Monthly Archives: July 2010

Take a minute to think…

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I’ve noticed a pattern in my life that I think might help some people, so I’m going to force it on share it with you.

Do you ever have moments where you’ve been working on a project/item/report/blog post for a while and you find yourself staring at the computer screen but nothing is happening?

Happens to me a lot. Just staring at a problem and not making any headway.

The experts tell you to think about something else, turn your attention away and distract yourself. Go for a walk, grab a glass of water etc. But if you’re like me, you find yourself inexplicably drawn right back in having made no progress, 30 seconds later.

So what I sometimes do is reboot my computer. Save your work first.

It’s a great way to force yourself away from the problem for 2 or 3 minutes (or more in some cases) and you can’t just jump back into it.

Sometimes it works, sometimes not, but it does force that tiny break which is good for you.

I’ll be right back in about 5 minutes…

The End Of An Era

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Anybody who knows me knows that I have an addiction to Starbucks. Specifically to Venti Sugar Free Vanilla Americanos. And can occasionally be talked down to a grande. Well, that has come to an end thanks to the new HST (and the urging of my beloved husband).

This morning I went to Starbucks for my final hurrah, and because we lacked Splenda for homemade beverages and bought my usual drink and pastry for the first time since the HST went into effect. Not that I haven’t had it in the last 5 days, but we were in Ontario so the taxes were different, plus I usually was buying something for Chris and didn’t know the exact effect of the tax.

Well, let me tell you.

My beloved morning combo has gone from $5.88 to $6.27 with the new HST. That’s a $0.40 rise in the price. Way to much.

So, Starbucks, as much as I love you (and I do), there’s no way to justify this price for me. Even having it on just Saturday and Sunday (which I may still do) would amount to just over $650 per year! That’s an extra mortgage payment!

Starting tomorrow, I’ll be back to brewing coffee in my Tassimo, making cereal or toast for breakfast and drinking a lot more free coffee at work.

Unless the good folks at 6/49 or Lotto Max finally shine upon us, and then I’ll buy my own Starbucks. But I don’t believe that will happen.