PSL

I kept seeing the letters "PSL" come up on people's facebook status' and in blogs and such. I noticed the word was all over the place. I wondered what it meant? It sounded like PTSD, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or some sort sort of infection in the body. Of course I couldn't have that many friends having the same issue, so I wondered if it stood for something like VPL - Visible Panty Lines. But no, men were posting about it also. I would have thought it was something teeney like "tbh" - a facebook game where you write a "to be honest" about someone. But I had adult friends writing about it. I was stumped. And intrigued. And bothered. I don't like not knowing things. 

When I found out that the PSL people were referring to was Pumpkin Spice Latte's at Starbucks I was amazed - are they really so famous that as a culture we're letting them be called by only three letters? I meant we don't even do that with Eggnog or Hot Chocholate (it's shortest commonly referred to title is HoCho, a whole two letters longer than PSL). I found this all very interesting. 

But then I started to think about the fanaticism I see people displaying in regards to Pumpkin Spice Latte's. All fall my news feed is alive with PSL excitement. TV shows, magazines, blogs, they all make reference to this coffee treat. My Pinterest feed and Blog Reader are filled with make it yourself versions of this drink. Why would I be surprised that it's taken on such a life of it's own? Why wouldn't it?

People talk and write about it in raptures - it's love, it's family and fall and everything autumn rolled into one cup. The sun sets peacefully on it in a field next to a pumpkin. It's PSL - real love. 

Today I decided enough was enough. I have never tried this drink before, but all these many many people couldn't be wrong. They couldn't. So I popped down to Starbucks to try it out. Now, I found it weird - there were no angels singing when I went to order it. The barista didn't congratulate me on my choice. It was a strangely lackluster experience...and they spelled my name "Tera". Dagger to the heart. 

But I kept an open mind; partially because I had paid almost $5 dollars for this drink and I was going to enjoy it! Partially because I had asked for a tall in a grande cup, and paid for a tall, but received a full grande size. FTW. (Those initials DO deserve to be shorten to three letters. For those of you less hip than myself that stands for For The Win. Which I only know because of the internets).

My review of the PSL? I don't hate it. It wasn't the worst thing I've ever drank, nor even close. If someone bought me one in the future I'd probably drink it. But I'm confused - I don't taste any pumpkin. Spice? Yes, I taste spice. Pumpkin? No. No, pumpkin. 

For reals though, where's the pumpkin? When I make pumpkin soup, it doesn't matter that it's one pumpkin to like 5 onions, and I add other stuff too, you can still taste the pumpkin! When I make pumpkin cups with a cup of pumpkin mix, you can always taste pumpkin. My PSL is more of an SL, if you know what I mean. [What I mean is exactly what I said, FYI]. Oh and FYI means, For Your Information, but that's an old one, so you probably already knew that. Dang it Tera Tara. 

Oh well PSL, I feel like you tried. Actually that's a lie. I don't feel like you tried. I feel like I bought you and drank you and now will move on. That's how I feel if I really stop to examine my feelings on the topic. 

And for this post, world, you're welcome. 

Post Script: I wanted to add a link to some of these words and their definitions on Urban Dictionary but their descriptions have a habit of being gross and profanity filled. So yeah, no. Not going to happen.