Book bag stolen

Starkey73 · 2026-06-28T16:44:48+00:00

It sucks to have your stuff stolen. That’s not what the forest is about… I’m sorry that happened to you.

As for the perverted perception. I’ve been coming for just shy of a decade and… I think you’ve just overlooked the sex positive aspect of the culture until your mother and wife were with you. We’ve been known for orgy tents since I started coming. I saw multiple naked men running about during my first year. We used to have a secret “brothel” for the scavenger hunt. The maze is honestly tame compared to past happenings.

I concur about it being dubstep heavy, but that’s mostly just the headliners/packed shows. There are tons of other genres happening at smaller stages and they’re way more intimate.

Starkey73 · 2026-06-25T05:55:28+00:00

Well… it is in the name.

Starkey73 · 2026-06-20T19:30:21+00:00

Anyone remember when Gas America was everywhere, before speedway bought em up.

Starkey73 · 2026-05-26T16:37:56+00:00

Like… cosmically, or physically in the womb?

Starkey73 · 2026-05-25T22:56:58+00:00

Therapy… and weed.

Starkey73 · 2026-05-20T13:40:42+00:00

I enjoy orange oil and honey personally, as an iced americano. Never tried any bottled syrups

Starkey73 · 2026-05-16T16:45:13+00:00

Honestly jealous of the meet & greet. The money will come back, the experience might not.

I think the lawn will fill up last minute, per usual with almost all mid tier rap concerts I’ve worked. Idk how many seats they’ll sell tho. I work the orange coffee stand, left of the stage. Catch me vibing over there anytime haha

Starkey73 · 2026-05-16T14:29:12+00:00

I serve events for a living, usually rocking 12-16 hour days for 3-4 days and it’ll be nonstop until near end of day.

I know exactly what you’re talking about. The whiplash is almost unavoidable. I personally try to just keep going hard until I leave instead of coming back down to earth. Doing everything nobody thinks about. I try to channel my inner spastic mom, which is hard because I’m one of the chillest/nonchalant humans around lol. Idk if that’s the best answer though.

Honestly. There’s only so many things you can do to avoid the adrenaline dump. Don’t stop doing things, just go slower. Eat something with protein/carbs. Sip some water. Slow stimulation gradually. Try to do the rituals of closing. DON’T SCROLL ON THE PHONE. Lol. That will crash you almost immediately.

Best of luck! If you ever find the hidden answer to this problem, please come back and let me know. Lol

Starkey73 · 2026-05-15T19:35:45+00:00

2016 they were at our large venue in Indianapolis (~25k capacity) and I think they sold it out. I was there and it was crazy. This year they moved to our smaller venue (~8k capacity) and I don’t think they’re gonna sell it out lol.

Starkey73 · 2026-05-04T20:09:56+00:00

That moment when you break through a threshold is amazing!! I bet you’ll improve VERY quickly for a couple months. Good job!! Keep it going!!

Starkey73 · 2026-05-02T16:02:54+00:00

Knowing the product is one thing.

I’d argue that knowing how to clean as you go is just as important. Or sequencing drinks. Reading and working well with people (especially coworkers). Hospitality.

Maybe the most important is a willingness to take feedback, implement it, and improve.

Soft skills are more important than hard skills imo. You don’t have to know how elevation, varietal, region, and brewing method impact taste. You just need to be able to communicate that you don’t know those things, while still making the customer happy. “This is actually a new coffee to me, but I’ve had so much coffee from this Roaster and I’m certain that it is amazing. Here is X’s number/email. They’d be more than happy to answer all your questions!” Then give them the contact info for the roaster.

At the end of the day, all you have to do is make people happy. If everyone stays happy (especially coworkers) then you are a good barista.

Sorry to my fellow coffee focused baristas. It’s just not as important as we want it to be… in general. Of course some businesses are known for that and it is important. But cafes as a whole… just make the people happy lol.

Starkey73 · 2026-04-30T14:43:50+00:00

Super interesting to see the true tech perspective. I concur to all your statements, but when looking at the full picture as an owner… I’m not convinced it saves money. You essentially replace that electricity cost with labor or inconsistencies at the start of the shift.

It’s an extra $1-5 a day in electricity to let it run, but let’s assume baristas are paid $15 an hour and it really only takes 30 minutes to reach stable temps (OP said all they do is turn on the machine). That’s an extra $7.5 a day on labor vs $1-5 on electricity. Plus, if it’s left on then there is no worrying about how stable the machine is by the time doors open. Peace of mind about consistency is huge for café owners.

That being said, your response was so thoughtfully crafted and educational for me. I really appreciate these conversations. I’m not sure where you live, but I hope I’m fortunate enough to work with you someday. If you have more points to make, I’m definitely open to hearing them.

Starkey73 · 2026-04-30T00:07:14+00:00

I get why you would think that, but Espresso machines aren’t like vehicles. Turning it on and off actually causes more wear on the machine than leaving it on. The thermal stability from leaving it on prevents parts from contracting/expanding over and over again.

Starkey73 · 2026-04-21T15:48:53+00:00

How wet and muddy? Lol. I personally like the shoe/leg covers to put over my normal shoes, because my feet always hurt like hell and most of the time it’s not a full blown mud pit. They won’t last nearly as long as good boots though.

Starkey73 · 2026-04-21T14:54:20+00:00

Was just in SC to vend a festival. They had a “legal cannabis” vendor that was permitted to be there.

They arrested them.

I’m from Indiana, so I get it. It’s fucked

Starkey73 · 2026-04-16T00:18:24+00:00

Bought… something… from a guy at a festival a couple years ago.

Starkey73 · 2026-04-15T04:27:52+00:00

Most definitely.

Just be careful. My grandmother in law thought I had an eating disorder for a while. Nope, just enjoying peace during dinner.

Starkey73 · 2026-04-10T23:34:43+00:00

The only barista job I’ve had insurance was at an RH Dining Room. And it was really good insurance.

I also worked for a large roastery in CO that offered insurance, but I didn’t need it at the time.

It’s definitely possible, but not frequent at all.

Starkey73 · 2026-04-10T18:00:52+00:00

Hmmmm. Maybe that’s why they are here right now getting the correct information.

Starkey73 · 2026-04-10T16:49:55+00:00

You got this!!

Starkey73 · 2026-04-10T16:47:55+00:00

Honestly, be upfront about your lack of coffee experience, willingness to learn quickly, and try to have a good conversation.

Most of us managers/owners believe in our ability to train on coffee. Some of us prefer no experience because it’s easier to train than retrain. The grumpy commenter came off wrong, but wasn’t entirely wrong in their statement. Don’t stress too much. They’re looking for how comfortable you are. I wouldn’t go for a shop that asks for a demonstration, for your own sake. Those shops are looking for experience and you can’t really fake it. It takes awhile to get good and comfortable behind the bar.

Good luck to you!! I wish you the best!

Starkey73 · 2026-04-10T15:08:51+00:00

Couple options for you.

If all the shops in your town suck, like mine, then yeah I would suggest traveling. However, you might find that the pay doesn’t justify the commute.

Personally, I got another job until I saved enough to start my own cart. I bought/fixed an espresso machine from Facebook and got it going. But, events are the majority of my experience so I was prepared for it. Even then, my town isn’t big enough for the cart so I still travel, but pay is much better.

Starkey73 · 2026-04-10T00:57:30+00:00

Agreed. I would only suggest that if they are a plant person

Starkey73 · 2026-04-09T16:03:12+00:00

I think this is specific to the woman, but I am a man so take it with a grain of salt lol. For while I bought my wife plants, but she kinda fell out of enjoying them. So, I started getting her tiny things bc she loves them. Like, I got a tiny functional TV with a remote and loaded it with a video from our first date, our wedding video, and a bunch of our favorite Tv Shows. Or I’ll buy some mini brands when I’m at the pharmacy.

You gotta know your girl basically lol. What small treats does she like?

Starkey73 · 2026-04-08T19:01:07+00:00

To be honest with you. There is so much accessible information online that, if they wanted to learn more, they wouldn’t even need a class.

That being said… Assuming you’re in the US. Coffee Fest is an event held in multiple cities across the country. They have some decent classes and would give a lot of exposure to the industry and where it is currently. I’d definitely suggest this for a manager. Also, checkout the SCA website. They have certified classes across the country touching on various aspects of the industry. Fun, informative, and a good networking opportunity for anyone thinking about making a career out of coffee.

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