August 15

It hadn't happened often, or at all, that I can remember, during this trip, but this morning I woke up with a momentary disorientation. I didn't know where I was for a second. Perhaps it had to do with the vivid dreams that I was having. Perhaps because I got a little more sleep than usual (for the past month). But when I saw the time was 5:24 I remembered that the Okemos store opened at 5:30 and remembered where I was. I drove to Okemos and slept in the shopping center lot until 7:00 AM. I walked into the store, not quite awake yet, and gave my article to one of the partners. I went into the bathroom to wash my face and heard some excited squealing. When I came out and asked what the excit s about, she said she was excited that I was there, and that one of her trainees had passed her driving exam. She sure was excitable. But she was going to manage a new store coming to the area, and not the manager of this store, which was unfortunate, because the manager of this store charged me for the coffee. On the way out to Kinko's I passed a Discount Tire and got a second opinion on my two older tires, and the manager said they should last me 'til I get back to Texas. During the drive to Grand Rapids it occurred to me that Pep Boys was just trying to sell me some tires telling me they were almost worn out. It's a smooth ride to E. Grand Rapids. After finding Wealthy St., which wasn't labeled on the map I had printed, I waited a bit for the manager and DM to finish talking, since the partner at the counter looked unenthusiastic about my project. Turns out the DM had seen me yesterday at the Orchard Lake and 12-Mile location, but I hadn't noticed because I was on the phone with Ripley's and because he was in casual clothes, so I hadn't figured him for a DM. I had picked up a Burger King breakfast sandwich but bought the juice with my Starbucks card. A little more expensive, but I needed to shift over to the card to conserve my remaining cash even more. Down to seven pairs of socks and six pairs of underwear. Hoping I can do laundry at Dawn's in Seattle. Shift to my sock "washing" technique of hanging them out the window as I drive on the highway. Too bad that won't work with underwear. The weather to Chicago is beautiful. At 11:40 AM, almost four weeks to the day after left the Central time zone, I cross over again, in Indiana. That was the longest I had spent in the Eastern time zone in my life, excepting a month working in Atlanta a few years ago. On the Chicago Skyway, the speed limit of 35 MPH seemed ridiculous to me, and apparently to all the other drivers. Toll was more than the local told me, however. He had said $2, but there was an extra 50 cents in Indiana. I was headed up towards Chicago proper, and then to visit with my aunt Cenide's husband Luis, but traffic on I-94 inbound was horrible, so I made my way west instead, and reshoot four stores from a while ago before finally reaching my first new Chicagoland store, in Aurora, where I got some coffee that was nasty. Lots of grounds. Worst I'd seen in a long time, maybe worst ever. I find a Bank of America ATM at the Loews in Woodbridge and withdraw pretty much all the cash I have remaining, just a couple of hundred bucks, plus my credit card with a $300 limit. Things are getting tight. My plan was to hit these outlying stores before the rush hour and then head inbound, and I mostly did it, but got caught in some traffic on 75th St. west through Napierville, thus dissuading me from going inside the nearby store that I had previously visited only via the drive-thru. Just want to be complete is all, but it will have to wait.

I buy some fruit, but that just isn't good enough, so I spring for some KFC. Then Luis calls and suggests dinner later, and I regret having bought the KFC. But as it turned out, I would be too tired by the time I got to my aunt's to eat, so it's a good thing I ate anyway.

At the St. Charles store, I was please when one of the partners told me he had heard me on "Talk of the Nation".

By the time I reached the Irving Park and Kostner store, it was dark, but I didn't care because I was exhausted. I had to photograph it, though, as I expected to be gone in the morning by the time it got light.

I got to my aunt's and barely was able to chat a bit with Luis before showering and crashing hard.


August 14

I'm further west in the time zone now, so the sun will set later but also rise later, so it's not 'til around 6:30 that I have enough light (not really) to shoot Cedar and Lee and then head downtown to visit the BP Building store that had opened too late (manager car trouble) the last time I visited for me. One more, Westlake Promenade, and then on towards Detroit. Just outside Cleveland I see a highway worker crossing I-90. I'm sure they do this all the time, but I had never witnessed it. He's got balls to do that during rush hour, even moving away from traffic as we are, and with people on the highway like this crazy driver weaving back and forth that I have to pass quickly and with care.

I take SR-2 towards Toledo and avoid the toll on the Ohio turnpike. It's not bad. But before Toledo the freeway portion ends. I'm around Bono, OH, when I do an interview with a NY new station. Then across the Michigan border I do another, with a Hartford, CT station this time.

Roll into Detroit and promptly get lost, taking the wrong exit off I-75 and ending up on West Jefferson, truly the shittiest road I've ever been on, for being in a big city. I cut over to W Fort and back to Jefferson through downtown, and to the UCO store at Grand, where I receive the weakest reception. The partner doesn't seem to care, and the manager is too busy to come out and see me. One of the baristas thinks its cool, though, but I end up using coupon for vinte latte anyway. In the parking lot a see a new van and give a copy of my article to the driver, just in case.

I'm worried about the gas to get me to BC and back, and bring up topic with mother whom I hadn't talked to in a while, and she says she's lend me some.

Next I find a Discount Tire and have two tired balance. Dude says that Pep Boys had put two of my directional tires on the wrong way. Fortunately, only $12, and he says my older tires are fine. I nap a bit while waiting to be serviced.

Check e-mail and have another PayPal donation. Yay!

As I approach the Orchard Lake and 12 store the lady from Ripley's Believe it or Not calls and she's very interested. The manager offers me a drink while I'm on the phone, and he's pretty cool. More on the DM later.

Stomach is hurting, and I pass a Julian's Coney Island and stop. Family restaurant. Charges me just for the chili and hot dog, not the fries, understanding my unemployed situation. Good stuff.

Trying to beat the rush hour and mostly do it but multiple-car collision in Waterford slows me down. Partners there have me sign an apron and the inside of a cap, which is kinda tough.

Get some rain, which I haven't really seen in the three and half weeks I've been on road.

Okay, that was weird. I was heading north on Woodward from Square Lake and a see a white car appear to accelerate faster than is possible, like the Enterprise going to warp speed. Freaked me out. Must be more tired than I realize. Later, I imagine a ghost car in the rear view mirror behind me.

I reshoot the Crooks and Long Lake store, the finally store left to reshoot after I lost the photos when my laptop was stolen. Durign my prior trip to Detroit, I had forgotten to reshoot the store.

On the M-59 east towards Shelby I see a sign for Starbucks off the highway, very rare throughout the country, probably for the Rochester store. BTW, there is another city nearby named Utica. Rochester, Utica? A coincidence?

At Lake Orion they give me a coffee connesieur t-shirt and another cap.

I take M-59 north to I-69. Could have make it to Okemos by the time the store closed at 10:30 but decided to give myself a break and stoped at rest area instead.


August 13

Around 6:00 AM reshoot the 81 Front Street store, which had been covered by scaffolding when I first visited years ago. Then check mail at Internet cafe until have to move car at 7:00. Then shoot 81 Front St. again, with better light. Then back to cafe to pick up pen and map I had left. Then over towards the Runnymeade Chapters store and find a place for more sleep, until just before 10:00. Then to another Internet cafe and update as much of web site as I can in one hour, the parking limit (because I had no more Canadian coins). Then, finally, the Runnymeade store, which got coolness because the Chapters was built in a old theater.

At Hurontario the partner recognizes me and is excited that I've come, but charges me for coffee anyway, saying her manager's fiancee is right there.

One more store and head out towards Buffalo. I get off right before the QEW split to find out if tolls on all bridges are the same, and notice that traffic is building up. Hear sirens and see cops racing by. So I head the other direction and stop at info center. Am told the tolls are the same. But I ask for a better route, and she gives me a back route which gets me across the border avoiding the QEW, and somehow I avoid a toll too.

At gas station call a recruiter back, and the job she describes is the best lead I've seen in a while.

I had calculated well on the gas, however, being on empty as I crossed the border for the cheaper gas. No Canadian currency left over, either.

Not really feeling the hunger even through Buffalo, visiting the new store in Cheektowaga. Take US-20 down towards Cleveland to avoid the toll on the NY Thruway. I had similarly avoided the toll through Niagar by taking US-62 around.

I had to push the Yakima interview back, because they called while I was still in Toronto, and as of the weekend they still hadn't called back. Guess I blew that one.

US-20 ain't so bad. I had thought it would be slow, going through all these beach towns, but I was looking at NY 5, not US-20. I passed through a Chautauqua reservation, not realizing it until I saw a sign for 1.33 gas, about 20-30 cents cheaper, because they didn't have to pay taxes. Filled up, and filled every Starbucks cup I had for good measure. Kidding.

Two hours to reach the Pennsylvania border from Cheektowaga, then hop on I-90.

Okay, this is cool (to me, at least). Saw a sign for I-79 south to Pittsburgh and decided to go ahead and visit the store I had left there, so I took the interchange. But during the curve I changed my mind and so I ended up taking the entire cloverleaf, I-79 to I-90 eastbound to I-79 northbound to I-90 westbound again. Had decided it would cost about $7 to detour to Pittsburgh, and not worth it. Had already left Rochester and Binghamton behind.

I hit Cleveland and the Cedar and Lee store, where I heat up leftovers at Shell and buy Snapple and the leftovers don't taste so great. The Cedar Lee theater is playing "Loveley and Amazing", and I hope that it the screening will have already started otherwise I'll be tempted to see it, knowing full well I'll fall asleep. Thankfully, it had already started, and when I get to Kinko's, as I'm waiting to pay, I'm feeling nauseated and really tired. Wonder if it's the leftover fried rice. But I sleep a few hours behind a bank and feel better. Then move to the Kinko's lot so I can use the restroom and check mail periodically.

Kinko's attendant gave me a hard time about plugging in batteries, claiming that they (Kinko's) "don't provide that service". But he acceded.


August 12

Up at 6:15 and shot Kanata after waiting for parter to finish setting up the chairs, then Pinecrest, ignoring the partner sitting outside probably waiting to be let in. Getting back on the 417 I almost lost it, due to taking my eyes off the road at the wrong moment and ending up almost going off the curved entrance ramp into the grass, and skidding in both directions before regaining control, all the while thinking "Game over, man". I got out of that one.

Went to the South Keys store, and this time the partner saw me and asked what I was doing. I told her who I was, and she had heard of me and was cool, offered me coffee, which I declined since I had already visited the store, but I did take some water.

I stopped at the Bank and Third store to ask if their was a photo shoot scheduled, though I was pretty sure it was for 129 Bank, in downtown. And when I got up there the manager confirmed. They gave me directions to the internet cafe, where I headed next to kill time while waiting for Patti from the Citizen. Didn't have Canadian currency, though, so I got some next door at Second Cup. I feel I should try coffee at each of Starbucks's competing chains. It wasn't anything to make me want to switch, a little weak I would say.

Go back to the Starbucks and wait for Patti. Wait 30 minutes and have to go feed the meter. When I get back, the photographer is waiting and has me go get a coffee for the photo, and then Patti arrives. He takes his photos, and then Patti sits down with me and we chat. Then she follows me to three different Starbucks, which I had shot last night, but was able to shoot with better light this morning.

Then I go back to the Internet cafe and confirm that I'll be able to connect my CompactFlash reader and Zip drive. At $3/hr, I plan to do a complete update. But I first check my e-mail and the grad student Andrew in Toronto who wants to follow me around wants to meet at 3:00. Not doable, but I tell him 4:00. So I just offload my photos and take off. Before leaving the city go to the Canadian Museum of Contemporary Photography, free admission, and check out the cool photos of Robert Frank. Then I set off for Toronto, planning to ignore my hunger, hoping Andrew will offer food.

The problem with not eating is that it is a distraction from other, more serious thoughts. It's hard to sustain a philosophical train of thought when interrupted constatnly by "I'm hungry". Still, I was determined to make it. Especially when some car passes me at 100 MPH and I follow him and some others for miles and miles. But not that determine, and I break down and pull off at a service area for a burger. But it only had a McDonald's, where I don't eat, so I got back on and tried to catch my "escort". I think I had made some progress when I gave up and pulled off again, at Wendy's this time. I later cursed myself, as Andrew does offer me dinner, most of which I have to box up to go.

At the first store I visit, in Pickering, they have heard of me. And a customer overhears, a computer programmer, and gets a big kick out of my project. Maybe he'll find me a job.

I'm late to meet Andrew, arriving more like around 5:00 at a store at Eglington and Holly. We travel to four more stores, and he watches what I do and asks me lots of questions for a chapter of his master's thesis. We finish around 9:00, then he lets me shower at his place and we hit a nearby Thai place for dinner. I finish the soup, but have to have the fried rice boxed up. It doesn't taste nearly as good the next evening in Cleveland.

I'm tired, but I check my e-mail and some job listings at the Internet cafe anyway.

Then I set off in search of some much-anticipate fun at a local gentleman's club, something I had planned since leaving. But at the club I'd gone before the waitress is pressuring me to buy a drink, and I'm feeling a little queasy after walking into the club and spending 15 minutes or so on the toilet. So I leave and go to another, a new one, and chat with a dancer who reveals this club doesn't have the type of lap dances I seek, but suggests another one near downtown, on King or Queen or something like that. An hour later, after having done a lot of driving around, I just go back to the first club I had passed up, on Bloor. I should have taken Andrew's advice and gone to sleep. I got hustled, but good, by a Hungarian dancer. I should have listened to my insticts that said don't get dances from someone who doesn't speak very good English and can't understand my questions about the rules. She points to the posted rules and says she doesn't care. But during the second dance she decides she does care about the rules, get's upset, and demands more money in exchange for not calling the bouncer, who is pretty big. Maybe he would have just asked me to leave and not kicked my ass, but I figured it was smarter just to give her the extra money, the few $20s I had left in my wallet, thankfully not very many. It had been a while since I'd been suckered like that. The money came from my entertainment budget and I would have spent it later anyway, so I wasn't too worried, but disappointed I'd have to cut back on other planned stops, including stepping down from $100 in Vegas to more like $20.

So I did what I should have done and found a spot out near the Front Street store and slept.


August 11

For the second day in a row I wake up exactly when the Starbucks opens, this time at 7:00 AM on the street next to the pedestrian mall where the one Starbucks in Vermont, in Burlington, is located. Actually, I had woken up earlier, around 5:00 AM, gassed up, and then headed up to where the Starbucks was for more sleep.

After visiting the Starbucks, I neatly arranged my things in my trunk so I wouldn't look like I was living out of my car to the border agent when I reached the Canadian border. I retrieved my batteries from Kinko's and inquired about Starbucks in Montreal or Ottawa, but they have none, so I have to figure something else out for Internet access, or wait 'til Toronto. On the way up to the border, I was thinking about whether I would simply say I was traveling, or whether I would volunteer and explanation of my project.

On I-89 just shy of the Canadian border, I passed a sign that read 45 degrees latitude, the half-way point to the North Pole.

I go ahead and give the border agent my AP article. He asks a few questions, counsels me not to mention my baseball bat to any other border agents, and waves me on through.

I stop at a produce stand where the sounds of farm animals are clearly audible. No bananas, something about not in Quebec, but since the explanation was in French I'm not sure I understood entirely. I was glad for an opportunity, however, to practice the little French I have remaining, if only for a few hours while in Montreal. So I just bought an apple with the remaining 14 U.S. cents plus a few Canadian pennies I had leftover from a previous trip. When I got back to the car and was wiping off my remaining change covered in melted Chapstick, I heard a buzzing and felt something on my hand, and jumped back! A bee!! Crawling around sluggishly on my seat, with no apparent intention of leaving. I opened both doors and lowered the windows. I grabbed a towel and proceeded to snap at it. I couldn't figure out if it flew away, or if I knocked it onto the floor, so I had to clean out the passengers side to look for it. Last thing I needed was a bee freaking me out as I'm driving on the highway. Thankfully, I resisted the urge to ask the girl to help, which might have given her the impression that all American's are little cry-baby wussies.

First stop in the Montreal area was a bookstore, where I bought a map. I paid with American currency, $20, but when the exchange rate of 1.38 was much less than the 1.5 had seen advertised at the border, I wanted to get a refund and pay with my card, but she couldn't give me back the American currency.

The first Starbucks I found was the one on St. Denis, and the first thing I did was to ask the partner what CVI was, and she explained that Coffee Visions bought out the license for Starbucks in Montreal, and now has three locations. The other five are run by different companies, Chapters having three, but there won't be any more of those. I decided to go ahead and visit these stores, counting them as international, which is how Starbucks treats them. While the kind barista was explaining this stuff to me, the mean barista seemed to become suspicious, perhaps that I might be a reporter, and suggested I contact media relations, in a tone that indicated she didn't want the other girl giving me any more info. The French menu was cool.

I picked up the local free weekly to find a massage that I had been craving at the lower Canadian prices, even lower with the exchange rate. I glanced at it as I headed up Cote de Neiges to re-photograph the St. Mary's location that I had already visited, and when I looked at and ad and then to my right, I realized I was right in front of the location, so I got my half-hour of relaxation and shower in.

Then I found the CVI-Avenue du Parc store where the manager was more than kind, actually sitting down with me on his break and explaning in further detail was going on with Starbucks in Montreal, even offering to show me the kitchen. Yes, these CVI Starbucks have kitchens to bake their own pastries! The scone tasted better, I think, than the ones down in the States.

Finally the CVI-Monkland, re-photograph Chapters-Rockland and Chapters-Pointe Claire, and then it's off to Ottawa to meet a reporter from the Ottawa Citizen the next morning. She had already interviewed me, but wanted to do a follow-up.

I don't know how I did this, but from Rockland somehow I ended up on highway 15 north instead of 40 west. It looked so easy on the map. I drove quite a few miles before I realized it, and felt thoroughly stupid.

Sustain serious speed all the way to Ottawa, thinking of a big plate of spaghetti every few minutes. I was soooo hungry. I was looking forward to taking advantage of the exchange rate for a proper meal.

The drive was smooth, but when I hit the metroplex, I accidentally passed up the Gloucester location because my map said highway 17, but the highway signs labeled it as 174. Weird. I ended up in the center of town, where I first asked some locals that just kept walking. Fortunately the pair on the bicycle helped me out. Later on that evening, another local would ignore my attempt to ask for directions and keep walking. What's up with Ottawa citizens???

I hadn't had a signal on my phone since leaving Burlington, and I had wondered why since the last time I was in Montreal in 2000 I had a roaming signal. When I got to Ottawa with no signal I started to worry, as I was expecting a call from a radio station in the morning. But I discovered that the phone was sent to "Sprint PCS" and not to automatically detect a roaming signal.

I reshot most of the stores, finally after two years making up for the photos I had lost when my laptop was stolen in Montreal. Having more time, I finally noticed the spectacular parliament building the surround structures north of Wellington along the river. Cool! I asked some local for cheap spaghetti and she directs me to the Byward Market. I sit down at a restaurant and look at a menu and immediately realize this couldn't possibly be cheap. The waitress is helpful enough when I explain I need something cheap, and she tells me to go to Little Italy and gives me a general direction. I ask a few people and finally find it. I drive down Preston (my Plano friends will find that amusing) and ask some guy for a cheap, not fancy, place for spaghetti, and he directs me to Da Sergio, which is obviously a nice restaurant, and expensive as the menu bears out. So I ask some other guy, and he's not sure, but the hairy guy sitting shirtless on a lawn chair waiting for his laundry suggests a place up at Gladstone at Preston, and that's the place I was looking for. The Trattoria Caffe Italia offers a half-order of spaghetti for an excellent price of 7.95. I struggle even with the half-order, my stomach has shrunk so much, but it tastes soooo good.

Don't ask me why, but for some reason I suspected the guys sitting next to me at the restaurant of being mobsters.

I go to Kanata to catch a flick. On the way I pass the Ottawa Citizen offices along the 417. I also decided to cut loose and blow past this higher-end Acura (not an NSX), knowing full well he would race me, and he does, at over 100 MPH, until I let him go (can't compete with the higher horsepower). Danger, yes, I know, but I needed a break from the monotony. See the end of "Road to Perdition" while waiting for "Signs". "Signs" is compelling, but 50 minutes in I'm falling asleep and have to ask the manager for pass to get in later. Fortunately, it was AMC, so I should be able to use the pass in the States. I drive to the corner of the movie theater lot to await sunrise so I can shoot the Kanata Starbucks. Around 4:00 AM I look up from the back of my car and see absolutely no cars in the parking lot, an eerie feeling, especially considering I never woke up to hear any of the dozens of cars pulling out. But then, I was exhausted.


August 10

I was surprised that I woke up exactly at 6:30 AM, exactly when the Belmont store opened. First I went down to reshoot the other Belmont store, but a truck was parked in front as some guy spread some powdery substance on the street. I have no idea what he was doing. So I went up to Belmont and the manager was cool, then back to reshoot the other store and onto Chelmsford. When I reached N. Andover, I realized I had left my NY Post back at the Reading location. I used the spare I had bought, but I still had to go back to Reading to grab the paper and then rush off. I had hoped to be along US-1 heading up to main before traffic got heavy.

Still couldn't get the money orders I needed at Wal-Mart, because their machine could not process my debit card, even though my bank said it was fine.

I took the first exit of I-95 in NH, right before the toll road started, and went east to US-1, which I took the entire length up to Freeport, ME. I was in the mood to splurge on a hearty breakfast, so I stopped at the first local restaurant on the route, but the two ladies sitting in the car in the next space informed me that the power had gone out. But they said they were going to Betty's in Northhampton (NH) and suggested I follow, so I did. It was a long drive, and I was getting hungrier and hungrier. But it was worth it, because Betty's made a mean southern style biscuit, for being so far up north. Betty herself got a kick out of my project. I was hoping she would offer to sponsor me with the breakfast, but I didn't want to ask. But I did take away a bumper sticker, which, if I photograph in another location, will get me a free breakfast next time.

As of this writing, I've only remembered to photograph it once, in Montreal, and forgot in Ottawa and will try here in Toronto before I leave.

Since I was nearby, I went ahead and stopped in Portsmouth and took some more photos of that store.

It was good that I was well-fed, because up the road in Maine I would hit serious traffic through some touristy town. Probably took 30 minutes to get through! But it wasn't so bad from then on towards Freeport.

Stopped in Portland and reshot those stores, with much better lighting than the last time.

Freeport was a busy little town on a Saturday afternoon, and I had to wait quite a while for the manager to return so I could give him my spiel, but once I did he was pretty cool.

So finally I finished heading north and east, and began heading west, through NH and towards Burlington, VT. It was a great drive, very scenic, state highways in ME until I picked up US-2 just shy of the NH border, and then straight on through into VT. By Montpelier, several hours later, I was feeling pretty tired and wanted to stop at the rest area, but somehow I missed it. So I got off I-89 and got on US-2 again and found a gas station with a ton of cars parked out in front, so I just slid my car up next to the jeep and crashed hard.

I woke up hours later, around 1:30 or so, and drove on into Burlington in time to see the night life downtown winding down. Checked mail at Kinko's, left my batteries there, took some night photos of the Starbucks. The Burlington Town Center needs more security. Some skateboard kid was being really obnoxious in chasing after a girl. Some other guys kept yelling "HOMO!" at somebody, maybe me. Who knows. After the photos I headed a ways south of the city to find a dark place to park.


August 9

At Chris's, slept 'til about 7:00 and then took advantage of their DSL to update my log and send off resumes, though the computer was slow and I didn't want to try and install the software needed to update my photos.

After photographing the Framingham B&N store, I headed west to Westborough, where the manager provided a misto, but I paid for the bagel after gauging his level of enthusiams and not wanting to ask for the bagel. The previous day the the Coolidge Corners Theater, I noticed that "The Professial" was the midnight movie for Friday night, and I decided to stick around and see that and not head to Toronto before Ottawa, which would have required doubling-back. This way, I could take a more leisurely pace and avoid doubling back to boot. Since I now had time to kill, I decided to drive out to western MA to re-photograph the three stores out there, in E. Longmeadow, Northhampton, and Amherst. I took US-20 instead of the Mass. Pike, thus saving on the toll and seeing some of the small towns along the way. Oh, and affording myself the opportunity to get lost along the way, when I got off US-20 south on 35 and then trying to find the road west towards E. Longdow. After a few wrong turns and asking several locals for directions, I made it and almost passed right by the store. I'm still confused by its location. Northhampton was easier.

Tried to get a money order at the post office to pay my consolidated credit card bill, but they didn't offer the amount I need, and suggested Wal-Mart. So I wasted time in line for nothing, which I had suspected I would end up doing, so I had been looking around for some type of info on money orders, but none was posted. Grrr...

The store in Amherst I had to call for directions, but then it was easy. I headed back towards Boston on Route 9, picking up US-20 around Worscester. I stopped at couple of topless clubs that I had noticed on the way out, simply walking in long enough to see that they didn't appear exciting, and I wondered if all the Mass. clubs were like that.

Next was the Marlborough store, where a partner had me sign an apron, a first for this trip. One of the other partners was Colombian, so we chatted it up in Spanish, and he told me how he had conceived of an idea to work shifts at different Starbucks around the country, similar to a program that TGIF's offers. We took photos, and besides the coffee I got to try some of that Lemon Ginger tea to go with the burger I bought at Wendy's, no longer being able to take the hunger, not able to wait until I got back to town.

After visiting a few more stores, including one in historic Concord, where one of the partners, a philosophy major until her father made her find a "useful" major, showed me a very peculiar trick with some water. You should go ask her to show you.

I took a break from my project to see "Full Frontal", the new Stephen Soderberg flick. Not quite sure what to make of it, and I think I fell asleep right before the ending. So I don't know why I stuck around to see "The Professional", but I love older movies on the big screen, and it was an excellent movie. Managed to stay awake throughout, but afterwards I was feeling mighty tired as I tried to make my way to Kinko's to drop off the other set of batteries, having picked up the other set, fully charged, before the movie. I abandoned that plan after not being able to find the turn onto Dartmouth and just feeling exhausted. So I made my way up to Belmont and found a place to park for the few hours until the Belmont store opened.