Is it wrong to love Starbucks?

I don't generally think of myself as a brand or trend-whore. But every now and then there is something which completely runs in the face of this desired self-perception (in addition to my North Face fleece, my Jack Spade bag, my JCrew clothing, etc.) Take, for example, Starbucks. I love it. The coffee, the specialty drinks, the environment, the music/movie/lifestyle recommendations. It is great.

And I love the new campaign around the idea of "making it yours", especially the ability to create your own custom-drink artwork - with the help of Michael Knight from Project Runway fame, not Night Rider. Not only can you create your cup, but you can then download the artwork as your screen saver and even win a free t-shirt of your cup if you are one of the first people every morning starting at 10:00 AM! How sweet is that? Or is it sweet? What is wrong with me? Would I really walk around with a t-shirt advertising what a high-maintenance cappuccino-orderer I am?

Welcome to New York

I've been here less than 24 hours and already have had my first New York moment I guess. I'm standing in front of the three, 10-foot high bay windows that look out over my cute, tree-lined summer street and I see this man...

This man looks absolutely, certifiably insane: He has gray, unwashed, thinning hair; a shrunken and sallow faced; he is underweight and has a slight hump to his posture; and he is staggering and swaying as he tries to run down the street, his left arm wrapped across his stomach, and his right arm wrapped behind his own back as though he's trying to hug himself.

I think to myself, shit, maybe this isn't the best neighborhood. Then I think, how is someone like that not in treatment or on medication. Then I observe how no one else is really paying much attention to him.

He unexpectedly veers right and heads into the Starbucks (you read right, there is a Starbucks directly across the street from me!) All of a sudden, his absurd "jog" ceases, his self-embrace desists, he calmly clasps his hands behind his back in a most dignified manner, and strolls into the Starbucks.

I guess some people enjoy their coffee even more than I do!