Too Hot and Too Cold

So I'm wearing a T-shirt, a sweatshirt, a fleece, and hat/scarf/mittens. Provide some good warmth, but not so much when you're outside!! So I walk fast to get from building to building. Of course I get too hot though once I'm inside. Long story short, I do not adapt to temperature well. It's like, once I'm inside I need to strip off my coats immediately to be okay. I'm in my t-shirt here at work and am still warm. My latte probably doesn't help a whole lot...but yeargh!!

Pretty good latte. I haven't had one all year--I do enjoy them. I can't take Starbucks Coffee anymore. In desperation of caffeine I will probably succumb again...but I'm sorry all you Starbucks lovers out there. The coffee is disgusting. I like their specialty drinks and teas and such...but the coffee? No. It tastes burnt. Like in the roasting process they go too long.

Is this an attempt at an original, unmatched flavor that no other coffee company produces? Because...well...you got it, Starbucks! Congratulations on going out on a limb and producing the only truly nasty coffee on the market. It takes real guts to make something that is not up to standards, that no one enjoys to drink, and that defies the norm. In fact, you needn't even call it coffee. It doesn't quite cut coffee.

Sorry. It's just depressing when all you want is a good cup of coffee and you can't get it unless you make it or go into town. For convenience, like say today, it's after class and I'm headed to work, it's so easy to swoop in there and get something. Ah well.

For all of you coffee aficionados out there (in Wisconsin, though--sorry! Come visit! haha), try Alterra coffee (my favorite), Stone Creek coffee, or Ancora coffee. All are based in Wisconsin, Alterra and Stone Creek in Milwaukee, and Ancora coffee in Madison. All tasty.

Gooseberries, a coffee/craft shop in Ripon serves Ancora coffee which is awesome! Zach and I have a weekly Friday afternoon date and we go there for coffee and scones (real scones, not the muffin-like-pancakes the Starbucks in the Commons serves. Like--dry and wonderful flavorful scones). Last week we tried the brownies that they serve there. Luckily we split the brownie--it was INCREDIBLE. So rich though. I think they magically packed fudge and chocolate chunks into it, it was so glorious.

So there is my spiel to sell Gooseberries to you!
Above Gooseberries is a cute toy/fudge/ice cream shop where I believe I'll be getting some things for Christmas for Ethan (my younger brother) and other peoples...who knows???

That is what I'm so excited to do! Go Christmas shopping. I love, love, LOVE finding fun and meaningful gifts for friends and family. It's so fun for me. I even plan way in advance--I've been having ideas since October, haha.

So class today was ueber short, about 5 minutes long, actually. It was so short an email really would have sufficed. ::Sigh::. Ah well. It got me dressed and out of bed! Haha. Thursdays are nice because I get to sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep iiiiiiiin. So wonderful. Feel pretty caught up. I just have a lot to do still! I best be off soon, though. I will write tomorrow; I believe I'm stopping in to work after class tomorrow!! (yes--on a FRIDAY of all things. I'll let you know how the coffee date goes :) ).

Stay warm, drink good coffee, and have a great night!
--Julia