So here’s to you Mr. Martinson et al

“In 1898, Joe Martinson started roasting coffee in New York City based on a simple promise: quality.  He went to the docks everyday and personally selected the best coffee beans, roasting them… and packing them… to ensure a fresh cup of coffee, every time.  Legend has it… the phrase ‘Cup of Joe’ was coined based on the care that Joe Martinson took preparing his coffee.”  I kid you not.  And this is why I chose to buy his coffee.  That and the fact it was regularly priced at $7.19/can but now on sale for $4.99 at Morton Williams!  Yes, Joe’s personally selected, roasted and packed beans!  Imagine my good fortune.  While I wish everyone reading my blog takes advantage of this deal, my hope is there’s not a run on Martinson’s and I miss my opportunity to purchase another can.  I’ve decided, in accordance with my unemployed status, I will pay homage to the frontier builders of American distributed coffee: Peter Folger (Folger’s), The Great Atlantic & Pacific Company (better known today as A&P for their Eight O’Clock Coffee), William Black (Chock Full O’Nuts), and Joel Cheek and Roger Smith (Maxwell House) by purchasing a can of their coffee as need arises.  My choice of coffees will be determined by a mix of factors.  Actually, one… the Morton Williams circular.

“Positive attitude comes from your ability to process thoughts in a positive way, regardless of the circumstance.”  Austerity measures are now in place for our family.  I and my wife are choosing to see them as being a positive byproduct of our current circumstances.  This is not to suggest we’re thrilled we can’t grab a bite whenever we want or rent a Zipcar on a moment’s notice but rather in a strange way we’re finding it rewarding to review all expenditures and avoid frivolous spending.  It means we’ll need to cut back a bit and run the household more efficiently.  Running a household more efficiently is very similar to running a business more efficiently, something she and I are pretty darn good at.  It means drinking what some may consider lesser brands of coffee.  It also means using everything in the refrigerator and not wasting food.  It means not using five sheets of paper towels even though we have the select-a-size to avoid just that pitfall.  It means dumping HBO and Showtime even though we hardly watched it and were essentially giving charity to the behemoth, Time Warner.  All these things are GOOD and will only help us emerge from our moratorium on spending in a better frame of mind around money, specifically as it pertains to appreciating it.  World… it’s on!