Ten Things About Starbucks That I Like Despite My Best Efforts To Fight The Man

1. Recycled napkins
2. The music they sell is actually pretty amazing
3. Tazo Tea
4. The barista at the one next to the CVS (heartbreakingly friendly)
5. After-coffee mints
6. So easy to find one nearby, no matter where you are
7. Wonderful around Christmastime (also open on Christmas Day)
8. The chocolate cupcakes. Ohmygoodnessheavenly.
9. Helped me pass AP Chem.
10. Well, I can appreciate a colorfully painted hanging light shade.

They're just so, easy easy easy. I mean, I prefer Snug Mug's futon/ Calvin and Hobbes books/ lattes and Java Monkey's hot chocolate/ general ambience and Panera's food/ quiet back corner for studying...but Starbucks is a good place to meet in the middle. I mean, you know it's going to be loud and overpriced and that you'll have to say silly words like "grande" and "venti," but at least you know the formula and can consciously settle for it instead of walking in blindly somewhere. I guess it's nice just to have that confidence and stability and assurance, at least in this one place. No matter how chaotic and everywhere the rest of your life is, you at least know you can drive five minutes to a Starbucks and find without fail that same old selloutselloutsameoldsameold.

(I do wish they had: mugs; softer lattes; more couches; a quieter cappuccino machine; a later closing time.)

an ammendment (1/15): Brought this up with Greg and learned of a-- rumor? possibility?-- that Starbucks employs some very inhumane practices to grow its coffee. How much truth there is to this claim I don't know. Will update as soon as I find new information.