Can You Say Busted? People Helping People, Pay It Forward

So, I kind of got busted in my own Pay It Forward People Helping People deal last week.

I was in Starbucks, and this couple in front of me was digging for money.  I asked them what they were doing, and they said they were looking for cash they knew they had to pay for their purchase.

I asked them if they minded me blessing them by paying for their purchase.  They were hesitant, and came up with the cash, but I persisted in asking, and they sweetly allowed me to pay for the purchases rung up on the register.  They graciously thanked me, and we had a very nice conversation while we awaited our drinks.  We never really introduced ourselves, but talked about our work, our kiddos, etc.  Their daughter's birthday was coming up.  It was a very pleasant interlude in a very busy day.  

On Sunday, ThatManILove and I were headed back home, and I was  shocked to see this message come up on my FB Chat: 

Steph: You saw my parents at Starbucks Thursday!! And blessed them by paying for their coffee.

Me: And how do you know that, missy?  They were beautiful people inside and out!  I just wanted to bless them!  I had no idea they were your parents!

Me:  I don't think I told them who I was?

Steph: You didn't, I put it together when they told me the story.

Me: AND I sure didn't know you were their daughter, I would have added a huge gift card from ThatManILove and I for them to give to you! 

Steph: You are too sweet. Well, they were truly blessed by your act of kindness. And enjoying your company for that short amount of time!

People, how cool is that?  It’s a small world.

Now, go love on somebody, will ya?

Because, you know, the smallest little things can make a difference in somebody's day.

Upbeat Barista

Sunday morning, heading to the Houston airport, we stopped at Starbucks, as is our wont.

We pulled up to the drive-thru.

A friendly Barista male voice boomed out of the loudspeaker:

Good morning! Welcome to Starbucks, it's a beautiful day -  I hope you’re having a wonderful day!  What great-tasting drinks would you like today?

ThatManILove was rendered speechless.

The voice again:  “Good morning!  Hellooooo!  Anyone there?”

ThatManILove:  “Yes, I’m here.  I’m...uh...just...uh...trying to recover from your overtly enthusiastic optimism.”

The voice, laughing:  “That's an awesome response!!”

ThatManILove:  “No problem, I just wasn’t expecting it.”

Me?  I thought it was super refreshing.

We pull up, and the barista introduces himself.

Meet Preston.

Yes, I think I'll fill out the survey.  Because to render my smart, lawyer-like man speechless is no mean feat.

Bbbbbbbbusted...By An IPhone App - And Starbucks

I guess ThatManILove can tell when I get coffee.  

Even when I'm in the PA.

Comfort Food

Do you have a “comfort food”?

It might be something from your youth. For example, ThatManILove loves him some New York style hotdog. If you don’t know what this is (for they rarely serve them in West Texas!), it’s a hot dog with mustard, lettuce, tomato, and pickles. No chili. And the only place locally he can get them is (1) at home, when he makes them, and (2) at Der Wienerschnitzel, which is located 20 miles away in Odessa.

For me? It’s Starbucks Venti Chai, no water.

Foodwise? Cornbread, with a little bit of sweet to it. Lordy, I do love me some cornbread. And blackeyed peas, please.

My comfort food used to be Cool Ranch Doritos and a Dr. Pepper. I really thought that was great food for breakfast (oh, yeah...I’m an oilfield gal!). I rarely drink Dr. Pepper now, but I will sneak a Cool Ranch Dorito chip or two!

When Outback came to town (I celebrated that day!), we would always start out a meal with Aussie Cheese Fries. Until I read the calorie count in those puppies a couple of years ago. I couldn’t believe it.

And now, the Aussie Cheese Fries have made the #1 listing in the Men’s Health.com article “The 20 Worst Foods In America” - with a rocking 2900 calories per order.

A Little Bit of Heaven...That Goes Straight To My Butt

My Chai didn’t make it, but it should have, at 300+ calories, and that’s with low-fat milk.

I quit. If you see me going thru the Starbucks drive-thru, feel free to stop me and check me for drinks. And pour them out.

So, what's your comfort food?

Bussssssstttted by the Barista

The other night, we ran through the Starbucks en route to Fort Worth.

ThatManILove pulled up to the speaker to order, and the barista begins to speak.

“Welcome to Starbucks! Would you like a vanilla spice latte? Or could I interest you in a caramel macchiato or a some madeline cookies?”

I might not have her spiel right, because I was laughing so hard at TMIL I couldn’t hear her.

You see, the entire time she was giving her little Welcome to Starbucks speech, he was wagging his head and mocking her. And it cracked me up.

And then, she said, “Don’t be wagging that head at me and making fun of me...you know I can see every move you make!” And then, she cracked up. We could hear all the baristas laughing in the store.

I wish I’d had a camera.

I laughed so hard I couldn’t breathe. ThatManILove got a kick out of it, too!

Our Favorite Spot…Vamos Por La Casa, Senor

 Talk about comfort…this is our first stop towards home.

We stop here, every time, en route from DFW to home.

God bless you, you people of Starbucks in Weatherford, Tx.

God bless you.  Your coffee.  Your clean bathrooms.

Thoughtful Tuesday - ThatManILove Partayyyyy Like A Rockstar

ThatManILove, driving me home from my retreat this weekend.  Trying to be quiet to give me
some peace so I can rest.  Then, forgetting he has on headphones and singing out loud anyway.

God, I love him.

My Name Is Janie, and I'm a Diet-aholic

I called my trainer today.

To, you know, bitch whine.

She didn’t answer.

So, I instant-messaged another trainee, Melissa, on Facebook.

She called me back.

Here’s how it went down.  (disclaimer: I may have taken a wee bit of poetic license.)

Me:  I wanna quit.

Her: You can’t quit.

Me:  I want to quit. I gained weight. I’m having irregularity. I’m not a happy camper.

Her:  You drinking all the water you’re supposed to be drinking?

Me:  Yes. I feel like I’m about to pee my pants every freakin’ minute of every freakin’ day.

Her:  I was discouraged, too, but I’ve lost X amount of inches!
Me:  Whooooopeee Freakin Weeeeeee.  That's so refreshing to hear!  Really?  That's awesome.  Now, back to me. It's all about me, don't you know that? I wanna quit.  I gained weight and I’ve been being so good.

Her:  Don’t quit.  Get measured.  Grab another gear.  Quit your whining.  Life is good.

Me:  I think I’m gonna hurt her when I see her.

Her:  I can tell by your voice you’re about to turn left out of Natural Foods and head for Starbucks.  Don’t do it.

Me:  Freakin’ clairvoyant.

Her:  Okay.  Turn right.  Go to the house.  Get your snack/veggies/shake.  Do something right, Janie, because I’m tired of talking to you on the phone.

Me:  Okay. Thanks for calling me, and encouraging me.

I go home, make a meal replacement shake, throw ice and a zucchini squash into it, and drink the sucker.  It was awesome, really!

I felt so much better about myself.

But I'm really worried about Starbucks.  Without my daily Venti 7-Pump No Water Chai, Extra Hot drink, they're probably going to go out of business.  And at this rate, I’m never gonna use my iPhone pay app, OR get my black Starbucks card.

The Contest Winners for What The Heck? A Janie Girl Contest

The contest!!!  


I forgot about the What The Heck? A Janie Girl Contest!

Yup, that one.  

Where there were weird thingies on this green fence of a significantly popular drive-through.  

And said weird thingies were exactly one. car. length. apart.

And whomsoever puts said thingies on the green fence are (1) pretty accurate and (2) keep a pretty good arsenal.

First place prize goes to :  TexWisGirl at the Run-A-Round Ranch

Second place: Connie at Hartwood Roses

Third place:  Betty at Bossy Betty

Fourth place:  KaLynn (MiMi) of both KaLynn Blog and Mimi's Musings (yup, the girl's a multitasking, two-blog woman!)

Fifth place:  Nancy at A Rural Journal

So!  Y’all let me know your favorite store, because you’re getting gift certificates from there.  

Congratulations, y’all!!!

Oh, yeah...and the correct answer?

SPITWADS. 

At the drive-in line at our local STARBUCKS.  Oh, yeah.  Exactly one car length apart.

Now think about this.  Some kid (or kids) sitting in the back seat of his parents’ car, amassing over time some serious pieces of paper, wadded up just so, small enough to fit into a straw, which he/she happened to have handy in that back seat, to be able to decorate a fence with spitwads, whenever said parent had a cravin’ for Starbucks.

How many repetitive days?

What was the parent doing? Not paying attention to what their kid was doing?  

Never looking in the back seat at the source of the ammunition?

All sorts of scenarios come to mind, but I’m not going to go there.

By the way...after the original post, Starbucks cleaned the fence.

Oh, yeah - and Rob-Bear?  You of Bears Noting?  You get a giftcard, too, for reminding me that I’d not yet posted the winners to the contest!  Thanks so much!