I know the world is going crazy.

[raybear]

I know I've posted excessively today, but I have two questions to pose to people who are lovely enough to take some time from their day to read this.

1. I have this strange emotional memory that gets triggered whenever I hear Ja Rule's Livin' It Up. And no, it's not blinding rage or anything. I feel really really sad. Today I realized that I must have some sort of association from when it was being played on the radio non-stop (back when I listened to WGCI at work and not CD's). Can someone help me out by reminding me of when the single was released and played repeatedly? I get all of his songs mixed up, and I don't need exact dates -- just a 2-3 month approximation.

2. I was given a Starbucks gift card today for a small amount -- barely enough to buy a mocha. I'm rather opposed to consuming products from Starbucks. Is using this gift card, which is not my money, compromising my moral superiority on this issue? Discuss.

Yesterday I said I was leaving at 5 pm to go home and nap. That didn't happen. Today it will. I promise myself. Hell, I'm probably going to pass out on the train and wake up in Evanston whether I want to take a nap or not.

Comments

[danielray.livejournal.com]

the money is already spent, so not using the gift card at all doesn't prevent the financial support of Starbucks. In fact, it lets that couple of bucks be pure profit for them.

you could potentially give or sell it to someone who frequents Starbucks *anyway,* thereby not increasing the financial support the store receives.

[ridleymae.livejournal.com]

yeah, use it. what danielray said too ;-)

[bigfatmama.livejournal.com]

i'm always fighting my sense of moral superiority and i want to challenge you to do the same!

you don't frequent starbucks. a gift card doesn't change that. if you refuse to spend it you are depriving yourself of a lovely drink, although you could regift.

that's it, while you are gathering your strength to topple your sense of superiority, regift!

[hiddenriver.livejournal.com]

1) Don't know the song - sorry.

2) I would agree that not using the card only helps Starbucks. You can use it for a non-coffee item to avoid consuming non-fair-trade coffee (assuming that's your issue with Starbucks, of course). I was going to suggest a small item like the candy, but then my mind went off on a tangent about slave-labour-supplied chocolate vs. fair-trade chocolate, and things just sort of went downhill from there. Maybe a cup of Tazo tea?

[cruelnails.livejournal.com]

1. I'm not really up on my Ja Rule timeline, but I want to say that Livin' It Up came out about a year ago - during spring. But don't hold me to that. Incidentally, perhaps you have a negative association to the song he sampled (I think it was Stevei Wonder's 'Do I Do' but again not certain) not that I want to deflect any blame at all away from the omnipresent Ja.

2. Hell, if it's a gift card then they've already given Starbucks their money. I'd say go ahead. Strabucks is run by evil yuppie bastards, but those evil yuppie bastards make a damn fine cup o' joe.

[cuedus.livejournal.com]

I can't answer 1, but I can answer 2:

Give it away to someone homeless or something. Don't use it yourself, but admit that corps can help... and help them help by giving someone coffee -- someone they don't really _want_ to give coffee, but they have to anyway.

[clockwatcher.livejournal.com]

good idea!

[sharkysmachine.livejournal.com]

send it to me. i have no such aversion.

[gotmce99.livejournal.com]

I believe Starbucks sells bags o' beans that are fair trade coffee. You could always buy a bag (do you have a grinder/coffee maker, 'cause if not, this may be a no go). Either way, definitely fill out a comment card afterward saying that you got a gift card and what would make you feel more comfortable in the future buying hteir coffee.

Or something like that.

Hugs,

Margaret

[kaileo.livejournal.com]

Ja Rule's "Livin' It Up" dropped in the US on 28 August 2001. It was released as a single in the UK a few months later, in December.

An alarmingly disproportionate amount of my gray matter is devoted to useless music trivia (not that I knew the dates off the top of my head).

[raybear.livejournal.com]

thanks for confirming this for me! i thought it might have been fall of 2001 when it was playing nonstop.

i too have more brain cells than i care to admit storing lots and lots of trivia and random facts, just not this one. although now it's there!