Cost of Doing Business

You're aware, probably, that this is nominally a coffee blog. Furthermore, you've probably noticed that my last three posts have been about running, with nary a mention of coffee. I'd like to rectify that. I'd love to write something as verbose and passionate as my odes on running about coffee.

But that's not going to happen. Not today, anyway. That's because, for the last couple weeks, I haven't really thought much about coffee at work. It's been pushed aside by that big omnipresent bitch: Money. And if it sounds like I resent this fact, it's because I do.

We are told that death and taxes are the only sure things in life, but I'd like to suggest this: Coffee will always get more expensive. Beyond that, people will always lament this fact, as they do gas prices, or other not quite optional purchases.

You can tell them about a leaf rust epidemic or just shrug. You can explain why this needs to happen or just say that these things do. I've tried all of that, and nothing seems to make much difference. There is no good way to ask people to spend more money on the same product, no matter how good it is.

I get it. I don't love spending money either. But I also understand the economics on the other side of the counter.

And so you're left, trying to pinch pennies here, dollars there, grabbing at straws or rearranging deck chairs or whatever cliche metaphor strikes your fancy. However you phrase it, you're doing this: Stressing.

You're stressing about money, then stressing about the fact that this otherwise beautiful exchange of courtesies and stories and pleasantries has to be marred by base currency exchange, and that ultimately, that's what you have to worry about; because without that, none of the other stuff happens at all.

I can't say much more than that I really wish this weren't the case, but it pretty clearly is.