Finally!

Since Starbucks Customer Service was able to solve my registration dilemna last Wednesday morning, I was able to get my free drink. It took me 4 tries and 9 days to get this cup. I got my usual cup of black iced tea. I didn't know what else to get. 

Coffee Chains and its Rewards Cards

I recently bought a new Starbucks card. I held off buying one when it came out last year because I was wanting to wean myself from caffeine. I'm not a coffee drinker but I do frequent Starbucks especially the one at my office building. I have an almost daily routine of getting venti iced tea; basic black and dark chocolate macadamia cookie. My order sometimes varies and I'd get hot chocolate or Tazo. I'd also try all other food offerings once in a while just so I know what's worth spending money at and what's just plain crappy. When I got my Starbucks card some 9 days ago, I got so excited. I immediately tried to register it. I didn't realize that it'll give me such a headache. I don't like calling customer service hotlines, if I do I like optimizing the automated system but for my Starbucks card which I tried registering 4 times I had no choice but to call and file an incident. I finally had it resolved this morning. I got it registered and I can now access my account. Thanks to their intervention. I actually had a more pleasant experience with my Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Swirl card. I guess they do experience technical glitches with that Starbucks card of theirs. They have anticipated it or else they wouldn't have prepared a customer service hotline for it. 

I wish I wouldn't have to encounter another problem with it. I hope I could just happily load it, swipe it, and enjoy the perks. 

Must Love Books

National Bookstore and The Philippine Star recently started a contest in Instagram. The hashtag is #MyFaveBookMySelfie2014. Here are the details of the contest: 

I knew when I saw their post that I had to join. I didn't post a photo right away, I have way too many favorite books to able to make a hasty decision. After a few days of selecting and making a list in my head I settled for the very first book I've read. I tried several selfie shots, deleted most of it but kept just these two photos: 

 

I posted the second photo with this description: 

I absolutely loved these two photos it ended up as my profile and cover photos in Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Google+. I'm glad that this contest is now easier, it used to be that you have to email your entry and wait for it to be selected and published on the Sunday edition of The Philippine Star. If it gets published then it means you're the weekly winner. Now there's no need to wait for publication. Posting it on instagram already guarrantees an audience no matter what. What I'll be anticipating for will be the announcement of winners. I hope I made enough impact to win not just the weekly raffle but the grand raffle as well.