Starbucks Addiction?

I know that my wife jokes that I live at Starbucks and other friends seem to boast about my whereabouts with posting on Yelp on occasion. I don't want to sound as if I am justifying my addictions but it is amazing to see what can potentially happen when you choose to be around people.

Joseph took over managing my Starbucks just a year ago. We have talked at a distance and it wasn't until I asked for free coffee at Christmas time that we started to dialogue. One of his older baristas has become a great friend and related back to her manager what types of things I did. So it was both a surprise and joy to have Joseph ask me to help organize and put on a big community event in the Strip Mall where our Starbucks is located.

I attempt to be organized and on top of things months in advance not weeks or days in advance hopefully. So when Joseph asked me to help it was only 5 weeks out. So we met and started to map out a plan and have have 'action' steps for each week. So this little event is turning into a big event! It is interesting to see what happens when we step outside of our comfort zone and start networking and working with people. I made a tactical bobo when talking with the new manager at Staples and he obviously isn't interested in giving up freebies for our event so I went to Office Max around the corner and asked if they would do a banner for the event. I get a call back from Mercedes and the banner is going to happen.

I have gone back to my contacts with the City Council Office and asked for specific help. I have asked by Police Officer friend, Chris, who had been the CAO of my area. So our real needs are potentially being considered. I now have to turn to my Barrio/New City friends to ask for help for the actual event. I am hoping that I can get a group of at least 10 to help out for the day and another group of 10 or so from our teens to be there. I am hoping that I can also do hot dogs or sell tacos or something else.

Now Joseph has become a good friend who is comfortable with me to express himself and also dialogue about hot topics. God thanks for my Starbucks!