Wednesday

        Today was long and tiring and it is only 5 pm. I woke up late for my 9 am class and rather than jumping out of bed as soon as realized the time, I laid there peacefully almost appreciating my incompetent alarm. Lately my emotions have been so inconsistent. Some days I feel strong and ready to begin my newly single life by planning extravagant trips to Europe and sculpting a new body at the gym. Then other days I mope around the house listening to classic love ballads and explaining, in detail, to my friends why I will never experience that kind of love again. I am grateful that I have people in my life who listen to me scream along to Kelly Clarkson’s “Since You’ve Gone,” then morosely whisper the lyrics to Tracy Chapman’s “Love’s Proof.” My wild emotions are somewhat comical and make for decent stories but they eventually wear me down until I collapse into bed earlier than the average fifth-grader. With time my emotions should steady and my energy level will rise but until then, caffeine will be my greatest ally.

volatile	adj.	Explosive; fickle (n: volatility).
voracious	adj.	Craving or devouring large quantities of food, drink, or other things. She is a voracious reader.

Unsure

The scariest question I have been asked lately regards my future. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and even customers at Starbucks have been constantly asking me what I want to “become.” It is such a profound question that I doubt people even realize how incredibly overwhelming it is to hear. “Becoming” something alludes to getting a well respected career that changes the world, while making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and has a decent dental plan. So unless I become the first woman President of the United States or create the next Facebook, the expectations of others will probably not get met. Which is unfortunate for them, but not for me. “Becoming” something should not connote a wise career path or the tangible result of a well-planned life. To “become” suggests growth has concluded and one has reached the final stage of development. I do not ever want to “become,” I want to thrive and flourish as long as my bones and brain allow, then I will have “become” something: accomplished. Until I can figure out a one sentence synopsis of what I want to “become” without sounding like a delirious hippie, I will simply smile and say, “I’m not sure.” I am okay with that for now. 

Sate	v.	to satisfy fully or to excess
Saturnine	adj.	having a gloomy or morose temperament

efficacy

n.

effectiveness; capability to produce a desired effect




enervate

v.

to weaken or destroy the strength or vitality of: "The heatenervated everyone." (adj: enervating)

Let's Stay Together

     “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green was once my favorite song. I used to play it over and over again while studying or talking on the phone with my love. I understood every lyric and hummed softly to the laid back rhythm of a very common love story. Now, after a life changing break-up and fully grasping the meaning of a “broken heart,” I cannot tolerate the once soothing sound of “Let’s Stay Together.”


    Never before have I heard this song played on the radio or a television commercial or even randomly selected on my Iphone, until now. I hear this song everywhere and it is driving me insane. I was at my hair salon on Friday, waiting to get my hair shampooed and suddenly over the radio I hear those signature horns and a soft voice whispering, “Let’s Stay Together.” All I could do was sit there in agony praying that the rushing water over my ears would drown out the song, and protect my mind from reliving every memory connected to those lyrics. My prayers were not answered and I sat in a cold chair holding back tears while my hairstylist blew warm air on my face from the hairdryer. At least the bursts of air dried my watery eyes. That was not the last time I heard the song, I accidently heard it twice today on my Iphone and it was also a suggestion on my Itunes account. So many incredible times were created because of this song, like slow dancing in a dorm room at 3 a.m. on our first anniversary. Perhaps that is the reason why I cannot bear to listen to it. “Let’s Stay Together” will continue to woo audiences just as it wooed me because it is a timeless record of human emotion and the bonds of love. Although it haunts me now, I hope one day I can fall back into love with it and reconnect with a song so full of honesty and passion.

Sure, What Size?

        Since last week’s blog was depressing and borderline pathetic, this week’s blog shall be humorous and light hearted because frankly I cannot take anymore sadness. I work at Starbucks Coffee Company. I have made thousands of lattes, mochas and the most beloved of all drinks, Frappuccinos for over three years now. 

        Within my tenure I have encountered many different types of customers. I would say “people” but I believe when one walks through the doors of Starbucks they are transformed into needy, parsimonious, and pretentious beings, thus rendering them customers, not people. The most common customer is one who knows exactly how their drink should taste, but does not engage the barista if made incorrectly. They sip their drink and slowly walk away with a confused expression until the barista asks if there is a problem. The customer almost always refuses to have their drink corrected and the barista usually has to beg for another try. This passive-aggressive behavior is traditionally unacceptable in society but at Starbucks passive aggression is expected and encouraged. Another common customer is one who believes they can craft their drink better than the trained professional. Those customers are the ones who feel the need to instruct the barista on how to make a drink that they have made hundreds of times before. Sometimes I want to say: “Yes, I have steamed milk before, but you may attempt to steam your own cappuccino if you would like and I will watch every move you make so you do not ruin a perfectly good pitcher of milk.” It is statements like that that I and every barista dream of saying one day but may never get muster the courage. The most irritating and common question I ask customers is not about the quality of their day or the drink they would like, it is the size cup they want. Ninety percent of customers never bother to say the size before they list off complex and unnecessary orders so I must interrupt and ask, "Sure, what size?” This happens at least thirty times every shift, and is number four on my list of Starbucks pet peeves. Starbucks has done a lot for me: flexible hours, free drinks and the occasional paycheck but I honestly believe that I have done even more for them. Can one put a price on dealing with ridiculous customers, making drinks and minding food safety, all while smiling and engaging in conversation? I think not.




Vocab Words:

Buttress	v., n.	to support. a support
Cadge	v.	to get something by taking advantage of someone