I am not now, nor have I ever been addicted to Starbucks.  I do like Starbucks, though, for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the coffee.

My granddaughter has a job at Starbucks.  She's worked for them for a few years now as she makes her way through college.  Starbucks has treated her well, accommodated her school schedule, and paid her more than minimum wage.

They do this for all their employees and, as I understand it, even the employees working the coffee plantations out of this country.

So now when I go and pay $1.50 (you actually can get a cup of coffee there for that price) to $4.00 for a beverage at Starbucks I don't get all huffy about the outrageous prices because I know this is a company that tries to take care of its employees.  Sort of like Ben & Jerry's.  You don't find too many people complaining about paying $5.00 for a pint of their ice cream.

Starbucks is more than a cup of coffee.  It's an experience.  The stores are clean and inviting.  The employees are well-trained and treat their customers with friendly respect.

When my granddaughter, Erica, got through with her mandatory training the other day, she was grateful for the opportunity to improve her skills.  What a remarkable thing for a company to do nationwide!