Has Starbucks gone to pieces? Starbucks today and the Starbucks I worked at in Chicago and set my historical fiction novel Tripio in, would have a hard time recognizing each other. For one, there are about 25,000 more stores and 200,000 more employees around than when I wore the green apron. Those numbers tell the... Continue Reading →
Starbucks books for Starbucks fans for Christmas
A while back I read How Starbucks Saved my Life by Michael Gates Gill. In the interest of full disclosure, I read it out of curiosity, as opposed to organic intellectual interest. In other words, I read it to see how that memoir compared to my historical fiction novel, Tripio. I may offer a full... Continue Reading →
From Barista to Boardroom and back
. Thoughts on Barista to Boardroom “It felt like the circle had softly closed, like it was all meant to happen exactly that way. I could now let go and move forward, embracing life as a former partner.’ These couple of sentences conclude Christne McHugh's’ memoir, From Barista to Boardroom. In my historical... Continue Reading →
When enough is enough
. 'He reminded us that the ambitions for Starbucks were focused on large and global company growth." - from Barista to Boardroom recounting Howard Schultz announcing Starbuck's IPO "I look down the now quiet tree lined street and wonder why it wasn't enough? Why wasn't a record breaking weekend at store... Continue Reading →
The Land Before Starbucks- the time before coffee was click-bait
When my sons were much younger they loved dinosaurs. And so they loved animated series of movies starring a group of singing dinosaurs called The Land before Time. I watched those movies with my sons those twenty plus years ago on prehistoric format known as VHS. I had just left a career at a burning... Continue Reading →
Coffee and writing
Some writing with your coffee? It is not yet seven a.m. on Sunday morning. And I have been up for close to ninety minutes. This is my schedule. I have come to the conclusion that sleeping in is overrated. This is my day off and one hears a lot about how others relish the chance... Continue Reading →
Searching for the perfect cup of coffee.
The search is on It is seven a.m. in Columbus Ohio. I am strolling with intent through a gentrifying neighborhood towards my first cup of coffee of the day. My oldest son is still asleep a few blocks away. I am in town to visit him. A few days ago, I texted... Continue Reading →
What is a tripio?
A troubling thing has been happening since I published my historical fiction novel, Tripio. I have been getting asked quite a bit the question: “What is a tripio?” This question was first asked me at a class on memoir writing at the Indiana Writers Center. No one in the class with me knew what... Continue Reading →
What along strange Tripio its been
"This can't be happening." It was nearly dinner time when the realization struck me. There would be no coffee available tomorrow morning. But, indeed it was true. You see, I was visiting my family in Ohio and the house I was spending the night in was being renovated. Not in a... Continue Reading →
VanGogh & Tripio are shaking the content tree
“Just dash something down if you see a blank canvas staring at you with a certain imbecility” I wrote that Painters block? I take this blog seriously. I know I have come to use humor more frequently as the blog goes on. However I believe that is an indication of growing confidence in the blog... Continue Reading →