Simply amazing, simply Wawa

I first knew Wawa as a convenience store, on par with 7-Eleven, but with a stranger name. It was a quick stopping point for coffee or snacks on my way to somewhere else. Now it has become a destination in its own right. Many businesses, even those beyond the service sector, would do themselves a favor by studying the Wawa model.

Wawa's core purpose is "To Simplify Our Customers' Daily Lives." And that's exactly what it does.

• Need a little caffeine pick-me-up? Wawa has dozens of fresh coffee pots to pour from, so you never have to wait for a fresh brew-- or someone else to pour.
• Concerned about the once-and-trash nature of disposable coffee cups? You can drink "green" with a refillable Wawa coffee mug that fits snugly in the console of your car.
• Lunch? Head to the touchscreens to place your order, and it's ready in minutes. Couldn't be easier.
  

What impresses me more than a specific service is the fact that Wawa gets it. It offers simple services quickly and in a smart way, with an interface -- like a touchscreen or coffee center -- that's easy and even enjoyable to use.

I know I'm not the only Wawa fan. There are 149,099 on Wawa's Facebook page. There's even a Facebook "Addicted to Wawa" group.

No, I don't work for Wawa. I just love being able to satisfy my everyday needs with one quick stop. And the gas prices are hard to beat.

Where does the money go?

Like most people, I like to keep track of my money. Now I can do so in an entirely different way. For instance, the $20 bill in my wallet has traveled 121 miles in 110 days, 11 hours, and 15 minutes--or an average of 1.1 miles per day--since its last owner reported in. The bill is now 121 miles from its previously noted location in Hughesville, Md., where the owner received it as change at a Wawa when buying coffee.

I'm not sure what the value is of knowing so much about your money, but it's a fun bit of mind trivia. To learn where your money comes from--and where it goes--visit Where's George.

Both sides now

To Twitter or not? Here are two arguments for your consideration:

1) Peter Shankman, in his "Help a Reporter Out" evening email on June 24, writes:

"Is Twitter changing the world? Just check out what's up in Iran. Or Dell - Dell computers announced that they had brought in an additional $3 million in sales from their outlet store through the use of Twitter. Pretty cool considering that it appears one person manages that Twitter account for Dell..."

But before being swayed by these exceptional examples, make sure to get some balance with the following:

2) Matt Jones, of Advertising Age, presents his insightful perspective in "Why I Hate Social Media: Because Media Itself Just Isn't That Interesting--Not Even The Social Kind."

What do you believe?

Twitter wants you to answer the question: What are you doing? LinkedIn wants to know: What are you working on now? A more thought-provoking and heartfelt query is the one posed by This I Believe, Inc., which asks people to distill the guiding principles by which they live into a brief essay.

What began in the 1950s as a radio series hosted by Edward R. Murrow has become an international project that engages people in "writing, sharing, and discussing the core values that guide their daily lives."

I've listened to these essays for years on NPR, and now that the series has concluded, I was glad to find its new home on the This I Believe Web site. You can browse and read essays by theme. You can listen to the essays. And you can contribute your own insights.

Among my favorites is Bela Fleck, "Doing Things My Own Way," originally broadcast Sept. 26, 2006. I'm a big fan of his music, and I was eager to hear him talk about how he approaches life. It was touching to hear him attribute much of his "individualist, bone-headed nature" to his grandfather, whom he calls Opa.

You can view the "Top 25 Most Viewed Essays This Week," which recently included words of wisdom from Penn Jillette, Helen Keller, Muhammad Ali, Tony Hawk, John Updike, Colin Powell, Amy Tan, and Elie Wiesel. How's that for a lineup?

You can even subscribe to This I Believe podcasts.