Product review: McCafe, um I mean Latte

The scene: Exit 253 McDonalds, Highway 55, Joliet, Illinois. 2 pm Sunday July 26

There I was. Tired. Decaffeinated. Desperate. I knew the nearest Starbucks was about 4 long miles away and I needed to check into my motel and relax, but first my screaming empty neuroreceptors needed coffee.

Thus, McDonald's. I had been seeing their McCafe bus billboards for the past months advertising their $1.69 iced coffee.

Usually I only go to McDonald's to use the restroom, figuring that eating there every single day of my teen life had paid for the occasional road-trip pit stop, but in this case I was willing to make an exception because I needed mah coffee!

Brittany: WelcometoMcDonaldsmayIhelpyou?
Suebob: Is your iced coffee sweetened?
(I asked because Starbuck's default iced coffee is sweetened. Ugh.)
Brittany: We have sweet tea.
Sue: But the iced coffee isn't sweetened?
Brittany: The latte is sweet.
Sue: (realizing I needed to change tactics): I'll have an iced coffee.
Brittany: Iced tea?
Sue: Iced coffee
Brittany: Latte?
Sue: No, ICED COFFEE
Brittany: Madison, where's the button for iced coffee?
(Madison ignores her).
Brittany: Where's the button for iced coffee????
Madison: Right here. Where it always is.
(Oh, SNAP!)
Brittany: Do you want cream?
Sue: Yes.
Brittany: What kind of syrup?
Sue: No syrup. Just iced coffee.
Brittany: With cream?
Sue: Yes, cream, no syrup.

(waiting)

My drink came. It was a big milky latte, sweetened, with whipped cream on top. I had to wait while Brittany finished screwing up someone else's order.

Sue: Ummm, this isn't iced coffee.

All motion behind the counter stopped as everyone glared at me.

Sue: Please. I want. A cup. With ice in it. With coffee. And milk. That is it. Cup, ice, coffee, milk. Iced coffee.

Three minutes later I had what I wanted. The whole transaction had taken 10 minutes and set me back $1.69. The coffee wasn't bad. But next time? Dunkin' Donuts.

How we treat each other

Some fans from the parade yesterday. Couldn't we all use a cheering section?

I've been thinking about the effects people have on each other lately. How different energies make us feel.

This line of thought was inspired by some of the coolest people on the internet: Jen Lemen, Tracey Clark, and Andrea Scher.

Even though I don't know these women well, I see their influence everywhere in the blog world. It is like ripples in a pond. The people who come closest to them become more creative, braver, more filled with life.

And then there are other people. The opposites. Those who suck your life energy, who drag you down, who leave the world a little darker each day. They aren't necessarily evil. In most cases, it just seems like they can't help themselves.

Imagine this: you are given an award. Some random award from work or an organization you belong to. You are probably going to tell people you know. There are those you can't wait to tell, because they say things like:

• That is great! You so deserve it!
  
• I know you have worked hard and I love seeing you get rewarded
  
• This is just the beginning of good things for you
  

Their eyes shine, they hug you, they want to make you do more.

There are others who you don't feel so good about telling. You hope that they will share your happiness, that they will, for once, be able to be there for you, to cheer you on. But once again you are disappointed as you hear them say:

• Oh, I bet they give lots of those awards
  
• That's what they give you instead of money
  
• Awards don't really mean much
  

The black cloud descends. Your energy level sinks. It's like they can't wait for you to climb up a little so they can knock you back down. Like they take your happiness and feed the endless black hole they have inside themselves.

If you call the dark people out about their negativity, they counter with something like "I'm just being realistic," meaning it is YOU who is wrong, not them.

I don't know what it is in me that gets me so pulled in to the darkness and so dismissive of the light. But I am going to work on believing the supportive people and in keeping away from the others.

I have already come a long way. I have had to work like hell to climb out of some of the holes I have let myself be pushed down into - places where I doubted my purpose, my talents, my very reason for existing. I have been there and I'm not going back.

Anyone want to join me in jumping up toward the light?