If you’re a frequent Starbuck’s customer, maybe
you have noticed that your coffee cup has something to say. Next time you order
your grande latte, check out the side of the cup. You’ll find a quote from a
series of quotes called “The way I see it.” The quotes come from a variety of
individuals from world leaders to celebrities, authors, musicians and
more.
On my recent trip to Starbucks, my coffee cup had this
quote from John Ratzenberger:
“The manual arts have always taken
precedence over the fine arts. Remember, somebody had to build a ceiling before
Michelangelo could go to work.”
If you don’t remember, John
Ratzenberger played Cliff Clavin on the TV show "Cheers." Currently, Ratzenberger
is the host of "John Ratzenberger’s Made in America" on the Travel Channel. The
show profiles men and women from all over the country who work with their
hands, are employed by the building trades, and invent products that people use
every day.
Ratzenberger also co-founded the Nuts, Bolts and
Thingamajigs Foundation, which aims to provide awareness of the building trades
to young people.
This quote from Ratzenberger made me pause.
As the associate editor for a trade magazine, I was proud to see this quote on
my coffee cup. I hope that other Starbucks customers saw the quote and it made
them think for a moment about the importance of the building trades.
