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School: Finally made some progress on the portfolio, and just in time as the quarter will be starting soon. Next step is to contact my professors to see if I can get copies of some of the big papers they never returned to me.  I’m in contact with two of my new professors, and have checked out copies of all four text  books out of the library.   I’ve also found syllabuses for two of my classes from last year, so I can get an idea of what the workflow will be like.

I’m ready to go back.

Home: I’ve given up on trying to set up  a desk downstairs. It’s clear we don’t have the space. The craft table  becomes a landing  space for random things as we come home, and as much as  I try its just not going to work. So I’m cleanign out the nook in the kitchen, getting a power adapter so I can plug in both computers and the spearkers that sit there and setting up some decorative boxes to hold my office supplies. Beyond that house stuff is pretty  much the same.

Oh, except we’re thinking the zuchinni we got from territorial is mutant. We ordered a bush baby zuchinni, which is supposed to be small. Well the plants were pertty big, not bushy and the zuchnni are much more like a green winter squash instead of zuchinni.

Work: I’m working. Bidding hours for fall term, plotting out my schedule carefully. I must say the current shift bid is easier then any of the previous ones.

Crafting . Anothing Daring Kitchen challenge completed.  Stitch and Pitch attended with Barb. (We had a fun time)  I’ve got a small office supply project in the works, somethig for the start of the school year.  I also finished one of Leah’s socks and am working on the second one.

Family : Miss Bit has been gone a month and a half now and I’m looking forward to her coming back. Aron Leah and Jasmine are out in Eugene this weekend with Sunnie for Fairie Worlds. I’m a little remorseful that I didn’t go, no so much for the event but for the travel. It looks like June’s trip to Black Sheep gathering is all that I get

Social business: Cancelled my Mamma Mia movie night due to lack of interest. Looking into a venue to host a party, but am unsure if  folks will actually come.  Scheduled drinks with my favorite classmates, trying to plan a spa trip before the quarter begins.

Relaxation: Still playing Ikariam and Second life, drowning in library books. I picked up WoW again and have decided that I will buy. I’ll set up a log in on my laptop for it, and set parental controls as a reminder to have a WoW life balance.

And that is September 1st. What are you all up to?

When I taught my coffee certification class a month or so ago I met a gal who was doing a study on Fair Trade certification and the impact it has on the consumer.  I was surprised she came to my class, after all she knew more about certification then I did, but it  quickly became clear that she came because  she wanted to know what the consumers take on Fair Trade was.

From Blog Photos

I met her for coffee last week to talk more about coffee and chocolate certification, so she could get my take on it. You see even though I taught the class, I don’t have a strong personal opinion on what the appropriate certification. I know  what the certifications mean, and  I see the value of certification, but I have never come up with a personal stanadard.

Arwen asked me about my coffee habits, probing into what we bought, how it was certified and how we made the choice.  Most of the time our Coffee comes from our favorite local coffee house, Wayward, here  in Greenwood. The coffee is Tony’s and is Organic Fair Trade. (We drink Cafe Carmelita) Our purchase had more to do with liking the coffee, and wanting to support a local business. (We know the owner of Wayward)

I cheap out occasionally. I’ll pick up a couple of bags of Seattle’s Best House Blend or Henry’s Blend, when I can get them at the Orrowheat store $5 for 12 ounces.   Fair trade? Nope. Usually I stock up when I anticipate going through a high coffee consumption period. (During finals)  The coffee isn’t as good, but I’m looking for quantity over quality.

I know that quality coffee, purchased at a fair wage to the farmer is better overall.  Yet there is a disconnect in my brain between this knowledge and the purchases I make. On one level there is my addiction to coffee. On another level there is routine to it.When I go out for coffee, I’m looking for coffee. hopefully tasty coffee. I don’t often set the coffee certification as a priority.

She also asked about chocolate , which is another part of her study. To be honest, chocolate is more about quality and cost.  I buy what tastes good in a price range I can afford. I’ve never really looked hard for chocolate certifications, though I’m aware that Transfair also certifies chocolate. And to be honest, half the time when I buy a $4 chocolate bar, its for the luxury of feeling like I can afford a $4 chocolate bar.

And chocolate muddies up the issue even more when I think about things like baking chocolate, and of the specialty chocolates on the market. Fair Trade chocolate is poised as  a luxury product, though often an affordable luxury . Could it ever become a common good?

In the end it feels overwhelming. I think I’ll be wrestling with these ideas for a while and figure out what the right answer for me is. What about you, is your coffee fair trade?  Your chocolate? Do you aim for Organic? Rain Forest Alliance certified?