The Little Girl, the Shaky Old Man, and More!

It is five in the afternoon, raining, and I am on drive-thru at Royalty Burger. At every order I ask “how’s the rain treating you?” and virtually everyone who has lived here for an extended period of time answered. However, a few people seemed unamused with the rain, which we had not gotten enough of in a long time. I would often ask if they were from some other part of the United States and they would respond with a rainy state of origin.

It is now 6:30pm and I am helping clean up and stock the lobby. A blond little girl, probably 5 or 6 years old, walked up to the drink station and was trying to get a refill. She could not reach it. I asked if she would like me to help and she responded “yes”. While I had expected to take the container and refill it myself she wanted to “do it too”, so I guided her hand to the ice and then to her desired drink. It was pretty cute, especially when she ran off with her drink, stopped as if she had forgotten something, and then turned to say “thank you”.

My headset went off to let me know a customer was at the drive-thru and I respond in my usual greeting. It is apparent that I have a cranky customer, which is not uncommon, but is always annoying. This person in particular seemed to be on a mission to put me in a foul mood. I quickly turned on the “bright and shiny” fake smile and proceeded to cash him out. He was an elderly man with a scruffy beard, worn clothes, and slender body.

Not long after Old’n Cranky came Mr. Shaky hands. He is a regular customer and everyone is always worried that he’ll drop either his food or the money. I imagine he has a medical condition because Mr. Shaky is considerably shaky. After he left I told my manager whenever I serve him I feel like I should escort him home because it seems dangerous for him to be driving. She responded with a chuckle and returned to her work.

It is about 9:30pm and the rain started picking up again. This is annoying when on drive-thru because the sensor picks up what I call “invisible customers”, which is just the rain tripping the sensors.

It is 9:45pm and we have a large group of teenagers walk in, which is kind of bothersome because the lobby closes at 10pm and we have to re-clean. For the most part they seem to be enjoying themselves, I say this because they are being really rowdy with each other and overly friendly with the female cashier.

The Happy Hour Chronicles: Hour Two The Re-Houring

Hey folks! Dr. Alan Coholic here again, but feel free to call me Al! I am back at my local watering hole gearing up for another rousing round of field work.  It's nearing 1 pm on this Friday afternoon. My only concern is that we may get some rain moving through here which could pose as a problem since I am doing my observations from the patio.  A silver lining though, is that I get the added bonus of observing people's behavior if the weather conditions do turn south.  Weather will definitely be something I will be keeping an eye on this afternoon.

When I arrived there were only a single couple on the patio having a round of beers.  They were both in their late 20's or early 30's.  Both in casual dress and having a quiet but animated conversation.  I am unsure of their relationship based on their body language.  They aren't close together but they are very relaxed in their postures and appear to be very comfortable together. I will try to come back to them if I can note anything interesting as they continue their afternoon.

Shortly after I sat down a large group came out to the patio.  Six men and one woman, all in their late 20's and all dressed casual. Gender aside they were a very diverse group of ethnic back grounds.  This leads me to surmise they are some sort of study group, probably grad students that are out to enjoy cheap drinks on a Friday afternoon.  They are extremely relaxed with each other, their postures is very comfortable. Most of them are slouched back in their chairs and laughing openly.  All but two of them ordered beer.  The two beer holdouts both ordered mixed drinks, gin and tonic I am going to assume since a slice of lime was included.  This group looks settled in for a long hull, apparently they are not worried about the storm clouds.

Two women in their mid 20's pull up to a table about 20 minutes after I sit down. They sit on the other side of the patio and there is a tree partially obscuring my view so it will be hard to keep up with them.  But they both ordered beer and sit very close to each other so it is safe to assume they are close friends.  Even though they are sitting close together they are having an animated conversation.

About 40 minutes into my observations two more women come out to the patio and also take a their own table.  Both are in their mid 20's like the last two women that came out.  They are dressed casual like everyone else this afternoon but one of them is carrying a large bag that says, "Happy Birthday!" I am going to take a stab and guess they are two friends that are having a birthday drink.  Sure enough they both order beer an proceed to have a very animated conversation, lots of laughing and smiling.  They are also sitting close together.

As I wrap this post up I am struck by a commonality that I never expected to see, especially among groups of people in their 20's and 30's. I did not see a single phone during my entire observation.  This further to leads me to believe all of these groups are indeed very close.  
Other than the very interesting observations about the phones the other common trends included:

• Just about everyone ordered beer, not shocking though since it was happy hour.
• Everyone was very relaxed and animated in their conversations.  Again I believe all were close friends.
• The threat of a rain storm did nothing to douse these group's sunny dispositions. Though it never actually rained so I can't be completely sure about this.
• And as expected as the more the groups drank the louder and more animated they became.  

That's all I have this week folks! I am starting to see some interesting common trends already! Check back next week for more! 

Your friendly neighborhood drinking buddy,

-Al 

 

Friday Study Sesh

It's Friday at 3:30pm. Ground floor Corbett Center. It's slow, not that I expected anything more out of a Friday afternoon. Most everyone here is studying alone on their laptops. A couple of people are on the desktops. Almost everyone not having a conversation has their headphones in.

Some guy in a plaid shirt has been on the phone making multiple phone calls. He looks fairly frantic, darting eyes and big hand gestures. He’s too far away for me to hear, but I think I can safely assume they’re business calls.

A girl in a polka dot dress keeps looking at me. I think she’s doing her field observation as well. Awkward.

The other people around me include:

            Serious Student, who looks very intense about the paper she’s writing.

            Acid Wash Denim Shirt, who looks like she’s struggling with her stats

homework.

            The Bagel Workers, who are cleaning house.

            The Trio, 3 women deep in conversation.

And of course a constant trickle of people passing through.

Bagel Workers are having animated conversation, enjoying the fact that it’s almost quittin’ time, Serious Student is still working intently, and Acid Wash looks as though she has been defeated. Polka Dots has left me to observe the room on my own, but maybe I’ll see her again next week.

A new face enters the scene. He’s wearing a blue shirt. He ‘s trying to chat up some pretty girl, but doesn't seem to be having much luck.

Bagel workers have all left by now and Serious Student has switched to checking tumblr and her texts. There are only about 8 people left of the original 20(ish). Blue shirt gave it his all, but leaves unsuccessful. Someone at the ATM looks very frustrated, like the machine can’t go fast enough for her busy lifestyle, which I've noticed is how most people act towards the ATM.

One of the Trio looks as though she might cry, while the other two look sympathetic and as if they’re trying to offer her advice. Acid Wash has dived back into her statistics with new fervor, but Serious Student is still slacking.

Soon they will both get up and leave. But not before I do. I shall leave them to their studies for now, and hopefully see them again next week.

Field Notes 1

The first set of field work observations were made between 12:20 pm and 1:40 pm on Thursday September 4^th 2014.

During the first day of observation at bow staff high school, three groups had formed amongst the tables under the awning outside of the cafeteria. These groups were composed of between 2 and 7 students. The first group (the rockets) consisted of two male students and appeared to be studying with brief intervals of conversation. The second group (The Drawers) was significantly larger at six students that consisted of a mix of genders included two male students and four female students that were eating a late lunch or partaking in conversation. The last group that had formed at this time (The Doors) was another large group of seven members, all male students were partaking in conversation. Concurrent with the formation of these groups was the presence of four students in the interior of the nearest building to the cafeteria, the oxygen building that appeared to be mostly studying or working on assignments individually.

The three groups of students outside were stationary for the most part not changing seats or tables, save for the occasional trip to the restroom or the trashcan. After approximately 20 (about 12:40 pm) minutes The Doors went to the parking lot and left in five cars, leaving only two groups under the awning. Soon after another individual male student (Mr. G) was dropped off and proceeded to the oxygen building and began to study near the other four students already in that building. Shortly after this another male student (Mr. T) exited from the cafeteria and joined The Rockets at their table. After being joined by Mr. T The Rockets began to study less and engage in conversation more. Meanwhile The Drawers completed the food that they were eating and began to engage in conversation exclusively.

After several minutes of no change in activity, five members of the previously established group The Doors returned, with cups of tea from a chain deli McCredie’s. This seemingly indicates that the intention of the trip the group was to go to this deli, but it’s unclear if any food was purchased or if it was only the beverages. After returning from their trip the remaining members of The Doors returned to the table they were sitting at previously. A class period started at 1:40 pm at the school and students that have a class at that time began to arrive in large quantities approximately ten minutes before the bell around 1:30.

After the first observation session, several questions were raised about the various groups I observed. The first question I had about the groups was if trios to McCredie’s were common, whether or not food is purchased there, or if any other group makes trips to the same deli. My other questions about my observations are more general such as whether or not the groups I observed are the only groups that frequent this area, if the groups always occupy the same space, and do the groups ever interact.

Weekend at the lake

This weekend I went up to the lake for a fraternity retreat with a bunch of friends. Getting up there was quite the hassle because apparently finding the correct beach isn't as easy as one would think. As I arrived I noticed how unbearably hot it was, there wasn't a cloud in sight. I noticed everyone in my party putting sunscreen on so I lathered as much as I could without making myself look whiter than I am and plunged into the refreshing water.

After my swim I came out of the water and noticed the two English members of our Fraternity playing with a football (soccer ball) on the beach, I gladly joined them and was quickly shown up by their superior skills that they had learned as young lads whereas I had just started to pick the game up.

After my miserable failure of trying to dance with the ball at my feet I decided to take a seat and get some sun, giving me the opportunity to observe my brothers, hanging out and having a good time. After a while I decided to try and catch some dinner casting for some fish. After a couple hours of nothing but nibbles and false hope for a fish I noticed the guys got the fire pit ready and I was starving.

Thankfully I didn't put all my eggs in one basket when it came to the food, I brought traditional campfire foods, Hot dogs, burgers, beans, and smores,  After dinner we had a ceremony for the new members.

Moments before the bell

As I enter the building all is silent but the sound of the white buzzing lights. It's a big enough area for more than 50 people to congregate, but it's a bit too early for the building to be full. I see 15 students (which I think are students because of their appearance). About half are in their own group of friends and the others just sitting quietly around the plants.

As I look straight ahead I see a female with a green blouse. She is observing the bulletin board stapled with papers for different sports, clubs and services. Green blouse doesn't seem interested in the papers, it seems she is reading the board to kill time before her class starts.

To my ten o clock I see a group of three students seated at a table. 2 males and one female. One is wearing a baseball cap, he is a bit huskier. The other male is wearing a navy blue shirt and khaki pants which reminds me of walmarts uniform. Both baseball cap and walmart are talking and laughing while the female is on her computer.

She is wearing running clothes which seems to be popular apparel for young women at this school. She seems to be finishing a paper but is in no hurry. Her elbow is propped up on the table with her hand on her chin almost as if she is bored.

Around my nine o clock are four people seated in a row. None are speaking a word, two of them are staring at their phone which I can only guess that they're on some sort of social networking site(twitter, Facebook, Instagram etc.).

A few more students walk through the door speaking loudly which is almost a disturbance because of how quiet the room was. From their direction I can hear obnoxious laughing and sarcastic jokes. Sarcasm seems to be big part of comedy with people this age.

It's now ten minutes before class and I notice the room has about 30 people now. I guess most people like to be in class on time rather than ahead of time. With the room so full it make it a hassle to walk to class.

The Student Shop

Its about 95° outside and the sun is out with no signs of clouds in the sky. I arrived at CometCoins Coffee Shoppe around four in the evening. When I walk in it is quiet and all you can hear is the soft music in the background. The music is quiet enough that nothing is clearly decipherable except the sounds of a guitar playing. As I look around I spot several laptops, books and paper, and backpacks. Most of the patrons are students. There are a few older patrons who are engulfed in the Sunday paper.

There is a couple who appear to be on a study date. They’re taking up a small table in one of the far corners of the room. They sit closely at the ample table. They both quietly work rarely communicating with each other. When they communicate its in quickly hushed tones.

In the opposite corner a young male is working diligently on his computer. None of his clothes are matching. He has his computer bag placed on the table and is picking within arms reach. Every once in a while he reaches in and pulls out a morsel of food.

A table away from the lovebirds sit two girls. Their backpacks lay haphazardly on the floor and their papers are strewn across the table. They both have their computers out but neither of them are working. They are both enthusiastically having a conversation. Their voices break the silence of the coffee shop. They speak in a mix of Indian and English. It reminds me of Spanglish.

The barista at the counter is expressionless and neutral. He is polite and makes small talk with the patrons as he fills the orders. He finishes quickly although there is only a small amount of people in line.

Half an hour into my stay there is a quick rush. About ten or fifteen people fill the CometCoins in a matter of minuets. They are mostly older patrons but a few younger patrons as well.

Three young girls in their late teens sit at a table as they wait for there drinks. They all look similar to each other almost like sisters. They each have the same shade of dirty blonde hair and wear the same style yoga shorts and shirt in different colors. They reminisce about their high school senior year and how much fun they each had. They then move on to talk about their classes and professors. They all agree and disagree on the same things. None of them are happy with the amount of homework they are receiving this semester.

Another patron who came in with the rush sits down at the large table in front of the bar. He looks to be in his mid thirties. He wears a cowboy boots that match his straw hat. He wears Levis jeans and a white buttoned down shirt. Clipped on his belt buckle is his phone. It is a clunky obviously out dated flip phone. It looks like the type of phone you could run over and nothing would happen to it. In his hands he holds a very modern tablet. He seems very engrossed with what he reads. He swipes quickly through and doesn't hear his order being called until the barista calls out to him. Like most of the older patrons he is just passing through and leaves after getting his order.

The Chatty Cathys have seemed to quieted down and have begun to do their work diligently. Soon after they become productive they resume their conversation and their progress ends.

During this rush the barista has been able to flawlessly keep up. He fills multiple orders at the same time using his time efficiently.

I take note that almost everyone is drinking some form of hot beverage although it is 95° outside. Among those who drink cold drinks the males seem to only be drinking iced coffee and the females seem to be drinking fruity teas.

I also take note that all the computers with the exception of one of the Chatty Cathys are Apple brand computers.

Field Notes

I have decided to conduct my fieldwork at my place of work, as I am very rarely anywhere else.  

I work at an upscale (as far as Las Cruces goes) dining establishment which we will refer to as the silver dollar. 

Before diving into the specifics of customer and intro personal relations of the establishment, I am required to preface an interesting aspect of the restaurant. It is actually divided into two seep rate restaurants: all owned by one person,  but with two different menus and two separate wait staffs. One is considered more "fine dining" and one is considered more "casual". These are polite ways of classifying our patrons, our dining areas, and our wait staff, into economically based caste systems. 

This first blog will detail the setting so as to get an accurate picture of the environment and feel of the place I work before customer relations even come into play.

Part I: hostesses/ seating

Before I began as a member of the wait staff, I was a hostess for over a year. I saw two full sets of hostesses cycle through and was the only one to remain for quite sometime. (Turnover rate for a hostess position is high and Otis perhaps because of the following)

When you host at the silver dollar for even a month you quickly begin to understand the basic clientele of both restaurants. Prominent figures in the community are often seen in the upscale area, wealthier people and visitors who can afford plate prices of upwards of 30$. Then the lower level restaurant attracts tourists, the blue collar after work crowd, appetizer and drink crowd. Most locals know the difference between the two restaurants and able to immediately tell the hostess which restaurant they would like. Tourists or first time patrons are usually asked which restaurant they would prefer and then pick accordingly. Sometimes, however, a patron will say "two for silver dollar" and the hostess (a pretty, peppy young girl hired for her smile and ability to filter the restaurant and control of the flow) is forced to passive aggressively explain based solely on appearance of the customer that they probably can not afford the restaurant they chose. 

In short: a hostess is hired to be very pretty and very polite. She is also hired to kindly explain to people the class system of the restaurant. It is part of the hostesses duty to maintain the appearance of the upscale dining room and those who eat there. Do they look like they can't afford the food? Do they speak another language? Do they have young children with them. Try and get them into the casual dining room. (Of course if a customer insists on the dining area we will seat them accordingly, but we do our best to field them)

This separation and classification of who is allowed to eat where is a fundamental aspect of how the restaurant functions on the basic and grandeur level, as well as giving the hostess the idea of superiority and mindset of judgment. This is not a commentary on the hostesses: it is a comment on what is expected of them, and the way they are forced to judge and look down upon people based solely on appearance. This can be used as a microcosm for classification issues we see in every day society and current affairs. 

Operating within a skewed paradigm of economic and social privilege that you may or may not fit into, the staff of silver dollar have already effectively judged, classified, and formed a perception of how we must treat you as patron and how this you will likely treat us: all before you've even gotten past the door.

The Fellowship of The Nerds

The aroma of body-paint fills the air as people walk around admiring nerd culture. There are many exhibits in the room, such as: Star Wars, Ghost Busters, Hot Wheels, a few famous cars, and multiple vendors.

There are a group of friends, who seem highly interested in the different exhibits, including, Deadpool, Batman, and Superman. Deadpool is skinny and around five and a half feet tall, he has bushy hair and glasses. Batman is a Caucasian man who is also around five and a half feet tall, he has long hair and broad shoulders. Superman is a chubby dark skinned fellow who is around six feet tall, he has short hair and a goatee. The three friends are taking pictures in front of the Batmobile, they then walk north and take pictures with the De Lorean and then with the Ninja Turtles Van.

Next, they meet up with Spiderman, Night Wing, and Green Lantern. Spiderman is around six feet tall with lanky limbs and a very slim build. Night Wing is chubby and around five and a half feet tall with long blonde hair and short legs. Green Lantern is around six feet tall and has short brown hair with long lanky limbs.

They go as a group to the game room and play a game of Pathfinder. Spiderman wins the game and laughs at his friends for losing. They head back into the main room where the exhibits are. They join in a photo with storm troopers and then with the ghost busters. As they head to buy some comics from one of the vendors Spiderman asks Batman "How did your date go last night". Batman answer with "It was sweet dude, I took her to the mall and we watched Let's Be Cops, that movie is hilarious man".

They search through bins, labeled in alphabetical order, looking for comics they would enjoy. As they are leaving the room Green Lantern says that he is hungry and then Night Wing suggests McDonalds.

Dog's Best Friend

Its gloomy outside, yet more people are starting to arrive. Don’t they know those dark clouds that are starting to hover around us will begin to threaten us with lightning? They continue their routine without caring about the weather around them. My first impression is these people are nuts.

They’re routine consists of taking their dogs to this dog park every day after work. The dogs play as if they are at recess, while their owners sit around and watch. The park is mainly a dirt lot with a fence around it. There are a few benches and two small gazebos. Plastic lawn chairs are scattered all around the park, however the regulars have put a few together for their afternoon chats. Dog toys are found all over and there is one kitty pool that dogs use to cool down. For the owners, this park is just that, a park. However, for the dogs, this is their hangout spot.

I used to believe that dogs look like their owners but now I’m not so sure. All these dog lovers are very different, yet their love for dogs is what makes them friends. The regulars know every dog's name and talk to the dogs as if they were people. They greet the dogs and ask them how they’re doing. Thus, my second impression is these people are nuts. Moreover, some people arrive to the park in their work outfit. Others are in comfortable clothing more suitable for the outdoors. Most of the people sit by themselves or with the people they came with just watching their dogs.

The clouds continue to darken above us, and the rain has started to fall ever so gently. The dogs begin to run in a frenzy, while the owners begin to pack their things. The weather takes over and people begin to say their goodbyes with promises of seeing each other tomorrow.

Student Success Lounge

It is about 9:40 a.m. and this particular part of campus is usually rather busy but then again I have never really been here this early in the morning either. There are traces of life in the general vicinity, a slow but steady stream of students trickle in and through the main walk way. Several individuals find themselves spots to sit and review over notes or catch up on homework.

Two distinct groups make themselves very apparent as they start to set up booths just off to the side of the main walk way. The first “Booth A” appears to be setting up several items of what seems to be of an Asiatic origin such as decorative fans, a sword with tassel, etc. The second, “Booth B” seems to be a more frequent kind of display showing some sort of social group with possibly certain interest in technology. 

I notice a particular single female student sitting alone 2 tables in front of me. She seems to be studying intently from a composition notebook. I will refer to her as “Plaid” for the style of shirt she is wearing. Plaid does appear to be taking small frequent breaks from studying to simple looking around and taking a second away from her work. I suspect that she has been at it for some time and is beginning to tire out.

Several students who I will call the “Trio” are heading on their way from 1 table to three of the desktop computers close to the printing center. The each sit at their own computer and immediately start to work on the computers.

Just now Booth A is starting to get some attention, the individual however does seem to be familiar with the individuals running the booth rather than what the booth is displaying. I suspect that they are friends sampling chatting.

One of the Trio has just split from the group and is printing several documents, he then appears to leave without any indication of a farewell to the other two he was with, but I could have missed the indication ad cannot say for sure whether he said bye or not. The Trio has now diminished to a duo.

The single student who was running Booth B is now joined by a colleague to assist in whatever way, then a third female student joins Booth B and quickly settles in.

Soon after the gathering at Booth B several students begin to set up a third booth “Booth C” and they appear to be bringing some rather impressive equipment to attract attention. Their main attraction being a model airplane. It measures roughly four feet by four and a half.

After some time yet another from the original trio now proceeds to print and then leave the area. The duo is now down to a single female student still working diligently on the computer. I just now realize that plaid has left without my noticing what so ever. But at the same time I also realize that there is a total of 7 students at the once very quite Booth B.

Late Nights at B-block

The sun is down and moon is up. The sky seems of a dark blue color, and there are no stars in sight. The weather is calm, and with a slight breeze of cold air. Sounds of crickets and traveling cars are heard throughout the halls. A strong smell of detergent coming from the laundry room is flowing through the air.

Across my room there are a couple of lights on. College students trying to finish up late night homework. On the third floor one girl whistles a melody as she walks her laundry basket to the laundry room. She loads her laundry into the washer and returns to her dorm to retrieve a book. The book looks thick. She heads back to laundry room, and sits to read as she waits for her laundry.

On the bottom floor another young gentlemen has started on his journey to the laundry room. He carries a white basket full of colors. As he walks he disappears through the trees, and I lose sight of him.

On my side of the building two more girls head over to the laundry room, and then again 3 more people across from me. These late night hours seem to be the time a day where students have the most time to do laundry, or maybe they just prefer this time due to weather and temperature.

Besides all the laundry, there seems to be different activities going on around B-block. Across from me on the first floor a girl walks out of her room wearing a green mask of some type of lotion on her face. it must be some sort of face cleanser. She walks out to meet a friend on the bottom patio. They exchange hugs and sit down on the table to chat.

Down the hall from my dorm I can hear a guitar being played. The sound of the guitar is quite soothing. A couple of guys head over to the location from where the sound of the guitar is coming from, and they greet the player of the guitar and give him compliments.

A couple of girls have now walked past the third and first floor wearing dresses. They look quite formal. They must have been at some type of sorority meeting judging by name tags they are wearing on their shoulders.

As the night progresses a couple of girls walk through the bottom doors on the first floor. They seem to have returned from the gym. They are wearing loose shorts and tank tops, with their hair up in a pony tail. They stop and say hi to the girl wearing the green mask on her face.

On the second floor there seems to be a lot of ruckus over a video game. From the sound of the game it seems to be a shooting game. I can hear a lot of gunshots.

The girl in the laundry room reading her book has now come out. She heads back to her room, and shuts the door. Her night seems to now be over with.

A Study Alcove

In the upper floor of a university hall, adjacent to a major stairwell, lies a small collection of seats and tables. This is an area that is perfect for a moments rest between classes, a short period of study, or a small gathering of students to meet and partake in a noon meal. The following notes taken in regard to the social interactions within this area encompass a week’s worth of time. Notes were taken during multiple visits of around one to two hours in duration throughout the weeks, as opposed to just one sitting. As such, these notes will only contain points of interest as opposed to overly descriptive account of one event.

A single student, who we will refer to as Mika, sits upon one of the many rectangular cushioned seats. His back is against the wall and his eyes are closed. He is napping in public, his unattended in open view. Mika stays for just under thirty minutes before leaving.

Some time later, it is around midday. A handful of students arrive, connect some of the smaller tables scattered about into a single larger table, and sit down for a noon meal.  Having just climbed one set of stairs, many of the students hold labored breathes, not used to physical exertion, and possessing bodies unaccustomed to physical activity. Most have brought large quantities of fast food from local venues, and speak to one another with mouths full of high fat snack food. I am able to overhear conversation amongst the group, and they appear to be reminiscing over experiences in organizations that they were once a part of. One individual makes a point to state, between mouthfuls of food, that she enjoyed a particular organization as its activities kept her in shape. This would appear to not be the case anymore, considering her current body composition.  After finishing their meals, the group disperses to their next classes.

Later, a few hours past noon, another group of individuals arrive in a staggered fashion. A young brunette sits down at the table conglomerate formed by the previous group. This young woman will be referred to as Serena throughout the course of my notes. She has chosen to sit as far away from my location in the area as possible, presumably as she does not wish to socialize. She immediately pulls out a laptop, a textbook and notebook, puts on her headphones, and begins to study. A few minutes pass before two more individuals arrive, and sit across from her. Looking up from her studies, she brandishes a large smile and is swiftly pulled into an engaging conversation. They are sitting too far away for me to make out what they are saying.

Some time later, a young Hispanic man walks by. Seeing Serena, he promptly interjects himself into her conversation with the two individuals across from her. It’s important to note that this young man is speaking in fluent Spanish. As such, the two individuals across from Serena are unable to continue their conversation and take up a stern silence across the table. Serena and the young man appear to be previously acquainted.  They leave within a few minutes of their conversation beginning, shortly followed by the two individuals who sat across from Serena.

Enough With The T-Shirts

The gray storm clouds cover the sun. No one present objects to this coverage. Even so the humidity in the air is still enough to make a person run to an air conditioner. Chirping birds chatter about in the trees. On this dreary afternoon, only a handful of people socialize in this deserted place. Behind me, sitting on the tables outside the restaurant, are two twenty-something women, The Chatterbox and Chatterbox’s Friend. Most people present are wearing grey shirts including The Chatterbox. Another twenty-something woman, Phone Lady, is present but on the far opposite side of the place. Phone Lady is talking on her phone and appears to be relaxed on the bench. Her conversation cannot be heard. There are no gentlemen present.

In the far off distance, a clock tower tolls to tell the time that thirty minutes have past. The tolls silences The Chatterbox. The place is engulf in silence for a minute or two. After the moment of silence The Chatterbox continues her chatter.

A yellow shirt twenty-something gentleman casually walks across the place. On the left entrance enters Blue, a twenty-something wearing a blue shirt, and T-Shirt, a twenty-something women wearing a t-shirt. Blue and T-Shirt walk into the restaurant. The Chatterbox and Chatterbox’s Friend take no notice, too interested into their conversation. Phone Lady is still on comfortable as always on the bench, talking. Another phone talker enters the place. Mr. Red wears a red shirt and talks in a low whisper on the phone. He disappears into the one of the buildings surrounding the place. A white shirt & tie man, a professor no doubt, and his student enters. They talk inventively while walking into the same building Mr. Red disappeared into.

A black t-shirt twenty-something gentlemen walks along the building. Blue and T-Shirt leave the restaurant. They find a table outside the restaurant and begin talking. Mr. Black T-Shirt seems at ease while smoking a cigarette. A pair of polo wearing students run into Mr. Professor, a green shirt and tie older looking gentlemen. Red and Blue Polo Student appear very happy as they talk with Mr. Professor. It is concluded that they have not seen each other for quite some time.

The Middle Group, a group consisting of ten middle school students, approach the statue. More than half wearing matching grey t-shirts. The Middle Group squeezes around the statue for a picture. Afterward they take a break under the surrounding trees. The Middle Group looks tired. From bits and pieces heard, they have been on their feet for the whole day and the heat is wearing them down. Not everyone in the group is wore down. A couple of male students are energetic as they tease and joke with the other students.

Due to the Middle Group’s loud chatter, The Chatterbox and The Chatterbox’s Friend leave. Another set of middle school students arrive. These Students also pose with the statue. Unlike the Middle Group, These Students are not wearing the matching grey t-shirt. Only three students are wearing the grey t-shirt.                   

Time For A Dip

Its 3:45 pm on a Sunday afternoon as the sound of rushing water, conversation and laughter fills the air. It’s a place for people to release, to look back on the week that was and get ready for the next. People are in all corners of the facility and with alcohol and company a good time is sure to be had. Everyone in their own little groups but all with the same purpose. They are here to relax, these college aged kids are here to enjoy the water and an ice cold beer.

The array of cultures is heavily present with the sound of multiple languages being heard. The fountain is the center of it all, standing alone in the middle of the pool, it acts as the centerpiece. The interesting this about the pool I that it isn't occupied as it is intended. The pool is there for people to swim and enjoy the water, but what the pool has become is merely a place to sunbathe and hang out in chairs above water level. It seems that even though people made the journey to the pool and dressed in bathing suites, they have no intention of actually swimming. They intend to lie out in the sun and let the ray form above burn their skin to a brown or red.

It seems as if good conversation and drinking has the replaced the act of swimming. To be fair there are a few people in the pool but not swimming, they are standing up wait deep drinking a beer. Another thing that seems quite unusual is that it is 95 degrees and more people are in the warm water of the spa opposed to the cool refreshing temperature of the main pool. Just an observation which is perplexing to me. The main thing is that everyone is enjoying themselves. It seems as if that people no longer associate the pool with swimming but with a good time. Even if they could do the same activities outside on their own patio, they still prefer to be in the confinement of the boundaries of the pool. It’s all mental. Mentally telling themselves while in the pool area that they are relaxed and that inside the boundaries is nothing but pure relaxation and enjoyment.

I've been here for close to an hour now and no one has left. Everyone who was here when I arrived is still present. As the alcohol slowly starts to kick in the conversations gradually get louder and the sound of the rushing water is slowly drowned out by increasing laughter and people start to care less and less about the other groups. Everyone still seems to be having a great time and I can safely conclude that the pool is a place to let things go. It seems no one has problems and no thinks about the challenges they have. It seems that in the four walls of the pool on Sunday afternoon these people are trying to enjoy the last bit of their weekend knowing that when they wake up tomorrow a new week at school will begin but they will have the thought of their pool visit to look back on and look forward to next weekend.

Coffee Crazed

As I opened the door and walked into the Coffee Shop the eyes of the woman working behind the counter shot towards me, and with a smile she welcomed me. After I ordered a drink I sat at a table and noticed the distinct aroma of coffee beans traveled through the store.

           

Two middle aged women, Martha and Jan sit near me, drinking their large coffees and are discussing many things including work related problems, giving each other advice and gossiping about what I assume are their husbands.

            

Soon a group of four middle eastern men came in speaking what I am guessing is Farsi, very loudly, laughing at the top of their lungs and once they order they all sit down and continue their conversation while all using their laptops.

            

The employees behind the counter are all rushing back and forth trying to complete all of the orders being made due to the influx of customers and one of them, I’m guessing she’s the manager is commanding them to complete their tasks.

I can hear many conversations, a couple of middle-schoolers look to be on a first date and awkwardly sit next to each other on a couch against the wall, the boy slowly moved his hand onto the girls and they sat there in silence holding hands and drinking their coffee awkwardly. The lovebirds finally began talking and soon broke the awkward silence and I can see them laughing.

            

One man sits by himself in the corner on his laptop with his ear buds on as he types away on what looks to be homework. He looks like he has been here for hours, because he has three empty coffee cups on his table and he has a distraught look on his face, but he still slaves away at his homework, ignoring every thing around him.

            

The Lovebirds finished their drinks and walk outside to tell each other goodbye, they stopped holding hands and the girl gets in her moms car and leaves. The boy walks back into the shop and sits, looking at his phone.

            

An elderly woman, pan, walks in and orders a sandwich, as she waits she reads a newspaper, and when her order is complete she goes to get it but drops it on the floor, she shouts a vulgar word and everyone in the shop seemed to stop what they were doing and looked at her in shock. She seemed no to notice and just picked up the sandwich and went back to her seat where she ate it anyways. Everyone went back to their conversations and Martha and Jan finally got up and left the shop. The group of foreigners seemed to disappear, as I couldn’t find them anymore.

As the shop begins to prepare to close, the employees seem to have calmed down and are laughing with each other, even the uptight manager cracks a joke as they all clean up and dance along to the music playing in the background. They seem not to care what the few remaining costumers think since they are about to be off work. At this time everyone began to gather their items and leave.

I am left alone in the shop with the employees and before I leave they give me a free drink and tell me to come again soon.

VI

It is late in the evening and the dinner rush has died down. The restaurant is crowded with bored employees trying to find something to pass the time. One is in the managers office sitting reverse on a chair rocking back and forth. The others find themselves cleaning the same sticky spot on the table over and over again. I recognize a member of the staff; he is a former friend from middle school that I had lost touch with. The floor is cluttered with old fries and straw wrappers. The first cut is the deepest by Sheryl Crow is playing on the radio in the background.

There is a family of five sitting in the corner booth and one of the sons resembles me. They all seem to be too focused on their cell phones to even notice one another. The loud music makes it difficult to hear the few words that come out of their mouths. They order chocolate milk and strawberry lemonade.

A group of people walk into the restaurant, could be a double date. Both men have their heads shaven and one of the men has a giant tattoo of an M on the back of his head. M orders iced tea and stirs two sugars into it. It seems as if he is scoping out the restaurant and checking to see what the other people are doing also. He puts on his glasses and begins to read the menu. Once M gets his food, he lightly pours some salt and pepper. It seems as if he is not satisfied.

Another bunch of people walk in and immediately start complaining about the booth. There are two men and two older women. They order coffee and begin a conversation. The loud noises coming from the kitchen make it hard to hear what they are saying.

Two older ladies come through the door and are seated at the table next to mine. One could be in her sixties and the other seventies. The older one is walking on a cane and has trouble sitting down. Just after being seated they both agree to get separate checks. The lady in her seventies makes a comment about how much easier it is to get into a chair rather than a booth. They both ask for a senior citizens menu and begin to read through it. They are the only table that got a waiter and he is a young, good looking male. He must be wanting to take advantage of the situation and get a high tip.

Toy Store!

Heat runs throughout the toy store. The door is slightly open in hopes of letting some cool air come in. However, the only thing that does come in are the conversations of people heading to the bar next door.  There are five people in the toy store. Star Lord, Mr. Piccolo, Rocket, Lunch box, and myself. The store lacks other customers due to the store being past closing time. Star Lord, Mr. Piccolo, Rocket, and I sit on one side of the store while Lunch Box sits on the opposite side, having no desire to be a part of the group. The dress of the people is very casual. Star Lord has on a Blazblue shirt with black slacks. Mr. Piccolo wears a Legend of Zelda shirt with jeans. Rocket has a plain shirt with cargo shorts. Lunch Box has a blue collared shirt with jean shorts.

The activities of the group mainly consist of talking. They jump from subject to subject as one member is reminded of something else. The topics include how their week has been, the incompetent store owners, different toy stores in the city, different people who have been a part of this group but are not currently here, and of course comic books and games. Mr. Piccolo, who works at the store, mentions the store is having a sale for Labor Day weekend and shows Star Lord and Rocket the things that are on sale. Star Lord asks if the Vanguard cards are on sale. Mr. Piccolo does not care and sells them anyways, figuring it is better to sell them and make some money for the store rather than have them sit on the shelf.

Star Lord buys most of the Vanguard cards while Rocket buys the rest. They open up their packs and sort through the cards, giving each person the cards they desire. Star Lord wants the Angel Feather cards, Mr. Piccolo wants the Nova Grappler cards, and Rocket wants the cyborg demon cards. Angel Feather are cards that have angels that are nurses on them. Nova Grappler are cards that have giant robot fighters. Perhaps the cards they want are a reflection of their personality and the other things they like besides the cards.

After sorting through the cards, Star Lord builds a deck for Rocket and teaches him how to play. This is done by actually playing a game with each other. Star Lord seems to know the most about the card game since he was the one who knew all of the rules and knows most of the cards. Mr. Piccolo stays off to the side, mentioning that he is not feeling well.  Lunch Box continues to sit on the opposite side of the store. While playing Vanguard, Star Lord starts to tell stories about the weird eating habits of Lunch Box to Rocket.

Mr. Piccolo says that he is going to leave due to him not feeling well. The group says their good byes by everyone hugging one another. Mr. Piccolo and Lunch Box leave in the same car, while Star Lord and Rocket leave in separate cars. The group says they will see each other next week at around the same time.

Cup O' Tea?

Sunday, September 7, 2014

4:47 pm Walk in while 13 people inhabit seats and tables scattered around the café.

6 people and one infant (so seven people) occupy the seats at the tables outside.

No line at the register. Quiet.

4:48 sit down in an unoccupied pod of comfy chairs with two small coffee tables in front of each pair. This is a good spot if I was trying to get away from the slow, dull mumbling of the other people in the shop. This spot is more secluded.

4:51 stand up, gather my things to move a more pen area of sitting. A tall able in the center with a tall bar stool.

4:52. I am now situated.

4:55 crowd of 9 people happen to enter the now busy, once quiet, café.  Two girls in matching pink t-shirts and similar hair do (I assume from a sorority) order ice tea. Make friendly conversation with the barista and pay with credit cards.

4:58 Girl 1 with pink shirt walks over to wait for her ice tea and as she gets closer I see on the back of her pink shirt, in swirly letters, Sorority recruitment. And a green palm tree on the top.

5:03 the dull murmuring of voices has now converted into a louder friendly chatter.

5:04 two girls in front of me at a table next to a wall talk about amino acids, proteins and cells. Papers, notes, an open book, highlighters and pens cover the four person table. Two empty café cups sit next to each one of the studying girls. They've been here for a while, but are still engaged in a focused study session. I assume they are classmates.

5:06 *text break* (even though my phone is on do not disturb, it still disturbs me)

5:08 text break finished. Sorority girl 1 and 2 are gone and in place two other girls wait for their coffee or drink of choice, book bags slung over shoulders. As they receive their drinks they look around at all of of the unoccupied chairs, which happen to be too close to the other café inhabitants and the two girls exit the door to sit outside.

5:12 clouds cover the sky and sun. No harsh sun beats down on any of the people outside. I am surprised more people do not choose to sit outside.

5:13 just as I think this two young men probably early 20s exit the door behind me and sit at the farthest table for two outside. Both are dressed casually and both have ordered some type of raspberry or fruity tea. Conversation looks effortless but polite. These two don’t look like they have been friends for too long.

5:22 At a similar tall table next to me two girls talk freely about themselves and their backgrounds. They seem to be introducing themselves to each other for the first time. Neither of them have bought anything from the café and neither of them have books or study material.

5:24 Not wanting to infringe on their privacy I put in one of my head phones but with the other ear I can hear conversation from the close people around me.

5:27 the café has not returned to the quiet and peaceful state it was at 40 minutes ago. Steadily people keep coming in the door to order a beverage or a muffin.

5:29 Gender count- FEMALE: 19

        MALE: 14

5:30 this surprises me because without counting I thought there were a significant amount more of females than males. But the count came close. Maybe because most of them sit alone engulfed in their work, music and laptops.

5:32 Done with my ethnography report for the day so I get pumpkin bread to reward myself.