starbucks vs. timmys - no comparison.

it's no secret that i love starbucks.
reasons that i will never ever fall to the argument that i'm a sellout to social  justice by visiting a starbucks.
"tim hortons is canadian!" is something i hear often... well. i'm proud of supporting a 'chain' that supports it's employees, it's communities, and is a global citizen. i don't care if it's 'competition' (not comparable) is part canadian (and don't kid yourself - a very small part)... i support a corporation who is responsible for all parts of their operation. not a default 'little guy'.

well. here you are. five things we learned about tim hortons from the recent macleans expose.

today is. a day.

today is supposed to be a good day. a fun day. a celebrated day.
today is my birthday.
i've never liked birthdays - mine anyways. i have always thought that they made people felt left out, by not being invited, or not having a cake, or any of those things that make us all experience life in different ways.
so, i've never celebrated my birthday. until two years ago, when i started having birthday parties. i was able to overlook the fact that the party was for my birthday, by focusing it on the party, and the people who i had with me. we would donate money, or gifts, go on scavenger hunts, swim, and eat. and the company was the best part.
this year, i am spending my birthday alone. i'm waiting for unnerving health related test results. i'm sad from recent 'heart related' events. i'm feeling overwhelmed, and i can't do anything about it.
so. i'm going to ignore my birthday. i'm going to celebrate my birthday when i feel like it. when i feel better about where i am. and i can be truly happy about all the blessings i have - and at this point i recognize them, but i'm not in a place where i can truly appreciate them.
i want my friends to know how much they mean to me - and i want to celebrate another year of being surrounded by wonderful people.
so everyone - happy 'feel-accepted-and-enjoy-those-around-you' day!

sidenote/edit: i cried 12 times today. prior to about a month and a half ago, i can't remember the last time i cried about something that wasn't a sports movie. things need to change, and they need to change now.

"sometimes the world begins. to set you up on your feet again. oh it wipes the tears from your eyes"
i want that.
additional side note/edit: things that people did for me today that remind me that the world is - in summary - a good place:
- a smoothie from my account manager. and a post it note. not the break up kind. the kind that said, "happy birth-dizzle jamie. enjoy it. or else i'll kick your ass. dave."
- lunch with my two work friends... under the guise of just another day
- a card on my desk from the two older ladies who sit beside me. with a tear off bookmark. it had birds on it.
- a phone call from my little sister, in the middle of orientation week, to sing happy birthday to me (4th cry of the day)
- msgs from my other two thirds... triple threat. unassuming, with the understanding of how i feel about my birthday.
- an email from my best friend jake... telling me he misses me, loves me, is proud of me, and wants me to just plain enjoy my day... and visit me. so tell him when. now. (first cry of the day)
- and this. i received this as a birthday gift from my friend emma. it was the one thing that made me smile today.

who am i?

Fourth part in a 25 part series... number 11

11. I only read books that I would not be embarrassed to be found with if i died.
I love books.
I love the feel of them, the smell of them, the look of them.
I love alphabetizing them.
I love touching them, and picking them off the shelf.
I love thinking about the mood I want to be in, and reading words that someone so eloquently wrote.
I love hardcover books with their sleeves off.
I love musty vintage books that tell corney stories of love and pain in a time I'm not familiar with.

I love inscriptions in books: 'love always', 'for you my wonderful mother' and all those other sentiments that people feel so permenant so as to write in a book.

I think part of this comes from a place that admires people's abilities to express themselves. People who can put into better words how I feel about life, than I can.

I think a lot about when I'm going to die. Not in a sick, morbid sort of way - though I'm sure it may seem that way to some - but in the way that I want to be proud of where I am, if at any time in my life I was taken from this earth. I've been told to always wear nice underwear - it's a gift to yourself every day, and people will never know why you have a mischievous smile. Not to mention, if you are injured, and they need to cut your pants off, goodness knows I don't want to be wearing granny pantys. this was my first step - always be well groomed, and always wear under garments that made me smile when I put them on in the morning (yes - I do have over 100 pairs of underwear).

this thought leads me to a lot of manners of living. And it brought me to the conclusion that I want to be proud of what I'm reading - if I was hit by a bus, would I want people to see the book that was in my bag? I want something that people think, "wow - she's witty/artistic/interesting/alternative/classic" (or all of the above). And though seemingly shallow, it has brought me to multiple incredible books that I might otherwise have never read - leonard cohen books, the marilyn manson biography, and so on.

i bought the book 'pilgrim' by timothy findley because it looked spooky, intellectual, and the cover was a panting - it is now my favourite book of all time. i started reading h.g. wells because i thought that i should hear what all the fuss was about - and he is an author i can not live without. i have been persuaded to pick up MANY books because people wouldn't know what they were, and they would think it to be mysterious... and have found some of my most meaningful connections through books that way.

i judge books by their covers - i look for covers that are matte, and i have rarely been failed.

from an article on electronic readers: "'There’s something about having a beautiful book that looks intellectually weighty and yummy,' said Ms. Wiles, who recalled that when she was rereading 'Anna Karenina' recently, she liked that people could see the cover on the subway. “You feel kind of proud to be reading it.'"

I have tossed and turned on electronic readers for a while now… but i'll never be able to leave behind my old books.

so there you have it... i am a reader of books that look good in my hands. and i subsequently get to read books i would have otherwise left behind.

who am i?

third part in a 25 part series… number 4

4. I am a sociologist/social activist/hippy who is obsessed with starbucks.
I'm not entirely sure if I have expressed my love for starbucks to the extent that everyone is aware.
i would often get in screaming fights (well... not me, them), with classmates about the virtues of starbucks. You see - as a sociology student, you're supposed to stand against starbuck. hate everything they do. spit on their front door. similar to the way people do walmart.
However, this seems to negate the possibility that people think for themselves - and... i do.
i will fight tooth and nail on the virtues of starbucks.

so then why you ask?

- they've been taking 10 cents off of beverages when you bring a reusable cup since 1985.

- they've been involved in the communities surrounding their stores in their entire history. I have experienced this first hand: when i worked for various organizations in the kitchener waterloo region, i would contact them on a regular basis. I hated calling companies to ask for donations... and the first time i called Starbucks was no exception. I called, and gave my "Hi this is jamie calling from planned parenthood of the waterloo region..." and their response before I was even finished, was ALWAYS, "Oh great! it's so nice to hear from you - what can we give you to help?" always. free coffee, pastries, sandwiches... etc. always for free, and always with the mindset that this was a requirement of citizenship in the KW region. (and so it should be!)

- they've always been committed to paying their employees a salary that they could exist on. When minimum wage was $6, they were paying upwards of $10 - now that it's $10, they are in talks to increase it again. A job with a salary that people can live off of - novel.

- they are a corporation only by growth. and a corporation who has committed approximately 25% of it's workforce (not including baristas) to corporate responsibility - and not just in the past 3 years... since inception.

- they commit themselves to a niche that no one has been able to capture - a home away from home. between new products, free internet, free coffee refils (for Starbucks card holders), beautiful art, and a committment to display local art... they are creating a safe space. I would stay at Starbucks all night long if i had the choice... to read, work, do homework in university. I was never asked to leave (unlike some coffee places *ahem timhortons), and was often given armloads of food at closing.

i am allergic to caffiene, and i would give my left arm to work at starbucks' head office in seattle. it's been a dream of mine since i was first introduced to their business model.

So - dear readers - any interest in getting me a job?
there you have it. i am a starbucks fanatic.

who am i?

Second part in a 25 part series… number 21
21. I am the most organized, disorganized person you will ever meet.
- I colour coordinate my clothes - my clothing hangs in my closet as such: pink, red, purple, blue, green, yellows, browns, whites, greys, blacks. Within those categories: tank top, sleeveless shirt/vest, tshirt (short sleeve dress shirt), long sleeve shirt, long sleeve dress shirt, sweaters. Again, a light material would hang before a thicker, or crisper material within each category. My jeans hang on hangers from light wash (white at front) to darkest wash - if there are two the same colour, the skinnier leg goes first.
- I alphabetize anything with a name - spices, books, movies, food in cupboards
- My filing cabinet is impecible - labels bearing names, with subheadings, depending on the topic. For example, my 'Tax' file has a larger files for 'current' and then every year that passes has it's own tab: '2009', '2008', etc. Within the 'current' tab there are tabs for each of the required sections/tax categories (i.e. T4s, RRSP data, etc)
- I organize my toiletries in an extremely specific manner - daily use, nightly use, weekly use, and less frequent. I also have baskets for 'guest' toiletries - bottles of shampoo, soap, body wash, etc. that people can use when they're visiting. These are stored in a specific place, alongside baskets of lip gloss, and soap.
- I have small organizational bags within my bags. When I go travelling, I have a bag specifically for undergarments, that fits perfectly on the side of every suitcase I own. I also have a bag for toiletries (which I feel is pretty common), and within that a section for cleansing toiletries, everyday, and makeup (which I don't wear every day). Jewelry is organized by long necklaces, short necklaces, sterling silver (so it doesn't tarnish), earrings: studs and hanging, bracelets: bangles, and loose, and rings. These are all subdivided by colour tones: gold or brass, and silver.
- I clean my bathroom more than anyone I know - not just because I like it (though I DO!), but because a dirty washroom to me is one of the most disgusting things in the world. I have a recycling bin and garbage in my washroom, and they are constantly being emptied. I clean my toilet at least once a week, as well as washing my sink out constantly. I also use vinegar on my shower at least once a day, and try to scrub it once a month. I only get in there with a tooth brush about once every three months, but as long as the vinegar keeps working, I'm set.

I'm not sure where this organization came from, but it means that it takes at least a full day for me to clean anything. Hence - my clutter. People think I'm messy, but I'm just not tidy, because it's exhausting! I think that in relation to my ADHD, this organization helps calm my mind… it eases the tension, allows some regularity, and consistancy.

Not to mention - who doesn't like looking into their closet, and seeing a rainbow.

so there you have it. i am the most organized person with ADHD you know.
edit: apparently i'm not the only one... bras and ranties is living my life. but with much more eloquence