Searching for drama at Starbucks

I was just ...  unmotivated tonight. Actually, I've been unmotivated for days. I go to Starbucks. I order a drink. Usually a trenta raspberry passion tea lemonade (it quenches the thirst) and sit and stare at my computer screen.

Nothing happens.

The good part about those raspberry iced teas? Refills (even on a trenta) are free with a registered Starbucks card.

I've been chatting with the baristas a lot. They ALL know that I write about Starbucks by now.

They all tell me that I'm their favorite customer. I think they're sincere. The occasional pastries are free. I feel at home there - no one cares if I join the conversations occasionally - or if I just tune them out and try to work. And I pack my stuff up and scram at a quarter till closing.

Some days, I get more work done at Starbucks than my apartment - except for the people that want to sit and talk to me.

I put a $5 in the tip jar the other day when it was busy. It was a crazy line and the woman in front of me wanted six frappuccinos of different sizes and flavors for her shift at the hospital. I'm sure baristas sigh when they see lists coming.

I wasn't getting stressed, but everyone else in line was - and it was causing the stress level to rise. Plus, it was mid-afternoon, the place was noisy, hot and dirty.

There were ants on the windowsill where I like to sit tonight. Quite a few of them. We suspect they're crawling over from the defunct restaurant next door - it was cesspit of a grill that lasted all of three months. Alternately, they might be termites living in the walls. You never know.

But I never seem to be inspired anymore.

I saw four loud German tourists last week - covered in hair and garish tourist costumes - and all I could summon was a "meh."

There was a woman buying her hyperactive howler monkey a venti chocolate chip frappuccino at 8:30 p.m. at night last Thursday - and all I did was stare at the kid while she slobbered all over the comfy chairs. Note to self: Avoid #1.

I haven't even seen the junkies in a few weeks.

I just don't know who, what or when to write about.

I think I need a cake pop.

For the rest of my life, this will be the Starbucks by which all other Starbucks will be measured. The quality of food (don't ever put one of those chocolate brownies in a paper bag) or coffee might certainly be surpassed by indie chains - but the atmosphere - at least for me - is simply amazing. I feel like the place is an extension of my living room - with a pastry case and an espresso machine.

In writing this, I think I may have actually "written" may way to the root of the problem. I wonder if I'm just ... "too" comfortable at Starbucks? As in, it is too easy to surf the Internet or just hang out? It bears considering.