Keep working at it. You'll make it some day. LOL
One of the things that I like about roasting my own coffee is that green beans are cheaper than pre-roasted by a dollar or so a pound. Of course, the roaster itself nullifies that savings somewhat, as the better ones aren't very cheap. Last time I bought coffee, I got about 18 pounds. With any luck that will last me a while. Green coffee will keep for about 2-3 years if you store it in a cool, dry place.
If you decide to try out the roasting thing, check out Sweet Marias. They have everything from green coffee to roasters.
Thanks for the tip. I had a roomate who was a wholesale roaster back in the day (which is why I’m a snob). I have some knowledge and should take a shine to roasting my own. However, I have a local roaster selling Organic Mexican Chiapas, Organic Peruvian, and a couple others in rotation for $9.99/lb. That’s hard to beat. I could get some more exotic stuff to roast myself. Plus I’ve taken the next step toward connoisseur; we only make French press now. The trick is to buy a press that’s also a thermal carafe.