2 years

It's been two years.

Two years since my grandpa died. But sometimes, it feels like just yesterday. What makes it worse, I guess, is that my roommate's grandmother died yesterday. That dredged up feelings. I hardly ever see her, because she works the morning show at a radio station, and I usually work nights, but I did run into her at the mall as i was leaving yesterday. She was out looking for shoes. When I gave her a hug, I mentioned that I lost Grandpa 2 years ago this weekend, my tears just sorta bubbled up and out.

It's wierd because I don't know that I ever cried about Grandpa. I cried at his service, but that was after they announced that Uncle Norm was in the hospital with a stroke, more of an emotional release.

I was talking with Debbie the other day, about the events surrounding Grandpa's last days, as she was there and we weren't. And I realized, I wasn't there. I was living by myself, I wasn't getting phone calls at all hours of the day and night, my life, basically, went on.
Unlike my roommate, we knew Grandpa was slipping away. He had been for quite a while, but the last month went rather quickly. I was fortunate enough that I got to see him one last time and say "goodbye", but because we lived 1500 miles away, we were far removed from it all. The other roommate and I were discussing it last night, whether it was better to go quickly or have time to say "goodbye" And now, the more that I think about it, I think that sometimes God knows what He's doing and each situation is the right one for the people involved. For us, slowly was best because the family is kinda spread out. It gave my family time to come up, and other family who live out west. For my roommate, her whole family lives within a 5 hour radius, enough that they all were able to see her one last time in the short time they had.

I HATE STARBUCKS!!!!!!!!!!

I am livid.
I hate Starbucks.

I just do.

Yes. I will readily admit that I used to be one of the lemmings that thought they were the best thing since sliced bread... but now.. no more. Yes, I will also admit that I did used to work for Books a Million in the Joe Muggs Cafe... and that did alter my perceptions, but there are 20 thousand other coffee places that offer better coffee than Starbucks.

I used to think that my friend Chris was crazy when she said they overroasted their beans, and that she was just trying to sound smart.... turns out, she was right. They do.. they overroast the beans and it makes for a crappy cup of coffee! Everything there tastes burnt to me... all the different blends and varieties taste exactly the same! When I worked at Joe Muggs, we brewed about 5 different kinds of non-flavored coffee year round, and for the most part, I could tell the difference in each type, not only in flavor, but even in smell. Starbucks, no.

Tonight, I went there. I went to Starbucks and I ordered coffee. Ever since I'd realized how much they sucked, I rarely, if ever, get coffee there. I will get apple cider, I'll get tea... I won't even get a frappuchino, cause I think they're just not good. But every once and a while, I get a craving for a carmel macchiatto, and tonight was one of those nights. I went through the drive through, and placed my order. What I asked for was this,

"Can I please have a tall, decaf carmel macchiatto, dry, please."

and the chickie at the speaker box said, "Huh? Dry?"

Oh dear, I should have just left right then and there. Any drink made with steamed milk should be able to be made dry. So I then rephrased it and said, "Yes, may I please have it with dry, with extra foam."

and on the little screen, I saw "Extra foam"

I then proceeded to the window to pay. My total came to $3.33 and I gave her $10.35, thinking if I was feeling generous, I'd leave the 2 pennies. I sat there and waited, and waited, and waited, and then she gave me 7 dollars back. And I said to her,
"What was my total?"

and she looked at me as if I had three heads, and proceeded to print out a new receipt and said, "Huh?" and I said, "I think I gave you $10.35, and you gave me $7.00, what was my total?" and then she dug from the tip jar and gave me two pennies.

now, this has nothing to do with Starbucks coffee, but I mean, that was essentially stealing, was it not? She didn't give me the correct change! It's not like she gave me .35 cents, when she was supposed to give me back .33, she kept 2 pennies, that was legally MINE! That's just not right! Who lets them do that!??!?!

I finally get my drink and I'm so annoyed that I didn't take more than a sip, to make sure it was even the right drink, before I got home. When I did, I took off the lid and nearly spilled my drink. It was full, to the brim, with milk, and then foam, and foam coming out of the lid!!!!!!!! When I asked for it dry, I meant I wanted LESS MILK and MORE FOAM!! I wanted it just a little bit stronger coffee flavored, but not so much that I wanted an extra shot! I exasperatedly drank it, only to receive ANOTHER shock... they hadn't hardly stirred the drink at all! When I got to the bottom, it was like drinking sugar. All the syrup was on the bottom, they hadn't stirred it into the milk at all! That's just not right, not quality! I paid twice as much for that drink than at any other coffee shop and it was CRAP!

I'm so freakin' annoyed! I'm totally going in tomorrow morning and looking for a manager to discuss this situation. I'm sure NOTHING will come of it, but it's the principle of the thing, ya know?

2 AM ramblings

so i don't really know what i'm doing anymore.

i'm at this job, where they've hired a junkload of people now and it seems that i can only get about 10 hours a week to work. that's not a job, that's a hobby! I don't know where else to go to find someplace to work. i'm new in town, i don't know what i want to do... i'm at a loss. I think maybe i'll call that temp agency that my roommate's sister used to work for. i guess i can do that and still stay at the mall. I like the mall, it's easy, most of the time, and most of the people are fun. besides, i've gotta stay there if i'm gonna shop, which i am.. paying full price and/or waiting on sales SUCKS.

i'm hopelessly addicted to Disney World. I now have to be one of those people who has to plan a trip.. airfare, hotels, tickets, everything. and that just.plain.sucks! Gone are my days of going over for the afternoon to hang out because I had a bad day. or meeting friends in the park for dinner or running away for the night to a sweet hotel. No. now I have to plan around my schedule and value or peak seasons, and it's just sapping the fun out of it.

but I can't not go. I just can't. It makes me so depressed just thinking about not being able to go. I want to be able to go for more than like 3 days. but I don't think I can get off the work for it. Besides, I can't hardly afford it. I hate the value resorts, and unless I get there in the next month, or wait until the summer, it's gonna be at least 75 bucks a night. at that rate, i can't stay more than about 3 nights. and that, right there, that just doesn't cut it. I want a nice hotel, and I want a lot of days. There aren't too many people who can even understand that. I need at least 4 full days in the parks. I don't want to park hop just to make it to each park.. 2 days is definitely not enough, 3 is just barely, and 4 makes sure i can get a full day in each park, if I so chose. I know I won't, want a full day in each park.. but I don't want to be rushed at all. It's not like I have to go on every single attraction while I"m there... but I need major time for shopping and browsing, and time for eating.. cause there are still places i haven't been yet.. and I'm just too random to ever try to stick to a plan. And Everest. I need that like, 4 times.. that could be half a day, depending on the time of year... and Kilamanjaro Safari too.. need a few times of that.. early morning, and just prior to close, for sure.. And if i'm with someone who doesn't understand my pace, or wants to do things b/c they've never been there... I have to oblige..

crap, who am I trying to convince? I don't make more than 70 dollars a week now.. that won't ever pay for a trip. I hate Starbucks and Barnes and Noble and Borders.. I want a Books a Million near me.. I want to work there. Maybe I should try Publix for a while. They generally don't suck much, and I could buy stock if I wanted to eventually. Hmm.. wonder about the Disney Store and it's relationship with the parks these days. Used to be you could get cast priveledges, but since it's sold out, I don't think so.

*researching....*

Nope. Disney Stores have been sold to The Children's Place and it's now a worse place to work than for Charming Shoppes.

*sigh*

I'll never figure my life out.


-out-
-QN