What's the term for the generational trend of Starbucks sipping/laptop toting/"writing my first novel" people?

I don't know either, but that's me today...except for the first novel part. Had to take the car in for an oil change today, and brought my laptop, so I could continue "working" for the rest of the afternoon. Whatever you call them, I'm enjoying being a poser.

By the way. What is up with Starbucks? I was under the impression that they had free wireless?? Weren't you? I must be misguided. Apparently, you have to subscribe to T-moblie Hot Spots to get access here...UNLESS you sit really close to the window that's across the walkway from the Mac Store, then you can pirate their WiFi connection for free!!

So, here I am at Starbucks, working in a totally different way than I used to work at Starbucks...enjoying this much better.

Its funny to me how the people are the same, even though they have different names. Lindz - you can relate.

There's the older store manager who is a Starbucks lifer, but can't really find a way to get out. She's "managing" today, but she's been sitting in the back room since she arrived. There's the young "partner" who is just starting out and incorrectly calls a drink to the barista who has been around through 5 or 6 new-hires and doesn't really have time to pay attention...making the newbie call it wrong more than once before the other, totally jaded, long time employee writes up the cup. Everything feels familiar...when I grabbed an empty half-half caraffe and took it to the bar for a new one, I remembered how the cold carraffe feels when you pull it out of the fridge and is immediately covered in condensation. She smiled at me and apologized for the empty, and it could have been me. Then there's the overpoweringly friendly barista who is singing along to the house music a little more loudly and awkwardly that one might hope from a barista. But you can tell she is happy in her little world. Trips to and from the back room with an apron-full of syrup bottles. Large, clear plastic garbage bags full of steaming coffe grounds. Rows of coffee beans with fancy little stickers indicating the blend.

"Do you need milk?"

"Yes - 4 and 4!" (4 whole gallons, 4 non-fat gallons)

It's almost like I spent 5 years of my life in the room...the sound of chairs chattering into place across the permantly dingy tile floors, blender motors powering through chunks of ice then red-lining when an air pocket surrounds the blades, call after call of ridiculously long and complicated custom drink orders, the drone of espresso machines pouring shot and dumping the grounds.

It definitley takes me back...and even though I'm glad to be blogging instead of sweeping in Starbucks, it was a good 5 years.

Just to be fair...

A new look for T-dog

Just because...