Nurturing my inner... freebie

Why do I not find out about these things sooner?!  While I do enjoy a good kids-in-the-bathtub pic posted by my friends on that ever popular social networking tool, they need to get their priorities straight and post the REALLY important news like this: Starbucks 40th Anniversary Free Sweet Petite Celebration.

Thank goodness I turned on the TV and caught the commercial for it.  In the very nick of time, as it was only good on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 2-5 pm.  And it was already SATURDAY, the last day of the promo, at 2:45!!!  Egads!!  The pressure.  I put on my shoes as quickly as possible and hopped on down to the nearest Starbucks.  I have seven to chose from in my town.  A bit ridiculous I'd say.  (I do want to note that I did unselfishly think of all my friends and posted the news for them on that social networking site, so there, I shared the love!  And promise of free sugar.)

When I arrived in that all to familiar storefront, there was an unusual line for that time of day.  I stood there impatiently, and I'm certain with annoying foot tapping, hoping they didn't run out of the one thing I came for.  Please oh, please oh, please make that guy in front of me choose the cake pop!  (Me having a complete meltdown like a cranky two year old in public was not on my agenda for the day.)  See, Starbucks just launched a line of mini desserts.  And to celebrate their milestone day, and as I read in a recent article on how they are trying to revive our previous addictive love for them, they were giving away one mini treat of your choice with a coffee purchase.  (I'm so in!)  And what was my poison that day?  The red velvet whoopie pie.  (Which, funny enough, a friend responded to my post that I should get exactly that AND it had already been my plan!  So I knew it would be a great choice.)  You can relax, they had one when it was my turn and I didn't have to lay on the floor flailing and crying about the bitter unfairness of life.  (This time.)

I'm really glad I ran that morning.  Though this "under 200 calories," three-biter pretty much negated the first mile in the 10 seconds it took me to devour it.  (Why does it take SO long to burn off calories, but it's so super fast to eat them?  I take issue with this mad design of the human body.)  Yet that was a scrumptious three bites and completely worth it!  The cake was moist and chocolaty and the creamy center was smooth and well proportioned.  I'm all about proper ratio.  I would definitely get another one.  Well, on another day.  Though, I will tell you I was EXTREMELY close to going to a different Starbucks and ordering another coffee beverage just to get yet another free sweet little treat.  (Shameless!)  I literally was plotting my errand running route to make it happen.  But, in the end, I didn't do it.  Talked my greedy self out of it.  I felt it would be morally wrong to go twice in the same hour.  Gosh, who needs a conscience when the chocolate peanut butter mini cupcake looked divine!  I see a new temptation ahead of me every time I go to pick up a half caf/half decaf tall skim caramel macchiato with whip.  (I figure the skim negates the whip.  Please, do not burst my safe and warm bubble of denial.  I like it here.)

Yep, that's my lap in the car. I'm very urban.

I just love a free anything edible.  For some reason, it makes me feel like a big prize winner.  Getting something for nothing, sort of.  Because I get coffee from Starbucks sometimes anyway.  (That's how they getcha.)  And this way, I didn't overindulge after working out.  (Uh, just because you exercise doesn't mean you automatically get skinny.  It's all about burning more calories than you consume, and let me let you in on a little something - running will make you ravenously HUNGRY!!!  Sometimes I feel like the caterpillar in that book we used to read in grade school who eats his way through all the pages.)

Next time, I want you all to tell me about these things the SECOND you hear about them.  Forgo posting current events, vacation pics or a video of your baby's first steps.  This is the kind of critical thing I simply must know about the moment you know!  I'll forgive you this once, but don't let it happen again.  To think, I nearly missed out on my lovely, perfect-sized, post run, no cost, coffee companion of a delicious snack treat.  *Shudder* to think it.