What's the Deal with Coffee Shops?

I really don't get coffee shops.

But maybe that's because I don't drink coffee.

People gather in a coffee shop (presumably for coffee), but I see most people drinking frappasomethings and mochawhoozits and the like. I'm rather partial to frozen drinks, myself. And tea, I LOVE tea. Such a civilized drink.

What's really intriguing to me is that people gather in a coffee shop to meet a friend, but then they spend half the time on their cell phone. Huh?

Ahhhh, I miss the days before cell phones. Life was so much quieter then.

Today, it seems everyone is hopped up on caffeine and sugar alternatives, sucking down $6 coffees and yakking about nothing in particular on their mobile phones.

I think by now, everyone in America has had the experience of saying "excuse me?" only to find out that the person in question was NOT talking to us, but to some Borg contraption plugged into their ear.

Meanwhile, I must have some funky-shaped ears, because not a damn one of those fits me.

Not that I'm missing anything.

I'm one of those rare individuals (a dying breed, actually) who doesn't fit the mode.

Have you ever been to lunch with a group of people and suddenly a cell phones goes off, and then everyone starts checking their purses or pockets, even when they know damn well it's not even their ring? It's like ringer envy, or something.

Well, I'm usually the person who keeps eating or chatting to the person next to me, until someone taps me on the shoulder and says "Isn't that YOUR cell phone that's ringing?"

I almsot never give out my cell phone number. Which works out great, because my husband and my sister are practically the only people who call me on it.

I do have a snazzy red Razr -- not really because I wanted one, but because my husband got a new one and apparently mine was too old (2 years) to continue to keep on the same plan. So I got a new one.

It shocked me how many people were in my address book of my old phone -- I hardly talk to any of them anymore. The road to self-actualization is usually paved with ending relationships, isn't it?

I think my new phone has about 3 dozen numbers in it. Whew! that's plenty. And it inlcudes stuff like my daughter's school and our pediatrician. And my new massage therapist. Just the essentials, indeed.

Anyway, here's a point to consider: (and your QoD)

The next time you meet a friend for coffee, why not be PRESENT with taht friend? You can always use your cell phone to call other peopel back later -- that's what voice mail is for.

Why not practice being present where you are? Try it -- you just might like it.