Sleepless in Kirkland

I don't know why, but this spring I had the bright idea to go back to college. No real reason, I just felt like learning something, and I figured if I'm going to learn anything I might as well make sure there's something in it for me. Like a degree. Clever me applied to an online CS program at a Swedish university - since I'm a Swedish citizen, I don't have to pay for tuition. Excellent.

Only it turns out that Sweden is 9 hours ahead of me. And we have lectures online (some live meeting type style deal). Which means that some days I get up at four in the morning, other days I stay up past two. (That's what I'm doing right now.)

Changing sleep patterns back and forth isn't that easy. Coping with this takes a bit of discipline, flexibility and time management. Oh, and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee.

Luckily there's a 24 hour Starbucks just down the road, and those days I'm staying up late I like to hit the gym around 9:00-9:30 to get the blood flowing a bit, and then pick up an extra hot quad venti latte thingy to make sure the heart keeps pumping. Today I swung into the parking lot at about 10:30. And guess what, as usual the parking lot is overflowing. The drive through queue is half way around the block. Inside, at least fifty people are chatting & sipping.

I find this very peculiar. Who drinks coffee at 10:30 at night? Don't people need sleep? Or is everyone in Seattle attending my univeristy? Or could there be something in the coffe that people just have to get their fix at all times of the night...?

...hm, if I had some cash to spare, I'd buy some Starbucks shares...