If you’ve heard from me at all today, you’re probably quite surprised to see that title. I was up at 4:30 after barely sleeping the night before for fear of missing my flight, delayed over three hours in Dallas meaning I missed my shuttle to camp, then had to drive through LA traffic in a rental car during rush hour for three and a half hours meaning I missed the first half of day one of Barista Camp.

But then I got here.

You. Guys.

Forgetting that California itself is like a movie set (seriously, I saw a ranchero in a sombrero galloping along the side of the road), I am in utter geekdom.

There is such an easy rapport within an industry. “Hey, I just met you, and this is crazy, but let’s talk about espresso.” And also, hipsters. Everywhere.

My evening at camp started at dinner. I arrived long after everyone was settled and wandered around until I found someone that looked like they knew what was going on. I was right. SCAA reps and the keynote speaker were my dining companions.

The next few hours were a blur as I met my team (we call ourselves Spro Money Spro Problems) and we started our first challenge – creating a “signature espresso drink” using three items from the following list: almond milk, salt, cinnamon, hawaiian punch powder, applesauce, chocolate, or lemons. Creativity at its finest, trying to make something palatable out of that.

And then there’s the goodie bag…

If anything lets you know how much of a geek I am, it’s that I’m probably just as excited about the nylon brush to clean my machine with as the Clever which I’ve been eying for months.

The next few days are probably going to be social media heavy, at least in regards to Instagram and Twitter. I’m doing what I love and trying hard not to squee. It’ll be a thing.