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Too cold for coffee?


BR46

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2 minutes ago, jsharr said:

I do not understand the concept of a coffee shop unless it has a breakfast counter or you are meeting friends there to grab some free wifi for a Scout meeting.

Why do people like @Dottie gravitate towards coffee shops?

Meet other people, have a conversation and have a nice cup of coffee.  No different than going to a bar and paying twice as much for a beer that you can drink at home. 

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5 minutes ago, BR46 said:

Meet other people, have a conversation and have a nice cup of coffee.  No different than going to a bar and paying twice as much for a beer that you can drink at home. 

Never looked at it like that, but then again, I would not go to a bar unless I was meeting people I already know.  Good point.  

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Just now, jsharr said:

Never looked at it like that, but then again, I would not go to a bar unless I was meeting people I already know.  Good point.  

At my age, I can't imagine going to a bar or a coffee shop and striking up random conversations with people I have never met.  I am worried I'd meet a guy like Dottie and would have to go to great lengths to extricate myself from him!

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14 minutes ago, jsharr said:

I do not understand the concept of a coffee shop unless it has a breakfast counter or you are meeting friends there to grab some free wifi for a Scout meeting.

Why do people like @Dottie gravitate towards coffee shops?

Coffee shops are a Third Place.

In community building, the third place is the social surroundings separate from the two usual social environments of home ("first place") and the workplace ("second place"). Examples of third places would be environments such as churches, cafes, clubs, public libraries, or parks. In his influential book The Great Good Place, Ray Oldenburg (1989, 1991) argues that third places are important for civil society, democracy, civic engagement, and establishing feelings of a sense of place.

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1 minute ago, Dottie said:

It's been snow all week and we were couped up all day yesterday. I am heading to a coffee shop now. I'm sorry jsharrt. I'm a social butterfly.:flirtyeyess:

So do you just start talking to random people like some sort of crazy man or do you sit in a corner like me and wonder who you are going to have to take out when they go crazy and pull a gun?

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Just now, dennis said:

Coffee shops are a Third Place.

In community building, the third place is the social surroundings separate from the two usual social environments of home ("first place") and the workplace ("second place"). Examples of third places would be environments such as churches, cafes, clubs, public libraries, or parks. In his influential book The Great Good Place, Ray Oldenburg (1989, 1991) argues that third places are important for civil society, democracy, civic engagement, and establishing feelings of a sense of place.

This is my third place and I can visit here from my first place or my second place.

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1 minute ago, jsharr said:

So do you just start talking to random people like some sort of crazy man or do you sit in a corner like me and wonder who you are going to have to take out when they go crazy and pull a gun?

I talk to the barristas. Then I sit my ass in a cushy chair and post here. I guess I could be drunk instead.

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Just now, Dottie said:

I talk to the barristas. Then I sit my ass in a cushy chair and post here. I guess I could be drunk instead.

I don't get how to "talk to the barrista" once I got my coffee. It takes them like 30 seconds to take my order, fill my coffee cup, and hand it to me. The most I get in is a "Thanks! Have a nice day." before I am through the whole process.

Do you actually get much more than a minute or two of talk time?

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1 minute ago, Razors Edge said:

I don't get how to "talk to the barrista" once I got my coffee. It takes them like 30 seconds to take my order, fill my coffee cup, and hand it to me. The most I get in is a "Thanks! Have a nice day." before I am through the whole process.

Do you actually get much more than a minute or two of talk time?

That's all I need to undress them in my mind. :D:D:D

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7 minutes ago, dennis said:

 The Great Good Place, Ray Oldenburg (1989, 1991)

Has he updated his book and/or theories post-Internet?  It really was a different world back then :(  - good and bad - and it's really hard to truly grasp the changes in the US since then. 

I see in his bio: Oldenburg, Ray (2000). Celebrating the Third Place: Inspiring Stories about the "Great Good Places" at the Heart of Our Communities.  That seems like it was STILL before the wave that is the modern Internet.  He's still kicking at 87 yrs old, so he might still be talking about it.

More from Wiki:

Oldenburg suggests that beer gardens, main streets, pubs, cafes, coffeehouses, post offices, and other "third places" are the heart of a community's social vitality and the foundation of a functioning democracy.[2] They promote social equality by leveling the status of guests, provide a setting for grassroots politics, create habits of public association, and offer psychological support to individuals and communities.

Oldenburg identifies that in modern suburban societies time is primarily spent in isolated first (home) and second (work) places. In contrast, third places offer a neutral public space for a community to connect and establish bonds. Third places "host the regular, voluntary, informal, and happily anticipated gatherings of individuals beyond the realms of home and work.

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I can see the allure of a nice cup of coffee and a comfy chair in a coffee shop in a small town.

Here in suburbia, they all seem rushed and noisy and I would have a hard time relaxing.

I much prefer to pour myself a cup of coffee while I am sitll in my robe and sitting on the couch with a semi sleeping dog or sitting on the deck out front as the sun comes up.

One of my favorite places to drink coffee is at Scout camp.  Love to get the pot ready the night before, wake up the next morning and fire up a stove and put the pot on to percolate.  A nice cup of hot coffee on a cold camp morning as the world begins to wake up is incredible.   I used to find some embers in the camp fire and get a small fire started and sit by the fire drinking my coffee until it was time to start whatever the days program was.

Even when I staff, I like to get up and grab a cup of coffee and stand on the porch of the dining hall and watch the sun rise and watch lights start to come on in tents at the campsites I can see.  Then the campfires start and the smell of breakfast cooking fills the air.

Usually I am up before the sun and in the kitchen helping to cook for the camp staff or the campers, depending on the camp, and I miss this part of the day.

Looking forward to mornings in camp with my Troop instead of mornings in camp as a staff member.

 

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1 minute ago, jsharr said:

I can see the allure of a nice cup of coffee and a comfy chair in a coffee shop in a small town.

Here in suburbia, they all seem rushed and noisy and I would have a hard time relaxing.

I much prefer to pour myself a cup of coffee while I am sitll in my robe and sitting on the couch with a semi sleeping dog or sitting on the deck out front as the sun comes up.

One of my favorite places to drink coffee is at Scout camp.  Love to get the pot ready the night before, wake up the next morning and fire up a stove and put the pot on to percolate.  A nice cup of hot coffee on a cold camp morning as the world begins to wake up is incredible.   I used to find some embers in the camp fire and get a small fire started and sit by the fire drinking my coffee until it was time to start whatever the days program was.

Even when I staff, I like to get up and grab a cup of coffee and stand on the porch of the dining hall and watch the sun rise and watch lights start to come on in tents at the campsites I can see.  Then the campfires start and the smell of breakfast cooking fills the air.

Usually I am up before the sun and in the kitchen helping to cook for the camp staff or the campers, depending on the camp, and I miss this part of the day.

Looking forward to mornings in camp with my Troop instead of mornings in camp as a staff member.

 

Everything is better camping :)

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1 minute ago, Razors Edge said:

Has he updated his book and/or theories post-Internet?  It really was a different world back then :(  - good and bad - and it's really hard to truly grasp the changes in the US since then. 

I see in his bio: Oldenburg, Ray (2000). Celebrating the Third Place: Inspiring Stories about the "Great Good Places" at the Heart of Our Communities.  That seems like it was STILL before the wave that is the modern Internet.  He's still kicking at 87 yrs old, so he might still be talking about it.

More from Wiki:

Oldenburg suggests that beer gardens, main streets, pubs, cafes, coffeehouses, post offices, and other "third places" are the heart of a community's social vitality and the foundation of a functioning democracy.[2] They promote social equality by leveling the status of guests, provide a setting for grassroots politics, create habits of public association, and offer psychological support to individuals and communities.

Oldenburg identifies that in modern suburban societies time is primarily spent in isolated first (home) and second (work) places. In contrast, third places offer a neutral public space for a community to connect and establish bonds. Third places "host the regular, voluntary, informal, and happily anticipated gatherings of individuals beyond the realms of home and work.

I don't know if he has. I read the book a long time ago. The wiki page addresses virtual third places. In Seattle, there is a Third Place Books. I think they have two or three stores now.

One of my favorite is a local tap room. Trivia night was a group of regulars. I met some great people there. 

 

 

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4 minutes ago, jsharr said:

I can see the allure of a nice cup of coffee and a comfy chair in a coffee shop in a small town.

Here in suburbia, they all seem rushed and noisy and I would have a hard time relaxing.
 

Bingo. It's not just coffee. Bars, barber shops, bookstores, libraries all work. 

Will Weaver wrote a great short story called Haircut. It's a masterpiece of literature.

Blaze of Glory is fucking hilarious. Ice fishing and RVs. @BR46 would love it. 

New highlights include “Blaze of Glory,” a poignant tale of an RV road trip and a senior couple. In “Haircut,” a young boy and his beloved grandfather struggle to communicate across a great cultural divide. In the capstone story “The Last Farmer,” a high-tech farmer’s dilemma is with history, tradition, and an old house on his land.

Twelve stories in all portray the yearnings of the human spirit and the continuing, sometimes wrenching transformation of America’s Midwest.

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5 minutes ago, dennis said:

I don't know if he has. I read the book a long time ago. The wiki page addresses virtual third places. In Seattle, there is a Third Place Books. I think they have two or three stores now.

One of my favorite is a local tap room. Trivia night was a group of regulars. I met some great people there. 

 

 

See, I would go if there was an event or happening, like Trivia, and I was meeting friends, or on a Trivia team.  

Used to ride a lot with DORBA here in Dallas.  We did a Friday night social ride on a MUP that went from North Dallas to White Rock Lake.  We would do a lap of the lake and then head to a local burger joint for a burger and a beer and then ride back to the meet up place to head home.  Great way to spend a Friday night and a great Third Place.  

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I just got here. The lady that manages the shop is a really nice person. We talked about the snow and her neighborhood and I just learned about the name of a hill there. I tried to ride my bike up that hill once and failed miserably. I'm pretty much the only one in here. Fire burns and music plays. I get to enjoy this hot cup of joe posting to you asshats while I wait on that water pill to do it's thing. What's not to like? 

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1 minute ago, dennis said:

I don't know if he has. I read the book a long time ago. The wiki page addresses virtual third places. In Seattle, there is a Third Place Books. I think they have two or three stores now.

One of my favorite is a local tap room. Trivia night was a group of regulars. I met some great people there.

It is a really interesting (and socially important) topic, and we have seen an explosive growth in coffee/tea shops in the past couple decades, but we have also seen the decline in other community areas.  I think gyms also are community building places with their assortment of classes where regular attendees can form new relationships.  I still find coffee shops more like normal restaurants where I just get a coffee and hang out while drinking & eating before moving on - most times with no interaction with other patrons.  I would expect different it I went to the coffee shop for an event like a club meeting or a trivia night, since in that case, it is simply the place the event is happening, and likely mostly irrelevant.

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Just now, Dottie said:

I just got here. The lady that manages the store is a really nice person. We talked about the snow and her neighborhood and I just learned about the name of a hill there. I tried to ride my bike up that hill and failed miserably. I'm pretty much the only one in here. Fire burns and music plays. I get to enjoy this hot cup of joe posting to you asshats while I wait on that water pill to do it's thing. What's not to like? 

What if you have to have a bowel movement?  The best place to do that is at home before your morning shower.  Everyone knows this.  It is undeniable.

Wake up, make coffee (unless the coffee is already made by an automagic coffee maker) drink coffee, watch morning news, check social media and email and maybe do a little work remotely, then off to the back of the house to use the bathroom, shower, shave and dress to face the day.

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2 minutes ago, jsharr said:

See, I would go if there was an event or happening, like Trivia, and I was meeting friends, or on a Trivia team.  

Used to ride a lot with DORBA here in Dallas.  We did a Friday night social ride on a MUP that went from North Dallas to White Rock Lake.  We would do a lap of the lake and then head to a local burger joint for a burger and a beer and then ride back to the meet up place to head home.  Great way to spend a Friday night and a great Third Place.  

Events and community engagement are what have made indy bookstores survive and thrive. The tap room I go to is in an industrial park. You'd never just stroll by and stop in. Trivia was always busy. Lots of regulars. Great fun. 

I've joined two bike clubs. I was never a road rider until then. I rode with them for the company. I've made some great friends as a result.

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1 minute ago, dennis said:

Blaze of Glory is fucking hilarious. Ice fishing and RVs. @BR46 would love it

I'm going to look into this. 

10 minutes ago, Indy said:

why would I get up and go out just for a freaking cup of coffee is the better question

It's 3 blocks from my house so to just get out and do something then sit here at home. 

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5 minutes ago, Razors Edge said:

It is a really interesting (and socially important) topic, and we have seen an explosive growth in coffee/tea shops in the past couple decades, but we have also seen the decline in other community areas.  I think gyms also are community building places with their assortment of classes where regular attendees can form new relationships.  I still find coffee shops more like normal restaurants where I just get a coffee and hang out while drinking & eating before moving on - most times with no interaction with other patrons.  I would expect different it I went to the coffee shop for an event like a club meeting or a trivia night, since in that case, it is simply the place the event is happening, and likely mostly irrelevant.

I think it varies by area. I agree an urban Starbucks is just for getting coffee and going or using wifi. The small town coffee shop I used to go to was packed, all the time. Everyone talking. The coffee was avg. People went for the conversation.

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Thank you @BR46 for a really great morning thread!  I have enjoyed this thread.  I would gladly meet all of you at a coffee shop to discuss stuff like this.

On the book front, the Sweet Land books sounds sort of like something Bill Bryson would write.  Would you agree @dennis?  If so, I surely need to check it out.

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2 minutes ago, dennis said:

I think it varies by area. I agree an urban Starbucks is just for getting coffee and going or using wifi. The small town coffee shop I used to go to was packed, all the time. Everyone talking. The coffee was avg. People went for the conversation.

Agreed. Eff Starbucks and the plastic dolts that patron there.

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Just now, jsharr said:

Thank you @BR46 for a really great morning thread!  I have enjoyed this thread.  I would gladly meet all of you at a coffee shop to discuss stuff like this.

On the book front, the Sweet Land books sounds sort of like something Bill Bryson would write.  Would you agree @dennis?  If so, I surely need to check it out.

Maybe, never thought of it because Bryson writes non-fiction and Weaver writes fiction. I would think fans of Bryson would enjoy Weaver. Weaver did write a non-fiction book about hunting. 

It's one of my favorite books of all time. Will signed my copy. I lost it or USPS lost it for me. I might have to get another copy. 

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Just now, Dottie said:

Agreed. Eff Starbucks and the plastic dolts that patron there.

We have two coffee shops close to the house.  A Starbucks that always has a line and a local joint called Pearl Cup.  If I had to go to one, I would choose Pearl Cup.

A bit further away we have Communion Coffee and I Love You a Latte.  Never been to either but hear good things.

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2 minutes ago, dennis said:

Maybe, never thought of it because Bryson writes non-fiction

I'd say Bryson writes a mixture of fiction/non-fiction.  His stories are decidedly hyperbolic and all of them should be taken with a grain of salt and an appreciation of making the "normal" much more entertaining through a bit of embellishment. 

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1 minute ago, jsharr said:

We have two coffee shops close to the house.  A Starbucks that always has a line and a local joint called Pearl Cup.  If I had to go to one, I would choose Pearl Cup.

A bit further away we have Communion Coffee and I Love You a Latte.  Never been to either but hear good things.

For me I drive in about 45 minutes just to catch a bus. There is a coffee shop across the way. Private and convenient. I get to purge my bladder and refill my coffee before I bus the rest. It's a nice place to start setting the table for the rest of my day. And I feel more connected to my community. I do the atom thing way to much as it is.

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1 minute ago, Razors Edge said:

I'd say Bryson writes a mixture of fiction/non-fiction.  His stories are decidedly hyperbolic and all of them should be taken with a grain of salt and an appreciation of making the "normal" much more entertaining through a bit of embellishment. 

The master of embellishment. If you've not read Mike Perry, get on it. 

 

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1 minute ago, Dottie said:

For me I drive in about 45 minutes just to catch a bus. There is a coffee shop across the way. Private and convenient. I get to purge my bladder and refill my coffee before I bus the rest. It's a nice place to start setting the table for the rest of my day. And I feel more connected to my community. I do the atom thing way to much as it is.

My drive is 20 minutes on a normal day, 40 minutes on a bad day.  About 12 miles.   Park under my building and walk past a Starbucks in the lobby.  Some sort of boutigue version called Kofe with some funny punctuation but they serve Starbucks products.

Walk right past it and make Amazon brand coffee in my Mr. Coffee in the office.

How is a coffee shop an hour from your house part of your community?  

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The best third place locally is Teton Barbers. It's always busy so you have to wait and soak it up.

I'm in there one morning and one of the barbers says "I heard there is a car in the Snake River." Everyone is like no way, couldn't be true. She says"well that's what I heard."

I'm sitting next to a deputy from the Sheriff's dept. He's reading the paper not participating in the conversation. So the barber says "Tom, is it true?"

He lowers his paper and says "There's a car in the Snake."

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