Coffeehouse Blues

Earlier this week, I was sitting at the coffeehouse (where I live) and we started complaining about our coffeehouse pet peeves.  So I thought I would do a Top Ten Coffeehouse Pet Peeves.  (Had the inspiration from this week's Top Ten Tuesday: Bookish Pet Peeves).

1. Blenders: My local has two blenders that are used for blended drinks and smoothies.  That in it self, isn't a huge issue.  I don't mind people ordering smoothies and blended drinks.  I do have an issue with the volumes.  These two blenders are blenders on steroids.  They are so loud; I've never heard a blender this loud.  And then they blend for what seems like forever...  It goes on and on and on. God forbid it's a sunny 50 degree or more day.  The smoothies and blenders come with every other customer.  Sometimes they sound like a dentist's drill.  Argh! Can't stand them.

2. Loud Ringtones: Why do people need to have their cell phones up to the highest level?  Can you not hear?  (If you are hard of hearing, I'm sorry, but I'm betting that 90% of people in the coffeehouse don't have hearing issues.)  And then there are those people that don't answer their phones on the first one or two rings.  They let it ring and ring and ring.  Answer your phone!  Very annoying.  And the weirder the ringtone, the more annoying it is.

3. Taking Up Multiple Spots: At the back of the coffehouse is two couches and a side chair in a half circle.  The other day two guys were sitting back there.  Instead of taking up one couch or the chair and one spot of a couch, they were each sprawling on a couch.  In reality, only the side chair is then open for someone to sit.  And people kept walking back to see if the comfies were open only to find that the two guys were taking up the whole area. (And they were loud talkers!)

4. Loud Cell Phone Talkers: People have a normal speaking volume.  We are loud enough to hear each other within a few feet, but not loud enough to hear across 20 feet.  And then there are those people who answer the cell phone and their voices increase three old.  I would hope that you have a decent cell phone that allows you to hear who you're talking to.  If not, please get a new one.  But I know that I don't have to yell into my cell phone for the person on the other end to hear me.

5. Wild Music Shifts: Most coffeehouses play some sort of music.  That's fine.  I like music.  However, I don't like huge shifts in music genres.  The other day we went from classic rock to classical to 90s r&b to singer songwriter.  I was having music whiplash.  Please pick a genre and stick with it for the day.  The genre can change from day-to-day, but please not within the day.

6. Volume Up on Computers: Please don't have your volume up on your computers.  I don't want to hear your music or the television show you're watching.  That's why we invented headphones.  Use them.

7. Wireless Access: Consistent wireless access would be nice.  Alas not many places I've been have stable wireless.  Very annoying to be in the middle of something and the internet crashes.

8. Slurping: Please use your manners and don't slurp the drinks. 'Nough said.

9. Not Enough Electrical Plugs: If you're offering wireless access, please have electrical plugs or at least power strips every few feet.  Access is the key.  Thankfully my coffeehouse has fixed the issue as of late.

10. Slamming Toilet Seats: The restrooms are the back of coffeehouse.  And for what ever reason, the people at this coffeehouse always slam the toilet seats.  You can hear it from the front of the shop.  Annoying!

What are your coffeehouse pet peeves?

My Second Home

I have a second home (some days it feels like my real home).  I have a place I love to go and sit and read and talk and work and listen.  I have a place that doesn't judge me (we take that shit to starbuck's).  I have a place where the coffee's always hot and the pastries are always ready to eat.  I have a place where good friends come to chat and new friends are met.  I have a home filled with colors and patterns, art on the walls.  I have a place... And that place is my local coffeehouse -- Firefly Coffee House.  It's been here since 1999 and I have been coming off and on since 1999.  I came in high school.  Even when I went away to college, I would come on breaks.  Once I moved back, I came when I could get away.  Now that I'm employed part time, I spend many days here.  I bring things to work on.  I blog, I type, I search, I talk, and sometimes I just watch a movie or a TV show from Netflix.  I do whatever the day offers until it's time to go get the boys from school.  It's a place that's comfortable.  It's filled with wonderful characters.  It's inhabited by interesting employees.  I love it here.

When I've been away (like over the Thanksgiving break), I feel myself yearning to get back.  Back to the front table with computer out and ready, coffee cup on one side, plate of food on the other side, and friends across from me.  The bf always tells me he gets more work done at home, but I get way more done here.  I get on a roll, blogging, organizing, writing, etc.  I start working and before I know it, it's past lunch time and just about time to get the boys.  But that's okay. I haven't wasted a day, I spent a very enjoyable day at my second home.  And that's a great day, any day.

Highlight of the Week -- Firefly Conversations and HP!

Usually I pick one highlight of the week, but this week I just couldn't choose.  So I'm choosing two highlights of the week!

Firefly Conversations

I spend most days at Firefly, a local coffee shop.  I'm there so often, I've officially become a regular.  The baristas know me by sight if not by name.  I've had conversations with many of the other regular patrons.  The owner even stops to chat a minute almost every time I see her.  Overall, it's a great homey spot.  I love the decor, the coffee's good, the music's usually good (except last week's classic lite rock debacle), and the conversations are always great.

Some days it's just me.  Others the bf joins to work on his real job.  And then there are those days when a good "mom" friend and the bff join.  Those are the days that get out of control, but are always awesome.  This past week was no different.

On Wednesday, the bf, bff, and "mom" friend all joined at the Firefly.  We chatted about this and that, but then our conversation turned very weird.  I was looking through ThinkGeek.com for Christmas Present ideas, when I ran across the most amazing shirt ever.  In medieval looking script it said, "Huge tracts of land."  For those of you not up on your Monty Python, in Monty Python and the Holy Grail there's a great scene of a dad and his son.  The son has been betrothed, but "just wants to dance."  The dad is trying to sell the son on the marriage.  In describing the betrothed, he comments that she has "huge tracts of land."  He is referring to her land, but says it by pantomiming large breasts.  It is priceless.  The skit goes on for a few minutes like that.

Of course, the bff, "mom" friend, and I are huge fans of Monty Python and immediately started laughing.  The "mom" friend commented that her husband would love that shirt as she has "huge tracts of land."  The bff looked chestward sadly and commented, "I don't have 'huge tracts' so can mine say 'Medium tracts of land.' Or how about '.567 acres assessed?'  And add 'a spacious backyard.'"  I was laughing so hard, I could hardly catch my breath.  Even the guy sitting at the next table, was laughing with us.  Or was it at us?  At any rate, we had a great laugh.  For the rest of the time there, we kept sliding the comments back into casual conversation.  I was laughing for the rest of my time at the coffeehouse.

It's days like Wednesday that make me realize how much I appreciate my friends.  They are there for me in good times and bad.  They make me laugh to the point of almost peeing my pants.  But most importantly, they "get" me, weirdness and all.

*I must get that shirt now!  It's too good not to.

Harry Potter

I have been waiting for the first part of the finale for months.  Of course I had to go to the midnight showing.  And of course, I loved it!

Midnight showings are a tradition.  Starting last school year, some of my students and I and sometimes some other teachers would attend midnight premieres of movies.  We always arrive sometime around 9 and then... wait for 3 hours.  We could just go see the movie on Friday night, but where's the fun in that? Sometimes we have four people attend, sometimes we have ten people.  Whatever the attendance, it's always a good time.  We stock up on candy and drinks, sometimes get popcorn, and make sure to throw a deck of cards into our purse before leaving.

Last night was no different.  I had an array of candy and drinks, the bf bought popcorn, and we had UNO to entertain until the movie.  Usually they let the audience into the theater sometime around 11:30, but because the crowd was large, we were let in at 10.  So we moved into the theater, grabbed our regular seats (row behind the railing), and then... waited.  We joked around, saw people we knew, and act a ridiculous amount of snacks.  Finally it was 10 minutes before midnight.  Cue the pre-movie pee to make sure our bladders are empty for no interruptions during the movie.

The previews began:  A great one for Tron, one for The Green Hornet, another for The Green Lantern, and one or two that I can't remember.  I plan definitely to see those three movies.

And then the actual movie started: Awesome!  Slower movie, but remember this is part 1 of the finale.  In many ways it was setting up for the big battles.  I loved the quiet moments; in between times of reflection or conversations.  The characters have definitely grown over the short break between the stories.  I see them developing into who they will be after.  I loved the action sequences.  The scene in Godric's Hollow was creepy on-screen.  I even think I jumped a bit, even though I knew what was coming.  The sets were on an epic scale.  It was great!  I loved every minute of it.  It didn't drag at all.  I was awake and paid attention the entire time.

I can not wait until July!!!!  I smell another midnight premiere on the schedule.