i find it interesting

I've mentioned before that I've been going somewhere to work while Julianna is in preschool most mornings. I've visited both Panera and Starbucks every day this week. While I am certainly getting more work done, I am also having to exercise great restraint. I have managed to only order one White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks and one unsweet tea from Panera even though I could have ordered much more throughout the week from both venues. I do however, feel extremely guilty using their free wireless internet without purchasing something, which is often a great excuse to load up on an unecessary high calorie beverage and/or snack.

That doesn't really compare to the guilt I felt the first day though.

Apparently, only some Starbucks are wireless hotspots. I didn't know that. I went to the first Starbucks I came to when leaving J's preschool on Tuesday. I ordered my drink, got myself comfy in a big soft chair, and set up my laptop to work. Three dollars and fifty cents later I learned that this particular Starbucks doesn't provide Internet access.

I packed up my stuff, drove not even two miles down the road to a Panera where I knew I could get free WIFI. I plopped myself down at one of the only free tables available and got roughly three hours of work done among dozens of other people doing the same. With my White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks sitting right beside me. Yeah. I've got class.

But did you know that Panera blocks the Perez Hilton site? Isn't that interesting? I used to work for a Christian private school so I know all about web filters blocking inappropriate content on the web, but I still find it odd that Panera spends the money on this. Good for my kids, but not for my procrastinating-with-celebrity-gossip nature!

Also, I find it annoying that Starbucks is so money-grubbing. I irks me how over-priced it is to begin with, but now that I know that they provide free wireless internet for up to an hour and that after that there is a charge (you must purchase a T-mobile Day Pass for more usuage) I just think they're ridiculous! Maybe next week I should purchase a few bagels from Panera and plunk myself down in the Starbucks.