  &emailalert=no&email=adgrant@indiana.edu&url=http://closeproximity.blogspot.com&name=Proximity&bgcolor=003399&fcolor=FFFFFF&link=FFFFCC&words=comments&title=Comments &width=350&height=350"> Well, yes, bloggers, I have been away for quite some time. I was in Indianapolis, and nothing happened to me whilst I was there, so I had nothing to post about!
New Year's was really fun, but Aly has the digital pics... Anyway, my reason for writing: Matt and I are now back in Chicago, thank goodness, and we decided to be all adult and get up early and go to church. We have been super delinquent about that considering that we are required to go in order to do this whole wedding thing. So, we go, we sit, we enjoy not being out in the blizzard that is upon us. And, 2 late-comers pass walk up by is to get in a pew. The man was holding a cup of Starbucks! Now, I'm no religious fanatic, but I think there are a few places that one should not bring their favorite status-defining beverage. He just sat there and sipped his drink like he was at the movies (which it still annoys be that you can get Starbucks at the theaters) or just hanging out. Didn't even put it down for all the many stand-sit-kneel routines of the Catholic church. I started envisioning a little Starbucks window in the back of the church so one could just pick up something to drink on the way in. I don't like Starbucks for the simple reason that I think their coffee tastes like shit. I don't really even drink coffee, but whenever I end up in a store (usually at the mercy of someone else) I always order something hoping that it won't be nasty sugary vomity, and it always is!
I guess the point of this rant is that Starbucks is the ever -present ultimate consumer culture product, and I'm super sick of this, especially when the stores drive out independently owned businesses in my neighborhood. There is a funny site for those who hate urlLink Starbucks which is a little overboard in my opinion.
I don't have a to-the-death hatred, just a musing dislike. Anywho, here is a pic of me tooling about, smiling like a gremlin on xmas vacation. This was just after I cracked Matt's mom's car windshield, and she was nice enough to buy me a generic cup of cocoa. (She drank Starbucks). Aw! This peacock was growling and making weird clicky noises at me! 
