I am obsessed with good coffee and the idea of a coffee shop as a perfect alternative to a bar. I like hanging out with friend, talking about work, art and life and enjoying a cup of coffee. I also like to use it as the perfect way of breaking up the monotaney of my work day.

I tend to frequent Starbucks when I am working because they almost always have a nice clean bathroom to use and the drinks, prices and service are usually consistent from store to store. This weekend, I was working and ended up being assigned to a parade that ended at Tompkins Square Park. So while waiting for the parade to be finished and for our work day to end, I dragged two co-workers to a coffee shop on Avenue A. They both ordered drip coffees and sat down, I ordered a large iced coffee with a shot of espresso (also known as a large iced red eye). The man handed me my drink (a 16oz.) iced red eye and proceeded to charge me $4.18. Why is it $4.18, I asked and the counter staff informed me that because of the espresso shot it was increased to $4.18, and that there was also an extra $50 cents charged because it was an iced beverage.

Why do coffee shops charge more for iced beverages than for hot beverages? I know for a fact that because it is hot and you are making iced beverages, the only extra cost in your shop is to run and maintain a ice machine. But this cafe was not making hand made coffee ice cubes, they were using an old ice machine (most of which are never properly cleaned) and it was charging me $4.18 for this iced coffee.

I then began to realize why I love going to Starbucks even though I rather support a local business owner who is trying to stimulate the economy and the creative mind of local artists at their coffee shop. It's because at Starbucks I would have paid less than $5 probably equivalent to the $4.18 and received a 20oz cup filled with delicious ice coffee and probably two shots of espresso for the same price. I have no problem supporting a local business but I rather support a business that gives me the most bang for my buck and the friendliest service. Customer service is the number 1 thing that I remember when it comes to which businesses I like frequenting and which I dread to enter.

So if anyone can please let me know why coffee shops charge extra for iced beverages when you are receiving less product in the cup, because the ice won't melt before you are finished with the beverage, I would love to hear from you.

my twitter account is artbeatnik and I look forward to hearing from you.

I was sick this week again. That makes two times in my nine months on the job so far. This is not a good thing by any standards. However, I've been legitimately sick, which is why I am so pissed at the system. Overall, twice in nine months is really no big deal. Except that I am on probation because I am a new employee of the department.

I work for one of the uniformed services that are provided to the public in a major metropolitan city, and one of the incredible benefits that we are afforded is unlimited sick. However, being on probation, I am not afforded that I am only allowed a limited number of instances and a total number of days during the 18 months probation period. So since I began right before the Winter season, I am going to have to brave through two winter seasons without going over this limited number of times being sick.

I've already reached the maximum number of instances of being sick during my probation which is two. So I hope and pray that I will be able to go through the remainder of my probation without becoming ill as I may lose my job because of becoming ill. If I make my probation, I will be able to then enjoy the true benefit of unlimited sick. But until then, I pray that my supervisors and department brass see that I am a hard worker who shows up to work everyday that I am healthy enough.