Saturday, November 19, 2005
You know those people at the coffee shops?
I've always thought, wow, what a great way to get some work done. Good coffee, free wi-fi. What's not to like? So, I gave it a try tonight.
I'm here to report that I don't think this is going to work for me. Besides those dang students taking up all the space in Zoka while they nurse one cup of coffee for six hours (not that I wouldn't have done the same thing as an undergrad), I experienced a whole range of problems that pretty much show me why this isn't the place to get any work done (notice I said work. It's still works as a place to play with your computer and look at people).
Here's how it went:
So, I arrive around dinner time. The place isn't too full, so I buy an always fantastic Zoka Americano and sit down with my lappy by the fancy new fireplace. I buy a pound of coffee and three or so drinks here every week, so I'm not going to feel very guilty if I make my Americano last (sorry for the double standard, undergrads). Boy the new space sure is pretty. And hot. That fireplace cranks out the heat. Hot heat. Really hot. So I shuffle down a couple tables and plan to start getting productive.
"Oh, what's that you say, you want me to move my power adapter so you can plug in, too? Sure...I can do that (shuffle, shuffle)." OK, where was I, oh yeah, getting productive.
I begin my reading and can't help but overhear a conversation from a TA who was saying the prof she works for doesn't actually grade anything. He just writes on the papers and then later on comes up with grades all at once. ... nope, I didn't catch the name, but it sounds like a system I could love.
OK, now I'm really going to get going. Five minutes under my belt. Great. This is going well. Uh, where did that huge group of older people come from. Fancier than they typical student crowd, and dressed like they going out for something....hmmmm....wait, they are moving the furniture. Oh, my God, it's, it's, LIVE MUSIC. Ahhhhhhrrrgh!
OK, that's OK, it's just a couple acoustic guitars, I can handle this. Just focus...they'll probably be mellow.
Uh, no, they aren't. I didn't know two acoustic guitars could be so loud. At least their crowd of friends are enjoying themselves. Of course, they probably don't have to study this weekend. I also can't help but note that only about half of them have purchased coffee or food. I wonder if Jeff knows these guys are just as cheap as the students? Probably going out for dinner and drinks after the show (this isn't 90s. A guy's gotta save his cash, right?). To top it all off, they get the fireplace turned down so it doesn't burn their tushies.
Sigh...time to go.
Just to be clear, I'm not complaining about live music in general (though this song about hating earwig seems a little over-reaching in the I'm-a-nutty-artist department). The loud, energetic, mostly adequate music just didn't fit with my plans for the evening.
I'm guessing I'll give UZ a try another night, but tomorrow, the library! Wi-fi, books, even coffee. And, as far as I know, no live music. What's not to like?
-boo-out.
I'm here to report that I don't think this is going to work for me. Besides those dang students taking up all the space in Zoka while they nurse one cup of coffee for six hours (not that I wouldn't have done the same thing as an undergrad), I experienced a whole range of problems that pretty much show me why this isn't the place to get any work done (notice I said work. It's still works as a place to play with your computer and look at people).
Here's how it went:
So, I arrive around dinner time. The place isn't too full, so I buy an always fantastic Zoka Americano and sit down with my lappy by the fancy new fireplace. I buy a pound of coffee and three or so drinks here every week, so I'm not going to feel very guilty if I make my Americano last (sorry for the double standard, undergrads). Boy the new space sure is pretty. And hot. That fireplace cranks out the heat. Hot heat. Really hot. So I shuffle down a couple tables and plan to start getting productive.
"Oh, what's that you say, you want me to move my power adapter so you can plug in, too? Sure...I can do that (shuffle, shuffle)." OK, where was I, oh yeah, getting productive.
I begin my reading and can't help but overhear a conversation from a TA who was saying the prof she works for doesn't actually grade anything. He just writes on the papers and then later on comes up with grades all at once. ... nope, I didn't catch the name, but it sounds like a system I could love.
OK, now I'm really going to get going. Five minutes under my belt. Great. This is going well. Uh, where did that huge group of older people come from. Fancier than they typical student crowd, and dressed like they going out for something....hmmmm....wait, they are moving the furniture. Oh, my God, it's, it's, LIVE MUSIC. Ahhhhhhrrrgh!
OK, that's OK, it's just a couple acoustic guitars, I can handle this. Just focus...they'll probably be mellow.
Uh, no, they aren't. I didn't know two acoustic guitars could be so loud. At least their crowd of friends are enjoying themselves. Of course, they probably don't have to study this weekend. I also can't help but note that only about half of them have purchased coffee or food. I wonder if Jeff knows these guys are just as cheap as the students? Probably going out for dinner and drinks after the show (this isn't 90s. A guy's gotta save his cash, right?). To top it all off, they get the fireplace turned down so it doesn't burn their tushies.
Sigh...time to go.
Just to be clear, I'm not complaining about live music in general (though this song about hating earwig seems a little over-reaching in the I'm-a-nutty-artist department). The loud, energetic, mostly adequate music just didn't fit with my plans for the evening.
I'm guessing I'll give UZ a try another night, but tomorrow, the library! Wi-fi, books, even coffee. And, as far as I know, no live music. What's not to like?
-boo-out.
