Marshmellow Fluff

Some people struggle with addiction.  Mine happens to be with sugar, compulsive eating and the rush I get from purchasing an item and then returning it the very next day.  None of my current addictions are sexy like a heroine problem or alcoholism,  but nonetheless I have my vices.

Over the past few years, I did struggle with a more serious addiction, which took most of my paychecks to support, it cut into my productivity at work and when I didn’t use I would get the shakes.  Even worse,  if I waited too long into the day to use, I would have to wait in line behind everyone else before I could get my fix.  My addiction was Starbucks. 

I was not faithful to any particular Starbucks, any one would do.  Some are slower than others, some baristas got closer to getting my venti green tea latte to my preferred temperature but, like a true addict, I cared not where the fix came from, rather how it made me feel.

If someone were to tally how much I spent on Starbucks in 2008,  I would be so bold to say it was somewhere in the same ballpark as the adoption of a trendy Somalian newborn.

For the better part of last year, I worked in downtown Los Angeles which happens to be sick with Starbucks on every corner.  At promptly 9:30 every morning I, along with my current NGLP (non-gay life partner) and former co-worker Ilya, would begin the trek to any one of the 6 local dealers.  We would brave the homeless, the hurried and the oversexed downtown public all in the name of getting the black gold.  In addition, I would also brave the embarrassment of charging mine on my credit card on days where my bank account was too taxed to support my addiction.  Which meant my coffee not only came to me terribly over priced but also with finance charges.

Ilya would always order a Iced Venti Latte with lots of specifics (as a side note we happen to think Iced Venti latte with Lots of Specifics would make for an awesome band name).  Had she ordered a Tall, there wouldn’t be enough real estate to fit the directions for her lofty order.  Her order (from the best I can recall): A Venti iced latte, easy on the ice, with 2 shots 1/2 regular 1/2 decaf with 1/2 non fat milk and 1/2 regular.  

Today, I am happy to say that I have cut back on my Starbucks visits and probably only drink it once or twice a month.  After all, I have better things to spend my hard earned money on, like a Somalian baby.