Coffee Shop or Starbucks?

Something compelled me, the second I sat down here at this coffee shop, the desire to blog. Why is that? Thats dumb! Also, with blogging from a MacBook at the apple store the other day, and now blogging from my iPhone in a Starbucks? What's up with that? I mean, what's so terrible about picking up the computer and writing about things I think about?

So I just told you I'm at a coffee shop and then told you I'm at a Starbucks. I know this is a coffee shop, but I think at this point we all consider the locally owned, local little coffee shop down the stree around the corner as the real coffee shops and a Starbucks as maybe more like, say, McDonald's? I usually feel this weird pointlessness to go sit at a coffee shop or Starbucks and use your computer or iPad or whatever in public. Most people have wifi now a days, don't they? I feel like anytime I see a person browsing away on their iPad in public, they're clearly just showing off that they have one, no? Laptops not as much, but I just feel like you have to make a great effort to go out and do that in public. It's a culture I don't understand.

Well, since I'm here blogging on my iPhone, I think I'll grab that free app thing Starbucks offers. Usually it's something good. Looks like it's Brian Cox's Wonders of the Universe. Hope it's good. I'll take almost anything free.


Have a good day, world.

Taking Small Things For Granted

365 days ago, I got into my Volkswagen Passat, and started driving south. 14 hours and 960-some-odd miles later, I was in middle Tennessee. Save for the trip to Atlanta this past weekend, I haven't left yet. I miss home, but I'm glad to be where I am, because this is a life experience. I've talked enough about that, though. What's really got me going this morning has nothing to do with my current location.

Tuesday morning, I awoke like usual, and grabbed the newspaper from outside my apartment door, as usual. The next thing that is the usual, that's where it gets unusual. I ground up my coffee beans, and put them in the filter in the coffee maker. I added the water, and plugged the coffee maker in to the wall outlet. I hit the brew button, and...nothing. Nothing happened. I hit the brew button again, aghast that it didn't do what it was supposed to do, and it just sat there, looking at me, while I looked at it. The coffee maker was broken. It's weird how things will just stop working properly sometimes. It's one of those things you rely on, but don't think much about. I make coffee every morning in that coffee maker, and it's always just there, working, ready to brew delicious coffee. When it didn't work, I didn't know what to do, immediately. Like I said, it was morning, so I'm not thinking clearly. I remembered that we have a french press that is an alternate way to brew coffee, though not as efficent, because you use more beans for less brewed coffee. So at least I can still make coffee, but I was probably more shocked at the fact that there was something I relied on and it just...stopped working.

So now I gotta buy a new coffee maker. That one wasn't even that old. 2 or 3 years, I believe. In the meantime, I'll be drinking the coffee from the french press, and all the sludge that comes with it. I'm not complaining about having to make coffee in the french press, because it works just fine, I just wasn't expecting it.

A Stale Cup of Joe, And I Don't Care

A few things. Firstly, it's not even 7a.m. CST, and I'm already getting my blog on. That's dedication, or boredom. Secondly, I'm bored already, and it's before 7a.m. This could pose a problem. I am working the dreaded 12-hour shift today. I know there are some in the world that only work 12-hour shifts all the time, and me bitching it about will make you laugh that I only have to do one. But when you only have to do one, you're not used to it and it makes it a bad experience. I don't want to be here for 8 hours let alone 12. But things come up, overtime is accrued, and all is well. I still get the rest of the day off after I get outta here. I get tomorrow off, and Monday off. Overall, this isn't that much different than usual. But just thinking about being here for an extra four hours is like the end of the world in my mind. I got a book, I got an SI. I got the iPod. I got the computer. I got food to eat. I should be fine. It's just a mental hurdle from here on out.

I left a sandwich bag with coffee beans in the office cabinet for a week. I brewed those beans this morning and they are not very good. I also brought some newer beans from home, in case these beans weren't enough or if they tasted stale. They are stale, but the fact that it's so early in the morning, I don't care yet. Hot coffee-ish dark liquid is better than nothing. Also the fact that they're ground by me instead of the Folgers factory will always make it taste better. More on that later, I hope.

To all of you that have been reading, I greatly appreciate it. Please call me out if I say something stupid. I don't want to think I'm right ALL the time. See you tomorrow, on a very special Valentine's day edition!