observations while driving...

You know, for the past 20 months or so, my job has included a lot of driving around time. On an average week, I can put about 400 miles on the car. During this time, I've made a few observations.

First of all...Starbucks. Their lids. Now, I am some what agnostic to the whole "Starbucks is good, Starbucks is commerical burned coffee" debate. They're everywhere, theyre drinkable, and the price for a no name coffee is the same. But their lids...SUCK.

I dont' want to get off on a rant, but we live in an age of technology, of constant product renovations. when Dunkin Donuts can offer a nifty tab to cover the coffee, and when 7/11 has a sliding cover, you would think the guys that MAKE coffee and only sell coffee, would be the head of the game. No...instead, when I pick up my coffee..the lids pops off, or its dribbles down the side into my cup holder.

I know people want the Starbucks logo status. They do NOT want the Starbucks spillage status. I use to drive out of a parking lot from Starbucks and had to go over three speed bumps. Half the coffee never made it.

Second thing....between 10am and 4 pm, the craziest drivers...are soccer moms in minivans. Its like my own personal Grand theft Auto game when Im out there. I see Dodge Caravans swerving across three lanes of traffice, Yukons zipping through parking lots....I'm ready for gunfire.

Third thing....gas pumps are WAAAAYY to complicated. They now have music, offer carwashes, optional receipts, loyalty tag rewards, speedpasses....you have to press the grade of gas, start button....enter the zip. My home loan was not this hard. And man...getting in and out of one now...with the soccer moms on the loose....I keep spilling most of my Starbucks here.

Couple more things....there are a LOT of HEBs in this town. And they are always crowded...

The tolls really are nice. but the lanes are really...really...really...snug. Slow down through there.

Lifetime fitness is always crowded too....Golds gym...only around lunch time. I guess at Lifetime, their clientel are above jobs. Or its the soccer moms geting a workout in.

another thing...wifi. I got a lot of good places to tap in some free internet. Bear Rock rules. (I won't bore you with another diatribe about Starbucks charging for the internet like its some kind of rare thing. Dinosaur...) The library also has some great wireless....and you can do some really nifty people watching at the library.

last thing...my cell phone is my work phone, and obviously I am going to be on it a lot...inevitably while operating a motor vehicle. I try to be very cautious. There are a LOT OF PEOPLE on the cel phone while driving. And texting...and emailing....hey...I admit Im not above it....but YIKES...there are a lot of people lucky to just concentrate on the road with the radio on....

Marcus