Coffee Shop Observations: #7
Edition: Live Music At A Roof Top Brewery (LMAARTB™️)
Well, this is certainly (we are already interrupting the original stream and taking a tangent to report on the fact that I just shrank my font size and lowered my brightness on my computer to prevent peering eyes from reading what I have here. Why am I so concerned by this? I don’t really know, but I feel safer knowing people would have to really squint to see what’s on my screen) a new kind of environment for me to write in. Not quite a coffee shop, but I figured I’d stay true to the theme of this series. I’m currently at a roof top bar that I heard music from when I was leaving the office today. I walked out, said to myself, “How nice is that music?”, and only made it a block away thinking “I should go hole up in a hotel lobby and just work until my ride comes” before the pull of the live guitar slingshotted me back up the stairs to the bar, with a smile on my face. How’s that for an intro.
Burnout is an interesting thing. This is far from the first time I’ve experienced it, and far from the first time I’ve written about it (should I paste the link to that here? Is that allowed under the rules of “no editting the blog post / no backspacing? Can I break my own rules? Should I be thinking about my own rules this much? Should I be asking this many questions?). Last week was a big week at work, or at least it felt that way. Turns out the hours were “only” just under 50hrs, but it felt like a lot. Perhaps 50–60 hour weeks over three months ends up leading to burnout? Perhaps I can ease up a bit, or care slightly less, or stress less? Not really sure, but what I do know is that allowing myself to get pulled towards the music was a great idea. It’s hot. The sun is blasting into my face.
This paragraph is not really a logical new idea, but more that I meant to start a new paragraph before talking about the sun and I forgot and since I can’t edit…we have a non-sequitur paragraph break because I follow my rules but I also make my own rules. It’s only been 6.5 minutes into this rather scattered stream of consciousness. Perhaps time for a new paragaph, but that wouldn’t balance them visually, and in this moment, that feels important. I wonder what the effect this hazy IPA will have on the writing. It wasn’t needed to get myself — ok I will finish that thread but I just saw a server walk to a table with a “wheel of fortune” looking wheel to be spun and the introvert tendencies within me immediataely went to a.) huh I wonder what that is b.) wow I really hope she avoids me but she probably won’t because I’m by myself and clearly looking for something to do (another interruption, pulled pork sammie just arrived, to be reported on) c.) should I put headphones on? d.) no that’s weird you’re at a bar e.) live reporting holy shit she’s coming towards me e.) hahahahahah it seemed to have worked to pretend to be really busy and distracted because she seemed determined and was walking straight towards me and then at the last second changed her mind. I guess (the list of tendencies is done being listed, these are now new thoughts) I was likely tagged as a nerd on his computer at a bar? Perhaps….
That was going all over the place. This is by far the most scattered, off-the-cuff, clearly a live stream of conscoiusness piece I’ve written so far. Clearly the beer is doing something…
Will be taking a small pause to try this sammie and then report back on it. Well, given how excesively long and rambling this post has been so far, I think we can afford some time to eat food and, well, expedite the 25 minute session so that I can let you go (real talk, if you’re someone besides me that is currently reading this, and like…continuing to read these…I don’t really know what to say. Thanks? Reach out? Why? Do you want me to write on something of actual substance? Should I stop? Actually let’s be honest I probably won’t stop because this was always only ever really for me, a writing outlet, a cathartic exercises, a warmup period of putting thoughts into words, a live stream report on the world around me…speaking of which)
Ok so this bar. The live musician who I came for has since been on an intermission (who plays the first 15 seconds of Sweet Child O Mine, tease the audience, and then say “alright yeah I’ll be back in a bit” in a mumbley voice? Like who does that???). People seem to be paying zero attention to me on my computer at a bar. I am convinced that if I was the over-thinky anxious / “everyone always stares and cares about me” I would be convinced people are giving me looks. But honestly, I kinda feel like I’m in my own world. I don’t think I overthink that much. Anyways, this feels liberating. Shockingly, I’m bummed I only have 6.5 minutes left. Anyways, the sandwhich is bomb, the weather appears to be inviting rain soon, and people seem to be having a good time. Also, the live artist is back setting up. Since no one knows which bar this was at, I feel safe to give high level descriptions — nah never mind that sounds boring.
Well, perhaps we’ve reached the end of momentum on this piece. I think the beeer is definitely doing something. This has to be longest piece written in this series so far. I should contrast this with the first week of being decaf. Boy, rambling rambly today. Going to make an attempt to finish with some substance. HA I spelled beer with three e’s. That…sometimes it’s too perfect. Now, I hope the bar realizes the musician is back on his chair and pauses the music playing in the background cuz otherwise…that’s a little rude I have to say. A guy just walked up and confidently pointed at the musician. Who…has proceeded to start playing anyways before the bar music stops? Despite that, the bar still hasn’t stopped the main music. AH, I just found out the musician himself controls the main music. And…he has started to play again.
Why am I still writing? I’ve written like a million words already. Good thing we have two minutes left. Maybe I’ll just eat instead. They say pressure makes diamonds, yet the pressure of trying to include something of substance in this post with a minute left isn’t doing much.
Life is fucking good right now.
