. We constantly strive to create, to think about creating, to invent and to contribute. This builds character and also confidence and makes a nation grow. Art makes us go inside ourselves and think of the whys/hows. It is about perseverance as well. And I know schools and medical institutions use Art to heal and deal.

Art is also about community. Art brings people together, for the common cause and we openly show our support when we attend art shows (drinking is only for fun! and fun is always good)
Through the film, I learned the need for tolerance, for cultures and religious exchange.

There are so many benefits to the Arts; be it writing, painting, crafts, film making, sculptures and the list goes on. It adds so many layers to our lives and the Beauty of it!

Last night was such an inspiration!! And I sincerely hope that no one should ever think that Art is for the rich and its not important to the well-being of our soul and our country.

Terminology - Overcracked brain and too many late nights

I hate it when Dumpster call me a Bitty, what the heck is bitty? What kind of species talk like Grumpster?
I kept saying, "stop calling me a bitty!!!!???". What the heck is bitty?

After many frustration attempts to stop this dude who has no respect for his bitty boss, I googled "Bitty". In the Urban Dictionary it says a mix between breast and titty. LOL! What horrible culture have we come to that you call your boss that? But as I scroll down, I think this is what Grumpster meant, bitty - hot girl ! Ah! I see, he has tonnes of respect for me, above and beyond my leadership skills - he deserves a raise - In monopoly money.

If you were to read his blog, he's always having crashes on yellow bitty. And now, I know, I am confident that this dudets has a crash on his Boss, the itsy bitsy bitty chief or the latinos call Jiefa! Ha. Except I don't wear yellow.

So, since we are on this urbanites lingo, here are a few more for ya'll.

- A bag of Joe - something very useful. "WOW, that new espresso machine is a bag of joe".

- A benny - $1oo bill. "sorry, I don't accept a benny". or it could mean you are out of place, "you are a benny to ask for a bevy at the cafe."

and last one,

- A bevy - an alcoholic drink, or the result of consuming it. " lets go and ask the barista if he could bevied up our latte?"

Okay dudets and dudetts, this bitty is smashed this night. Need to hit the sack.

Are you anyone's favorite person?

Wow....I've taken a break from blogging. So many things, so little time and I was a sick puppy too. My hands were to weak to press the keyboard. Ha! Drama Queen.

Anyways, its Saturday and still is my favorite day especially when I had a piece of lemon square. Perfect treat for the summer. Lemon square, lemonade and a yellow bikini.

Okay, all jokes aside. I watched this short film call "Are you the favorite person of anybody"? Its only 4 minutes long but so thought provoking. I have to stop and asked myself if I am anyone's favorite person? It is a scary question. It raised the hairs on my arms.

I started asking customers who came into the cafe the same question and I have to say, it was quite something to watch their expressions. Even for them, they have to stop and think about it. Many are lucky to have their partners think the world of them. A few openly tell me they are not anyone's favorite person. Some say Maybe and a rare few quickly name all the people who treated them as favorite. Some even named their pets!

All in all, I have to agree with Mother Theresa when she says "There is more hunger for love and appreciation in this world than for bread".

So when a close friend's cousin committed suicide. I felt helpless and at a loss. I wish he had someone to talk to. I wish he felt safe. Wish he felt self-love and love of someone.
I wish for so many things in this instance.

Hence, if you have a person who is your favorite person, go tell them. And I am very lucky.

But self love is the best love of all. May we all feel confident of who we are. Inside out.

More on Fair Trade Practices

Lately, I've been thinking about my goals and directions and why I do what I do and why do I choose fair trade. I choose fair trade as I know it best and I have seen the good works it has done to many and how it has changed the social aspect of global trading and has the biggest impact on the world of coffees.

"Fair trade coffee is coffee that is traded by bypassing the coffee trader and therefore giving the producer (and buyer) higher profits.

Economics of Fair Trade Coffee

Trans Fair USA is an independent 3rd party certification that ensures that:

• Coffee importers agree to purchase from the small farmers included in the International Fair Trade Coffee Register.

• Fair trade coffee growers are guaranteed a minimum "fair trade price" of $1.26/pound FOB for their coffee. If world coffee price rises above this floor price, fair trade coffee farmers will be paid a small ($0.05/pound) premium above market price.

• Coffee importers provide a certain amount of credit to farmers against future sales, helping farmers stay out of debt to local coffee "coyotes" or middlemen.

• Coffee importers and roasters agree to develop direct, long-term trade relationships with fair trade coffee distributors, thereby cutting out middlemen and bringing greater commercial stability to an extremely unstable market.

(Source: FairtradeUSA)

That was the beginning, the benchmark for an alternative business practice and now, Fair Trade has grown exponentially and many large corporations has since joined the ranks of purchasing fair trade. And there are critics contesting to its practices and if any real benefits are given to the pickers. There will always be issues. Especially when an organization gets big. It is hard to control and takes a lot of money to make a system workable. And it makes smaller importer like myself think if Big Guys are enjoying the labour of many purists and real fair traders.

Some has chosen to deal outside of Trans fair and some have joined other alliances and buy from different certification (i.e rainforest, COE, private certification, bird friendly, USDA Organic etc).

The more I see, the more I wonder if we will ever have a peaceful world; learning to live with each difference and what should be the real deal? Each criticism is good and necessary as it serves as a watchdog and make sure an organization is accountable to its practices.

To me, amongst all these certifications, believes and practices, it shows me people and the world are passionate on a good cause. We have ideals and we all think there is a better way. And there are. Definitely! There should be more than one way for world's reform. As long as two minds are working and thinking, there will be differences and people will take sides.

Call me idealistic or peace-maker. We should all work together toward better social reform. Better living conditions to the under-privileged, better environmental practices, working practices, education opportunities for the children and eradicate world's poverty. Be it fair trade or any other form of certifications, we should remember what is our bottom-line. How are we giving back to our communities and the world around us?

And one day, everything in the world will be fairly traded. If we are all on the same page. This is usually the problem isn't it?

We at T.A.N will continue to buy coffees that is fairly traded. Be it Fair Trade or otherwise.

Pardon me as I am not very eloquent in saying what I wanted to say. My brain travels faster than I can type. Most times, words get stuck and I can't get it out right.

p.s: I want to thank Paul for helping me to individually picked my beans apart for me. I accidentally mixed a batch of green beans to my roasted beans. I was in the midst of throwing it out when Paul stopped me and insisted he wanted to separate the beans. He came back this morning with bucket of sort beans. He and his wife spent the evening sorting the beans. What a guy! This is my community.

Another construction day!

Its another construction day. Outside. Some customers commented I should be given the "Most Obstacles Award" for a new business, once I survived it.

A direct quotation from my business partner visiting the cafe,

"The cab dropped me off across the street from the cafe at 11 am. I cannot see the cafe from across the road as there is no sign and there were a cement truck, a backhoe and a dump truck parked right outside our cafe!!!

I crossed the street to the cafe, the first thing I saw was a big hole right under the big window, a piece of plywood covering part of the hole under the entrance to the cafe so people can walk in. 2 men were working in the hole, changing the gas line. This is a city wide gas line replacement project by the gas Company".

Thank you very much Toronto. I am living in a hole. Yet, yesterday, mommies and babies and people tracked past the HUGE hole and past planks to come into the cafe. Such an ordeal. Kudos to you!
And we did our first roast. We still need fine tuning of the roaster and will try out a few more roasts today.
Hopefully, by next week, Aha (I always say next week)!, things will be almost completed.

So, come this Thursday, we are going to screen two movies, short. Assisting Desert Roses, we are launching our first ever movie night here at the cafe. I believe the two movies are The price of youth and The virgin trade (I've posted a link here for a free download). For our first, we'll even throw in popcorn to mark the beginning of Summer ; )
Down the road, we wish to screen short movies from around the world on topics that is uplifting and international. We wish to screen movies that will bring global understanding or something that will educate us; inform us of what is going around the world.

We wanted to wait for everything to be perfect before we launch anything but I kept saying, almost there, I am almost there. And I am sick of waiting. There is no such thing as "perfect" when running a business. There is always this and that. So, if life gives us obstacles (i.e, constant construction, delayed plans, signless etc), keep going, might as well :)

See you on Thurs. Si? with a bucket of popcorn. Oh no, Grumpter will your date! I'm officially pimping him off to the lowest bidder. LOL!!

The City is Asleep!

I love Saturdays - yeah! (Yawn.) Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall....Yeah! and he fell asleep and snore....Yeah! And he fell off and I love Saturdays...yeah!

The city is asleep except to the humming of my roaster.
The city is asleep except to the pitter patter of raindrops. It has been raining non-stop for the last week with a smidgen of sunshine. And today is officially the first day of summer.
What a lovely day! - Rain - drop. drop.drop.
The city is asleep except Grumpster is telling me how his date stood him up! (stop pining for these loser! or are you the loser?)
The city is asleep except to the sweet melody of Mika on my hi-fi.
The street is asleep except to the sound the TTC.

......wait, the sleeping city might be slowly awaken. I see a ray of hope and sunshine.

Ladies and Gentlemen, let us arise to the glory of the city waking up from its slumber.

And I am going to bask in its glory.

Oh! How I love Saturdays.