Starbucks

In high school I wanted to fit in. I wanted to wear what everyone else was wearing, speak with the same Valley inflection like everyone else (we were the original Valley Girls), and mostly become one with the popular minority. It never happened. And I’m grateful for that because I grew up to be me. I didn’t adopt someone’s life. I made my own. So I was shocked when I noticed that I had quietly slipped into my old high school ways.

I was a drone following the crowd, doing what everyone was doing. And really, who made them important enough to blindly follow? The quick answer. Me. It’s satisfying to be one of the crowd. I admit to savoring the smug feeling when someone new tries to order a drink at Starbucks and doesn’t know the proper lingo. “Tall, Pike with room…please.” Does it get more obnoxious than that?!

I like the routine of standing in line and ordering the same thing every day. I like leaving my house ten precious minutes early so I have time for my daily fix. Wait. No, I don’t. It stresses me out. I check the dashboard clock constantly as I drive into work. I know that I need to get off the freeway at 8:20 or earlier to make my stop and still get to work on time. As of today, I’m done.

No more Starbucks.

My instant and best reward….time. I can actually chew my breakfast. Or, if I want to really live on the edge, I can sit down at the table instead of leaning against the counter.

The money savings is substantial…enough for a weekend in Mammoth, Palm Springs, or Laguna Beach. (Since this is my fantasy, I get to pick the places I want to visit.) My daily coffee and ice-tea habit costs me $4.40 a day, or $17.60 per week, which factors in my 4 day work week. If I’m generous with myself, I can pretend that the year only holds 48 weeks where I do this. Grand total of yearly waste…$844.80.

Guess what? I have a nicely functioning coffee pot. I have a to-go carafe to hold my coffee. Here’s my new plan. The morning coffee I’ve been throwing down the sink because I don’t have time to drink it before rushing off to buy coffee (tell me you don’t read crazy here) is now going with me to work where I will drink it at my leisure.

I’m all for technological advances, new ideas, new places. But life throws enough at us that it is ludicrous to manufacture our own stresses for no reason other than ‘everyone else is doing it…’ Good bye Starbucks! I’ll miss you and your caffeinated employees. If you ever come looking for me, I’ll be the one leisurely strolling into work a few minutes early, belly full, warm coffee in hand.