Go to Coffeehouse Observer for more coffeehouse observations.
Showing posts with label cellphone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cellphone. Show all posts
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Coffeehouse observation No. 203
The ringtone on the cellphone of the guy sitting at the next table: “I’ve Got You, Babe.” Very, very manly!
Go to Coffeehouse Observer for more coffeehouse observations.
Go to Coffeehouse Observer for more coffeehouse observations.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Slamming down the cell phone to make a point and other technological oddities
I’ve had a cell phone for years now, but every so often I still listen for a dial tone before punching in the number I’m calling.
I know, it’s crazy, but I still do it.
Everyone knows that you punch in the number and then hit the Call button to initiate cell phone call. There is no dial tone, as there is with landline phones.
But old habits die hard. It’s what we all do with landline phones, after all.
Take slamming down a phone in anger to make a clear point that the telephone conversation has been terminated. You can’t do that with a cell phone or you’d end up with a bunch of bits and pieces.
Cell phone manufacturers should make a slam-the-phone-down function. You hit a button on your cell phone and the person on the other end hears a loud click and the call is then terminated.
However, I must say, the idea of ending a cell phone call and imagining the person on the other end continuing the conversation even though you’re not listening anymore is a bit fun, too.
Here’s another thing that I blame on technology for making me look silly. When I was working and after a particularly long day, I would – wait for it – hit the unlock button on my car alarm fob in an attempt to gain entry into my apartment. Yep, I tried to unlock my apartment door by unlocking my vehicle door.
I’m not proud, but it is the level to which technology has reduced me.
I know, it’s crazy, but I still do it.
Everyone knows that you punch in the number and then hit the Call button to initiate cell phone call. There is no dial tone, as there is with landline phones.
But old habits die hard. It’s what we all do with landline phones, after all.
Take slamming down a phone in anger to make a clear point that the telephone conversation has been terminated. You can’t do that with a cell phone or you’d end up with a bunch of bits and pieces.
Cell phone manufacturers should make a slam-the-phone-down function. You hit a button on your cell phone and the person on the other end hears a loud click and the call is then terminated.
However, I must say, the idea of ending a cell phone call and imagining the person on the other end continuing the conversation even though you’re not listening anymore is a bit fun, too.
Here’s another thing that I blame on technology for making me look silly. When I was working and after a particularly long day, I would – wait for it – hit the unlock button on my car alarm fob in an attempt to gain entry into my apartment. Yep, I tried to unlock my apartment door by unlocking my vehicle door.
I’m not proud, but it is the level to which technology has reduced me.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Coffeehouse observation No. 125
I am at the coffeehouse sitting next to a gray-haired woman with “U.S. Census Bureau” on her briefcase. She’s fumbling around attempting to text on her cell phone and not doing a particularly good job at it. I sure hope she’s better counting than she is texting.
Go to Coffeehouse Observer for more coffeehouse observations.
Go to Coffeehouse Observer for more coffeehouse observations.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Coffeehouse observation No. 95
A guy just jeopardized a good power cord connection for my laptop by trying to stretch the extension cord at the coffeehouse nearly across the room to plug in his cellphone charger. I’m not sure if it is that alone or the fact that he’s wearing a hideous floral shirt and a driving cap that made me not mention to him that his charger had come unplugged. … Oh, great! The coffeehouse had to listen to this guy for 45 minutes talking to someone about what has to be a real estate scheme and now he’s arguing politics with the person he tried to lure into a partnership. Um, is that really good business practices?
Go to Coffeehouse Observer for more coffeehouse observations.
Go to Coffeehouse Observer for more coffeehouse observations.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Maine passes first-in-nation product stewardship bill | SustainableBusiness.com
Maine passes first-in-nation product stewardship bill | SustainableBusiness.com
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Coffeehouse observation No. 51-61: Observations about coffee dates
A coffeehouse is a great place for a first date. It is more casual than, say, a dinner date or movie date or dinner and movie date. It is more casual than a luncheon date, even. It is a chance to be more at ease during what could be the first and only real chance to impress a woman or man.
And there are chances to bail out of the date with grace because it is such a casual date.
But there are some things that coffeehouse daters need to keep in mind. Below are a couple of observations made over the years that could help in getting to a second date.
1) Don’t be late. If you were impressed by the person enough to ask them out on a date – even a coffeehouse first date – respect them enough to be on time. Being fashionably late is not cool for a coffeehouse first date. It’s not cool for any date.
2) Dress nicely. First impressions are important. Being nicely and neatly dressed might be better than being fashionably dressed. But it is a coffeehouse date, so don’t dress up too much. Take fashion into account, but don’t go Lady Gaga.
3) Don’t spill on yourself. First impressions are important. Heard that before. Well, spilling a coffee beverage – and that’s what you’re most likely going to have in a coffeehouse on a coffeehouse first date – is not cool. It will make you look clumsy, leave a visible spot for your coffeehouse date to stare at throughout the date, and stain your clothes long after he or she has walked out on the coffeehouse date.
4) Don’t spill on your date. Do I really have to go into why this is a bad thing? Really?
5) Don’t spill on anyone else at the coffeehouse. First impressions are important. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you’ve heard it before. But spilling on someone at a neighboring table will make you clumsy – yeah, you’ve heard that before, too – and make you appear inconsiderate. After all, would a considerate person spill something on someone, anyone? No. And people on first dates are looking for people who are not clumsy and are considerate.
6) Don’t flirt with someone else at the coffeehouse. This also means not asking another coffeehouse patron – someone other than your coffeehouse date – for their phone number or starting a conversation with a person at another table. Just don’t do it.
7) For God’s sake, break up that muffin into bite-size bits before shoving it into your mouth. It is not impressive to spit muffin bits at your coffeehouse first date. Or to regale him or her with conversation with your mouth full of bran muffin. Chew your food! Swallow! Then talk!
8) Put the cellphone on vibrate or, better yet, silent mode. Saying you “have to take this call” and then answering it with “Hey, Baby, I can’t wait to see you tonght!” is not cool on a coffeehouse first date. Actually, it’s not cool on any date. Unless it is an emergency, every call, every voicemail message can be returned after the coffeehouse first date.
9) Don’t be judgmental, loud or obnoxious. Truly judgmental people are unacceptable. Loud people are rude people and do not merit the time of day. That’s not being judgmental. Obnoxious people are, well, just obnoxious.
10) Be polite and honest. Being polite doesn’t cost anything and it is much, much more impressive than being rude. And being honest should be a much more valued trait than physical appearance, income or the type of vehicle or home a person owns. If the coffeehouse first date is not going to lead to a second date, do not say “I’ll give you a call.” But be kind. There is no need to be impolite, dishonest and unkind, even if you plan never to see the coffeehouse first date ever again.
There, I hope that clears up for people planning a coffeehouse first date. I’m sure there are other tips, but you are just going to figure out those on your own. Good luck!
Go to Coffeehouse Observer for more coffeehouse observations.
And there are chances to bail out of the date with grace because it is such a casual date.
But there are some things that coffeehouse daters need to keep in mind. Below are a couple of observations made over the years that could help in getting to a second date.
1) Don’t be late. If you were impressed by the person enough to ask them out on a date – even a coffeehouse first date – respect them enough to be on time. Being fashionably late is not cool for a coffeehouse first date. It’s not cool for any date.
2) Dress nicely. First impressions are important. Being nicely and neatly dressed might be better than being fashionably dressed. But it is a coffeehouse date, so don’t dress up too much. Take fashion into account, but don’t go Lady Gaga.
3) Don’t spill on yourself. First impressions are important. Heard that before. Well, spilling a coffee beverage – and that’s what you’re most likely going to have in a coffeehouse on a coffeehouse first date – is not cool. It will make you look clumsy, leave a visible spot for your coffeehouse date to stare at throughout the date, and stain your clothes long after he or she has walked out on the coffeehouse date.
4) Don’t spill on your date. Do I really have to go into why this is a bad thing? Really?
5) Don’t spill on anyone else at the coffeehouse. First impressions are important. Yeah, yeah, yeah, you’ve heard it before. But spilling on someone at a neighboring table will make you clumsy – yeah, you’ve heard that before, too – and make you appear inconsiderate. After all, would a considerate person spill something on someone, anyone? No. And people on first dates are looking for people who are not clumsy and are considerate.
6) Don’t flirt with someone else at the coffeehouse. This also means not asking another coffeehouse patron – someone other than your coffeehouse date – for their phone number or starting a conversation with a person at another table. Just don’t do it.
7) For God’s sake, break up that muffin into bite-size bits before shoving it into your mouth. It is not impressive to spit muffin bits at your coffeehouse first date. Or to regale him or her with conversation with your mouth full of bran muffin. Chew your food! Swallow! Then talk!
8) Put the cellphone on vibrate or, better yet, silent mode. Saying you “have to take this call” and then answering it with “Hey, Baby, I can’t wait to see you tonght!” is not cool on a coffeehouse first date. Actually, it’s not cool on any date. Unless it is an emergency, every call, every voicemail message can be returned after the coffeehouse first date.
9) Don’t be judgmental, loud or obnoxious. Truly judgmental people are unacceptable. Loud people are rude people and do not merit the time of day. That’s not being judgmental. Obnoxious people are, well, just obnoxious.
10) Be polite and honest. Being polite doesn’t cost anything and it is much, much more impressive than being rude. And being honest should be a much more valued trait than physical appearance, income or the type of vehicle or home a person owns. If the coffeehouse first date is not going to lead to a second date, do not say “I’ll give you a call.” But be kind. There is no need to be impolite, dishonest and unkind, even if you plan never to see the coffeehouse first date ever again.
There, I hope that clears up for people planning a coffeehouse first date. I’m sure there are other tips, but you are just going to figure out those on your own. Good luck!
Go to Coffeehouse Observer for more coffeehouse observations.
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