Starbucks Tag

the people of starbucks

(I wonder how many of you will get the title copycat reference:)

My business is not glamorous. I spend a lot of my days in what’s been called my “Sporty Spice” gear. We’re not talking about hot chick in Lululemon matching cute spandex outfit kind of stuff. More like the rotating 6 pair of shorts I got at the Adidas outlet last year for ten bucks each, and some variety of the 8,600 BLR Play It Forward pink or blue t-shirts I’ve collected from years of events. I’m often meeting with home services people for last minute improvements to get houses market ready as I organize a garage, or declutter several rooms. I might be unpacking from a recent move, or helping stage a space. I often schlep furniture, sort piles of paper in offices, or spend hours on the phone with cell phone and cable companies arguing better rates for my clients. These kind of tasks do not require the skirts, dresses, or heels I love. Sporty Spice wear all the way.

Just when I start thinking to myself Ok Diane, maybe It’s time to ramp up your sporty, grubby, get-it-done gear with something stretchy but at least still halfway cute, I see this:

Sweats

…and this:

Sweats

…and I think to myself. You know what? I think I’m doing just fine.

Do you see me trying not to laugh in the first picture? I took it last week. I was sitting near a fireplace at a Starbucks because all the tables were taken. I was having a Don’t all the other fine folks in this place look all fabulous in their business gear, maybe I should stop coming straight from the gym or client projects in my nappy old sporty things to catch up on computer time looking like this moment. Then? This woman came in, sat staring at me with her full spread of Bojangles chicken and biscuits, and noshed away. As soon as she finished, she proceeded to unapologetically pull her jacket over herself with a big yawn and take an hour nap. (At the time I was texting with my sister and had to send her a photo as I shook my head giggling away.) That scene gave a whole new meaning to “It’s Bo Time.”

Here I sit today (I think on the exact day and time I was here last week?) next to the fireplace once again because there are no tables available in this always hopping afternoon coffee spot. Sure enough…round two. Business guy in same chair kicks my purse after he kicks off his shoes that have housed his smelly (not even kidding you, stinky) argyle dress-socked feet, so he too can lounge as if he’s in his own living room.

Are you laughing yet? I am.

Ew. Stinky stranger feet in my face.

If I ever worry again about looking a little bit grubby or the least bit crazy dressed in my not so hottie mcdottie clothing at Starbucks…um…I won’t.

#ThingsPeopleDoInPublic #EntertainingHumans #ItsBoTime

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why you should always hold the door open

I love holding the door open for people. While we all live in all too fast-paced reality of the work day, there are few ways we can experience such a happy interaction with a stranger like we can when we wait that extra few seconds to simply hold the door.

Funny I posted about doing good earlier today. Doing good feels so good! I love the look on a strangers face when I hold the door open- the absolute surprise for such a little thing.

I just walked into Starbucks to camp with my laptop for the afternoon, and a couple guys followed me in. I held the door. (I had to count to three-one-thousand for them to catch up to me, so perhaps I looked awkward, but I didn’t care.) I got a big thank you, then walked into the restroom before ordering. When I came out I got behind these same two guys in line as one of them said “…and whatever she’s having for holding the door open for us!”

Whoop!

They thanked me again, complimented my dress, (hello blue!- my favorite color…wink wink:), and I thanked them again.

Thank you fiesta!

I’m still smiling now as I type. That 3 minutes made my day. People being nice to each other. How easy is that?!

I hope you will join me, and hold the door please, (on everything) just for a few extra seconds. Make sure you smile at a stranger when you can. What you put out, always comes back in some form or another. (At least, I keep still believing.)

Starbucks office

Thanks for my coffee, guys!

#DoGood #BeNice #LessHurryMoreDoorHoldingHappyLife

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adventures in humans

I try not to do this, but I just can’t help it today. Mostly because this has happened twice within a week and on the most extreme level, so I must share…

We all know the scene; “that guy” in the coffee shop. The one just-a-chattin’ away on his cell phone for 20 minutes straight as if he’s in his private office. Not a care in the world, and completely clueless about anything and everything around him.

I’ve come to know “that guy” very well over the years on the road and now in my home base city hopping from coffee shop to coffee shop as my office so often. Once every few weeks there’s a real doozy “that guy” who babbles so loudly on his phone that everyone around him can’t help but to give that evil – ummm, can you PLEASE shut up?! stare. Usually it is kind of funny and entertaining, and I giggle a little or shrug it off thinking, I’m might not be perfect at a lot of things, but at least I’m not THAT guy! 

Yes, I usually just shake my head and laugh, wondering how “that guy”‘s mom didn’t teach him to know better. I’m pretty numb to “that guy” as he seems to be a regular no matter what state I’m in. I do my best to ignore and type away on my computer. This past week however, there was no ignoring. “That guy”- two of them, have been real pieces of work.

This particular Starbucks, one I never come to, I happen to be at today for the second time in 7 days. They must have a sign I missed out front that reads:

Enter here, circus show screamers! Step right up! No rules here! Yell on the phone for an hour about your company sales team! Talk to your coworker at a screech level that reminds us of that scene in in the movie Teen Wolf when Michael J. Fox can hear the dog whistle piercing in his ear! Take your mangled stinky sneakers off and hang out like you’re in your living room! Anything goes! Welcome to the freak show! 

I’m not joking or exaggerating when I say that last week, after a full HOUR of “that guy” in a suit sitting next to me, absolutely screaming (like someone call the police screaming because there must be something wrong screaming) – I could’t take it anymore and had to lean over with a Excuse me sir, um, could you just like- stop, please? You are unbelievably loud. I honestly was so dumbfounded I didn’t even know what to say, and I’m rarely at a loss for words.

He apologized, still on his call, then simply turned to the wall and kept scream-talking!

Seriously.

The fact that Ashton Kutcher didn’t jump out of a plant and tell me I was Punk’d, still baffles me.

And then there’s today.

There sits a man across from me (no shame, straight up in his UPS uniform I might add) who was for his entire stay, talking at about that same scream talk level as the previous guy on one phone, while texting on another. Lunch/lunch bag spread out on the table, full-on lounging like he owned the place, and just chilling out with his shoes off. Nice Gold Toe UPS browns, buddy.

Did I mention he had sunglasses on too? Of course he did. You always need sunglasses sitting inside at a table for an hour. That brought my scene on a full-circle crazy train loop.

No shame UPS

Clueless UPS

I love talking. I love noise. I love animated characters. I love when humans let their freak flags fly. Do I care if people are chatty around me? No. Do I think there should be a SHHH!!! Silence please! This is Starbucks! rule? No. Do I kind of enjoy that life so often feels like I’m in an episode of Candid Camera? Yes. But, still- peeps…can we open up our eyes a little, pretty please? 🙂

A part of me appreciates anyone who lives in this kind of level of la la land. It must be fun there! And I suppose I wouldn’t have funny things to write about if adults didn’t misbehave so much.

Thanks “that guy!” You make chatty, no filter, sassafras girls like me, look so quiet and demure.

#ThePeopleAtStarbucks #EverydayAdventure #NeverADullMoment

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