The Sanctity of Starbucks

Good morning, World!

      As I type, I am sitting in the Starbucks on University Boulevard, in a quiet corner by the window and sipping a steaming mocha latte. Life is good. Apparently, when I'm happy, I'm some kind of magnet for other happy people. Allow me to explain.
     When I first walked in here with the hope of sitting down with my coffee and doing some serious studying, I was bummed. It was packed - the line was nearly out the door and every table and chair was taken. So I got my latte and was headed for the door when I noticed a small table in the perfect little niche - away from the bustle and noise. No kidding, people, away from the noise. In Starbucks. And no, to my knowledge, pigs have yet to fly. But at this point, I'd say it's pretty likely.
     So a random guy walks through the door, gets a couple steps past my table, and then spins around, beaming. "You know, that's really cozy," he says. He turns away, then back again. "Seriously. I've worked in about a million Starbucks all around the country, and I always try to find the best, quietest spots. But that, that's gotta be the coziest. Nice job."
    
     There you have it, folks. I, Chelsea Linehan, have found the coziest corner in the country. Am I proud of myself? Absolutely.

What Makes a Burger a Burger??

Dearest World,

    I know, it's been a while. Between exams, homework, and my professors threatening to kill me for forgetting to do my reading, I've barely had time to sleep, much less check in to the blogosphere. But thanks to my awesome brother (who would be considerably more awesome if he were a Wildcat instead of a Sparky), I have returned. In the middle of synthesizing indigo dye in chem lab this morning, I received a text from him:
     "So, I've been thinking about something this morning and would like your input. How should we define 'burgers' vs. 'sandwiches'? What characteristics should a food item have to be included in one group and not the other? Mom gave me a chicken burger patty on slices of bread and I am wondering what to call it."
     After a hearty laugh, I consulted with my lab partners. We reached the following conclusion: If it's beef, in a patty, on a bun, it's a burger. Any other meat, regardless of shape, or beef on anything but a bun, is a sandwich. Personally, I'm satisfied. What about you, World? Thoughts?
     Before I leave you to ponder this great mystery of the universe, a funny thing happened when I went to get lunch an hour later. I was standing in line at a restaurant in the Student Union cellar, when the guy behind me asked: "Is the special today a chicken burger, or a chicken sandwich?" With confidence, and perhaps more enthusiasm than is considered appropriate (or normal), I answered: "Sandwich."

So long, World.

P.S. If you're feeling down today, take some advice from my bro: lose an electron and stay positive!