If They Build It, I Will Come

After being told, seeing the plans for, and experiencing a Starbucks Effects rent increase back in 2019, only to later be disappointed when the proposed Starbucks on the corner turned into a Seven Eleven, I was skeptical when hearing last year’s rumor of a proposed Starbucks across from the Pain Cave, on the same lot as the market.

Skeptical, that is until, walking out of the Pain Cave back in January, I saw construction had begun.

Since then, though I’m no longer working out in the Pain Cave, I’ve been keeping my eye on construction.

Finally, last week as I was driving by, I saw cars lined up at the drive thru, but it wasn’t until Sunday that, after grocery shopping, I walked across the parking lot to the newly opened Starbucks.

Now that I can literally walk to Starbucks, there won’t be the daily habit I once had. For one, my gut will now only allow Starbucks infrequently. Also, the cost is prohibitive.

The price of a Venti Half-Caf Americana is now $4.75 and, inasmuch as I always leave a dollar tip, plus the quarter change, that would be $6.00 a day.

A treat, once in a blue moon, will suffice.

I’ve got a lot of Starbucks memorabilia — Christmas tree ornaments, tote bags, an apron, not to mention coffee cups up the wazoo, but couldn’t resist the little Lid Stopper, designed to prevent the leaks and burns I sometimes get in transporting.

Sooo cute

It’s so far so good with my sabbatical from Crafts. Other than a text message … "Good afternoon beautiful. I'm just checking on you", when I didn’t show up for Monday’s craft session, it’s been better than good thus far with no contact, no further text messages.

Even my energy level is back on par.

I’d been experiencing an energy drain for weeks. I was going downhill fast, couldn’t manage 10 minutes on the treadmill, and couldn’t determine where the leak was coming from … source of the drain.

Amazingly, as soon as I disconnected from Crafts — being in Craft Lady’s presence, I began to feel like my old self. Just yesterday and today, I was back to 30 minutes on the treadmill, a few minutes on the cross trainer, back to the treadmill for a 10-minute cooldown.

I believe she’s, what is known in spiritual circles as, an Energy Vampire.

In regular secular circles, according to google, "An energy vampire is a person whose interactions leave you feeling emotionally exhausted, depleted, or anxious. These individuals are often manipulative, demanding, and negative, and they may use charm or victimhood to gain attention and control. Symptoms of encountering an energy vampire include feeling drained, physically tense, or emotionally deflated after spending time with them."

I doubt any of the others around her are feeling "drained, exhausted, depleted", as she comes across as just a normal good neighbor and the others aren't very deep, if you know what I mean.

I empath, so I can feel and sense with the others can't … that she's working hard to come across as the lovely, generous, helpful, involved neighbor she appears to be, and I don't doubt that she's sincerely being that. However, I can feel and sense that she's putting in a lot of effort to sincerely be those things, that it's hard work for her as there are underlining issues she's trying hard to keep at bay so she won't be judged, can fit in.

It's my empathing … sensing/feeling/knowing how exhausting this must be for her that's causing her to be a drain on my life force, an energy vampire.

I can't spend a lot of time around her.

It's all good now and looks like I’ll be on sabbatical until Halloween, and then just a drive by through the Community Room to see if Halloween is the dud it’s being set up to be.