Since I began my new job I've not spent much time in cafés and coffee shops and I miss it. I'm still getting my pea-sized brain around the role and the industry which is new to me; I am learning though, the companies' systems and procedures as well. It's going well and the Director is well-pleased, however it's been challenging and I've found myself office-bound rather than mobile which doesn't suit my roving nature.
It's largely a work from anywhere role, however I need to get a few things established before I can get out and about at which time I'll end up spending seventy percent of my time out of the office.
My last role was very familiar to me after so many years, and also a work from anywhere role, which meant I spent a lot of time in cafés and coffee shops. I loved working there and had a favourite I would attend every day. I've not spent much time in any café for a few months now though and have been missing it. So, some rectification was required.
I used to write a lot in cafés and found it a good place to do so.
I'd sit at my computer, a constant stream of coffee or English breakfast tea, and pretty much ignore what was going on around me; if I needed a break I could people watch for a little while, have a chat with some of the other regulars, or the owner and her staff if at my regular café. It was nice and I've really been missing those moments from which I gained a lot of value.
I know many people who find it too distracting however I have the ability to separate myself from other patrons, conversations, music and general noise around the café - I tumble into my own little world and through that separation find contentment.
Yesterday I sat for a few hours and wrote. I'll be honest and say I didn't have a great morning; difficult could describe it. Not all of it, but some. That affected my writing and what I wrote won't see the blockchain in its current form. It helped though, the writing, as did the separation and contentment I gained through sitting in that café; it's something to do with the different environment I guess. The people watching also...I like to see what's going on but not be involved in it. Separation. I've learned a lot about humans through simple observation over the years.
How about you? Do you go to a café just for the coffee, tea or hot chocolate? Is it about the food? Or maybe you're a little like me and go there for the ability to sit and watch the world go by without having to engage with it, to write or read and to find a little separation from other things.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
I photographed the image
Oh dear Galen, I always loved to sit in a coffee watching poeple passing by, hearing but not puttin attention on all the chatter around me. Diving into my drawings or writings, or just sit an look into the "nothing" while at the same time seeing all people floating by.
But you know, this feels for me like something from another life. At that time I loved to be separated in my own thoughts. But now as I really AM separated from this, hmmmm it feels different. And while writing these lines, I recognice, I urgently HAVE to find a solution to go through these times in a better way. The 2 months lockdown only for unvaxx, no end in sight, they do something with me I dont like. Beeing all in lockdown is one thing, but only a minor part of society, a totaly different thing. Its a feeling from beeing excluded from life. It makes me more and more angry. Not good for me.
Anyway.. what I wanted to write, when I started with this comment:
I promise you, as far as I am allowed to go in a Coffee Shop like in old times, I will take photos and sit there and will wirte a wonderful Coffee Shop posting exclusiv for you
Hey Beebs, yeah I know what you mean with the isolation people feel due to lockdowns enforced by governments. It puts a whole new perspective and meaning on the interactions found at coffee shops.
I hope you can hold out and find a way to keep yourself strong throughout this time. I'll also look forward to that exclusive post you're going to write. ✅
Thank you !LUV always good to read your encouraging, motivating words :-)
@beeber(2/4) gave you LUV.
I also often writing in coffee shops. Sitting in a corner alone. Writing while enjoying my favorite coffee and fried bananas. Although sometimes the atmosphere of the coffee shop is noisy, but I still enjoy it. I wish you success in your work
Hey Galen, nice post🙌
I think people watching at coffee shops is one of the best things about going there. It's even better when you're able to make that separation as you've said.
It's such a waste of time and energy to clutter our minds with people's business, or conversations; However, I like to watch the nuances of expressions and body language as people go about their days.
Having nice conversations over coffee is also one of the best parts of visiting coffee shops for me, with a nice big cup of cappuccino or something that I don't normally make at home, and a slice of carrot cake, lemon cake, or coffee cake, is always nice (not Chocolate). I do like fresh sandwiches too, but I like them served warm:)
I hope you'll become more mobile in your job soon, as I know what confinement to an office can do to persons who are more accustomed and natural at being on the move.
Thanks for stopping by, it's always a pleasure seeing you here:)
Have a nice weekend😁
You've encapsulated the essence of time in a coffee shop nicely. Yes, it's also nice to seodn time with someone chatting and all as well. I love the alone time though - different than a long hike - but also rewarding.
I'd hang out with you and Cam in a café anyday. I'll buy the cakes (cheesecake for me and Cam and carrot for you) and you get the coffees. Deal?
Sounds like a deal to me. You two could have all the cheesecake to your heart's content (well, maybe just one slice for you?), and I could eat an entire carrot cake, with a few cups of cappuccino :)
I do like hanging out alone in coffee shops too. That's when I enjoy people-watching more!
It's on!
😍
This has got to be my absolute favorite super power! Of course adding the ability to stay hyper-vigilant at the same time. I know to some it sounds weird, but you get it.
When I was a much younger man and prone to roam the streets at night, I wrote a good 90% of my poetry in Waffle House (if you're not familiar, a very unique southern dining experience with as many good fights as good waffles and my favorite breakfast spot for sure. I still have verses scribbled on their napkins in various storage boxes throughout my house lolol
The ability to block out the unimportant or irrelevant is a very powerful skills and has meant I've been able to remain vigilant and focused when required, for long periods also. These days I don't need to be as on it but the skill still gets used.
Waffle House? I'd go there, but only if you watch my six. Lol.
I go there for exactly what you do, the chill but also the watch and do stuff like wrote whilst not being drawn in by whats around. Wait a minute though. Shouldnt you be in bed? Or is that me? It's me... WTF?! Gnight!
Haha, I wish I was in bed. It's 11:35am though, so much luck. I'm at a plant nursery looking for seeds.
Thats my perfect Sunday! I love seed shopping! What ya looking for? You are lucky down there in that you can grow almost anything. I have to buy things that can survive wet and frozen death
On the scout for some heirloom seeds, veggies. It's a legit nursery. I'll do a post.
I getcha. In your big seed nursery growing things?
On the converse side, I had to clear the moss that was growing out of my windscreen wipers where they go into the housing. Sign, That's how damp and bogging it is here not in summer!
Moss in the wipers...Hmm, not something I've come across here. Must be a Scottish thing.
It's ridiculous. I was outraged, if you stay still long enough moss will grow on you!
I don't spend much time in cafes or coffee shops. Partly it's a budget thing, since I can't expense any of it. Partly it's my aversion to crowds and noisy environments. I'm an introvert, and I require solitude to work best.
Yeah, that's a consideration. My banking report for 2021 breaks down card usage by vendor...I was somewhat surprised at the amount 'd spent at my favourite cafe. I'm not willing to disclose it for fear of judgement. I get the solitude thing also. I crave that but sometimes feel like feeling a part of society without being a part of it.
Uh I get it. I also like to spend time alone at a cafe, but only for the purpose of pampering my taste buds with new things. I find time alone necessary. At the beginning I was worried about what people would think of me, sitting all alone. Now I really don't care anymore
I rarely worry about what people may think these days. I just go about being the best version of me and being of good character. People's opinions of me are just their perception...It's my character that defines me.
Correct!
Excellent indeed and yes you have to be a very good observer to know the others.....
This is true, through observation we can learn much about other. Many just don't take the time though.
Warm greetings in this beginning of 2022, Great writers of all times have had their special places, it seems you are no exception. My respects and appreciation for your writing and your honesty. I wish you could at some point read some of my humble writing, it would be very constructive and valuable your considerations.
Thanks for taking the time to comment. I'll have a look at your posts when I have some time.
I do enjoy that Cafe environment, specially by the sea side. There is one near my place and I spend time there occasionally. It's such a wonderful feeling, when I need a small break I look at the Sea and that makes me feel good.
It's nice to sip a coffee, relax and enjoy the view huh?
Absolutely blissful
This write up reminds me of the school environment particularly the classroom environment where some students can actually read and assimilate whatever they’re reading with so much noise heavily present at the background. I’m sure these particular set of students have the superpower of “separation from other things “
Having the ability to block out the unimportant is a very good skill I think; one I'm fortunate to have. It can be trained, it comes down to having a reason compelling enough to make one want to have the focus. I've been trained to do so and it apply it to many different aspects of life, not just the reasons I was trained for.
Thanks for your comment. Much appreciated.
Yes ! It’s really a skill i would love to learn as well.. looking forward to more of your inspiring write ups .. cheers...
Sometimes it helps to have the ambient noise of people around you to be more productive so a coffee shop would be great for that.
I agree. Provided one doesn't get too distracted by it the background noise can help. It depends what I'm writing also. A fiction about a coffee shop is easier to write there. I also find depending on the topic I'm writing about, I have lesser and greater ability to block everything out.
Yes for sure. Some jobs definitely require silence in order to concentrate. It's like you said, it depends on the work being done.
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I have the same love of coffee shops Galen and over the weekend discovered a gem of a coffee shop that has it's own library and a table to sit at and work. I will be writing about it in my next post. Glad you have started your new job and I wish you all the success in getting back to your place of writing in coffee shops.
There's a few here that have that sort of thing: Books, a few work spaces and lounges so people can read. I like it, especially in cooler weather as they often have a really cosy feel. I'll look out for that post.
Great - coming up!!
Yes! I love to work from
Unlike you, I need complete silence to write. I actually admire you for being able to mute the external noise, maybe this can happen over time with enough practice.
I know that you like to move, to not sit still. I think you would have been a great park ranger , someone fit for hiking, walking and surveilling the area. And on top of it all, to also have a great gun at your disposal.
It's a skill one can learn and acquire. I go through pretty much my entire existence blocking other humans and their noise and negativity out and it works really well for me. I don't mind silence when I write either, although a lot of the time I have music playing as life without music doesn't work well for me.
Ah I wish I could pick your brain and see how you manage to do this lol. I find noise disturbing, we are wired very differently
One must find a reason compelling enough to allow greater focus. People do it all the time when they get lost in that endless scroll on Facebook and then realise they just lost an hour of their life feeding themselves negativity and propaganda.
It's like that, but more wholesome and productive.
It's really just discipline...And people don't have much of that these days.