Working at Starbucks

1. At some stage in the past I’ve probably mentioned that Starbucks is probably the best of the cafe chains around here. (Seriously, few Japanese really understand what decent coffee is. This is, after all, a country that sells canned coffee.) I have since found another couple of cafes that serve better coffee, but at 500 and 600 yen a pop ($5.50 – $6.60 or so) they’re not exactly cheap. Not that Starbucks is terribly cheap either, but it is cheaper, and usually bigger. Quantity counts 15 minutes before a kid’s class.

2. One thing that I have come to appreciate about Starbucks is the fact that for the price of one measly coffee I can sit there for hours and hours at a time. Why would I do that, you ask? What difference is that to sitting at McDonalds for hours at a time? Well, it’s quieter than “Makudonarudo” for starters , and it’s a nicer place to work than my classroom.

3. For all their faults, it has to be said that they do try to create a nice ambiance in their cafes. It’s… homey, for want of a better term. My classroom has no windows, aircon, or soundproofing. It has nasty fluorescent lights and a tiny table that I bang my knees against every work day. The combination of searing overhead lighting and cramped, noisy surrounds almost guarantees that I am too distracted to think straight.

4. On the other hand my local Starbucks, has nice halogen lighting rather than fluorescent, has air conditioning, and the comforting quiet chatter of people talking in a language I barely understand. Which I block out with my iPod. An out of the way table by the corner and I’m away, focused, and producing good work. It is so pleasant working in that environment that I actually enjoy working that overtime, because I know that I’m getting stuff done. Finishing stuff is nice. It feels good.

5. Which is kinda sad. What sort of life do I live where the act of finishing a task provides more enjoyment than not working at all?

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