On Addiction

Hello, everyone.  My name is Mrs. Jen B.  And I'm a Starbucksaholic.

What leads me to this conclusion, you ask?

Because it's darn near impossible for me to steer clear of Starbucks, that's what.  It's like a tractor beam pulls me in every time I pass it while rushing from one train to the other during my morning commute and only the very strongest burst of rarely-used willpower (or "oh crap I'm gonna be late for work if I stop") can keep me away. 

Even still, I only go if I have the time between trains to do so, and only if there's next to no line at the counter.  Now, anyone who's ever been to a Starbucks at 8AM knows that it's rare to find a counter with no line.  It's even more rare for me to have the time between trains to stop.  Therefore, if I have the time AND there's hardly any people waiting?

Well, it was meant to be, friends.  Consider me caffeinated.  Who am I to fight fate?

Of course, it's been fated that I patronize Starbucks for the past several days.  And each time I go, it's been fated that I purchase a grande, iced, non-fat no-whip dark cherry mocha.  Swoon.  Can I just tell you how amazing this is? If you haven't had one yet, I have to ask you - nay, BEG YOU - to stop what you're doing right this very second and go purchase and then consume one.  You will thank me.

Yesterday, after several such visits in a row, the girl at the register told me I should get a Starbucks card, which is really just a giftcard but you can keep reloading it and earn points with your purchases.  Her reasoning behind this offer? "Because you're here, like, every day".

I was shocked for a second there, and my inner-Jen argued with her.  "Not true, barista.  Not true.  I know I'm memorable and all that because I'm that person who waits until I'm at the register to start fumbling around for my money, thus holding up everyone else and probably making them curse me out because they think I can't hear them with my earphones in but joke's on them because the music's turned off, but...Not true!".

...Okay, maybe I do go there a little more than I should on my limited budget.  But certainly not daily.  Still, this kindly barista opened my eyes to my true predicament.  I am an addict. Oh, the shame.

I mean, really.  If I'm truly looking for caffeination, the Keurig coffee maker at the office should do the trick.  It's coffee, it has caffeine.  It will probably taste okay.  It will achieve the same goal that a certain overpriced cup of absolute deliciousness will.  And I don't have to pay for it.

But let's not kid ourselves here.  It's not the same.  It's not.  And it never will be. 

Starbucks, you have me where you want me, you evil genius.

So what did I do in light of this revelation? I got the card, of course.  Might as well earn points if possible, right? Plus I figure, this will keep me honest about my coffee budget.  I'll only load a certain amount of money on at a time and when it's gone, it's gone, until the next time I load.

So ha-ha, Starbucks.  Take that, I say.  I can, indeed, control your hold over me.


*slurp slurp*


Oh, I almost forgot! Check out my blog renaming contest! Not as cool as some of the other contests out there in blogland, but important to me nonetheless!