striving for perfection is demoralizing

"I'm selfish, impatient, and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control, and at times hard to handle, but if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." - Marilyn Monroe

do you ever feel like you are trying to erase your faults, as though you are the only one that has them?
today I feel like my faults are outstanding, which is why i fall back on this quote, not because it discusses being accepted for your true self, but because it deals with the recognition of faults within yourself. i think that while the people i care about are so good at accepting me, good and bad together, i am not at a point in my life where i have learned to accept myself as i am, which is imperfect.

all of those things that Marilyn used to describe herself are things that i would use to describe myself. i am selfish. i am impatient. i am completely insecure. i make more mistakes than i can count. i lose control of myself mentally, spiritually, and, most of all, emotionally. i realize that i am hard to handle.
i guess what i need to realize is that so is everyone else.
while not everyone is all of those things, most people are at least one of them, and other people have faults that are different than those listed.

while i feel like i need to be better and overcome my faults, they are part of who i am at this moment in my life. everyone is flawed, and that is what makes life really interesting, because perfection is boring and overrated. while i can't say that starting at this moment i am going to be okay with everything that i am, i will say that i am working on coming to grips with the priceless value of imperfection.

(also: i am in complete agreement with the end of the quote as well. if people aren't willing to take you at face value on your worst day, then they really are not worthy of being graced with your presence on your best day. preach it Marilyn)

*brain explodes*

as an addition to my previous post, visit mystarbucksidea.com!

the site is AMAZING and overflowing with awesome ideas, ideas that the company IS REVIEWING and IMPLEMENTING. for example, the wireless internet at Starbucks is currently provided by T-Mobile, and you have to pay to use it. people want free internet to use when they are enjoying their lovely beverage, and they have said so. people have voted on it, AND SO THE COMPANY IS DOING IT. and not next year, but now, within the next couple months. to me, that is an amazing response to the customer that you can't find everywhere.

on the site you can see different ideas that are being presented, by category of topic, popularity, or other search categories. any topics that say "**UNDER REVIEW**" in the subject line are currently being considered by the company. any topics that say "**COMING SOON**" are ideas that are in the process of being implemented. and there are TONS of ideas that are being considered.

please excuse my enthusiasm. it is just really exciting for me to see a company i love bounce back so resiliently and really excite their customers. its freakin' awesome!

the end.

starbucks! to the max!

my dear friends,

today was a good day for my good friend, Starbucks.
today, Starbucks released their new Pike Place Roast coffee to all of their stores, returned to having the original logo on all of their cups, and, once again, began scooping and grinding beans in the store.
they are going back to their roots, focusing on their brewed coffee and making sure their coffee truly is the best available.

kathleen and i were able to go in today and take part in the experience. it is truly nostalgic to see how far they have come, from their first little store at the Market to where they are now, and it is good to see them getting back to the basics and really giving their customers (or me, at least) what they want, which is the best coffee.

i have been buying the Pike Place Special Reserve at the Pike Place Market location for a few years now, and assumed that this release was simply an expansion of that blend throughout all locations. after further analysis (and taste testing), the Pike Pike Roast is definitely not the same as the Special Reserve. It is a completely new blend that should please anyone with a love of the drink. the PPR is smoother, with a blend of more interesting flavors, while the Special Reserve is bolder. the Special Reserve is also a region-specific blend, using beans from the Latin American region, while the PPR is a multi-region blend. both are superb blends with excellent flavor, so i encourage anyone who is interested and has the accessibility to try both.

one of my favorite things about this new blend is that they are always going to have it brewing in the store and they are always going to have a fresh pot brewing every thirty minutes, meaning you never have to have a stale cup of coffee.

along with this release, starbucks is instituting new customer loyalty programs, new machines, and new conservation efforts. for more information on all the upcoming innovations, here are some resources you can check out:
Starbucks Website (of course)

Starbucks will 'fight to the death,' Schultz says: Seattle PI Article

Clover coffee machines catch Starbucks' fancy: Seattle PI Article

Starbucks plans to unveil new blend Tuesday: Seattle PI Article

also, if you are interested in the transformation of the Starbucks logo, take a look at this website, called Brand Autopsy
the site does a great overview of the life of the Starbucks logo from its beginning to the present day.

if you have the opportunity, go in and try the new blend, pick some up to take home, and check out the "new" cups. as they say (or as my cardboard sleeve says), "Roasting coffee since 1971. The best coffee then. The best coffee now." enjoy!