It is absolutely amazing after all these years how there are still so many people hanging around at Starbucks with their LapTops..and now iPads. They must be the people who bought into a years worth of WiFi service charges.
As I was at a Starbuck across town waiting for a recruiter to show up to interview me I filled my time will looking around at the crowd of over 15 men and women hunkered down with their laptops and mobile devices all engaged in vigorous writing campaigns. As is my nature I wanted to know what it was they exactly were doing. So I leaned over and asked the gentleman at next table, who actually set up camp with more electronic devices than I could figure out what they were used for, if he was reading the News? He looked up at me with this Sheldon Cooper look of belittlement and remarked..’Actually I am blogging’. I excused myself with an apology since it seemed he was on a deadline.
I walked over to get another cup of coffee and saw that several of the others with their laptops open had word processing programs set up with blogging templates displayed on their screens. WOW, it was amazing to see so many people in a space of less than 400 sq ft..none of whom were looking at each other..all blogging.
This all was interesting to me since I also blog..duh! So since the recruiter never made showed up…oh well, their lost on the position they wanted to hire me for…thought I would look into finding out how does one go about blogging at Starbucks.
The next day I showed up around 6AM at the Starbucks close to the house with my laptop and squeezed into the last table available. As I powered up I listen to the buzz of conversations people were having with each other and with mystery people on the other end of their cellphones. I looked round and noticed there were a few iPad people and a couple of lap-toppers all indulging in whatever they were doing.
As I cranked up my Windows Live Writer I thought..WTF am I going to blog about. With all the talking and business networking conversations going on around me I just could not settle into concentrating on a subject. Then it dawned on me that maybe I should just outline how someone would go about actually blogging (or doing anything on a computer) in a Starbucks. So let me break it down.
First of all, the act of doing anything in a Starbucks that takes up more than two square feet of space is very challenging. Good luck if you arrive at a Starbucks ten minutes after it opens, Getting a table to set your laptop will be the first challenge. Geez..do these places get crowded.
Also, make sure you bring a fully charged battery or two. Getting a power-outlet to run your laptop on will be the next challenge. Those who make Starbucks their office for the day must camp out each morning to get the only two outlets usually available in the lobby.
Have a topic in mind to blog on. The distractions from the ‘Type A’ high strung caffeinated sales people talking loudly on their cellphones could lead you to write a blog..along with photos …about the person…maybe next time. Knowing what to blog about before arriving will provide more focus.
Make sure to NOT place you venti cup of coffee on or near you laptop…actually, it might be best you drink the coffee before or after writing the blog since Mr Murphy and his assortments of misfortunate laws usually is sitting at Starbucks somewhere creating mayhem with coffee spills on the keyboard.
The same goes for the Pumpkin Spiced Scone..the sesame seeds are near impossible to get out of the keyboard and unless you want to type you entire blog without the letter R then eat the scone after or before opening the device.
Keep from writing a blog that humors you or requires you to role play your blog about someone you are not pleased with. The outburst of laugher and/or anger will drawn in the business coaches and unemployed self made psychiatrists eager to diagnose you having Tourette syndrome.
Do not have your GrooveShark account playing in the background while you are blogging unless you are wearing earphones and even with that, keep the volume down. Not everyone …outside the guy behind the counter with pierced eyelids who is mixing a mean latte… is interested in hearing Seether playing Gasoline. Anyway, the head banging and air guitar moves will bring back the business coaches and life counselors to your side. So, hold the music you play in the background down to a dull roar.
Make sure to keep the blogging you do at Starbucks to less than 1000 words. It would be best for you save the blog and proof it when you get back to your desk since there seems to be a cycle of people with heavy caffeine addictions who return to Starbucks every hour or so who really enjoy chatting with everyone while they are still standing in the line across the room. Being there for the second or third time these people cycle thru could draw remarks, again in the Dr. Sheldon Cooper overtone, of saying ’’Oh good god, are you still here making that insidious face while molesting the keyboards of that laptop? Get a life will ya!”
Yep, I would say if this happens its time to leave the Starbuck environment. Plus, you don’t want to be there when the local BNI groups shows up. Happy blogging at Starbucks.
