WRITING PROMPT TITLE: DESCRIBE THE KITCHEN OF YOUR CHILDHOOD

I'm not sure why, but I'm not all that fond of this writing prompt. I can't help but wonder if it's because I didn't really enjoy my kitchen much as a child.

When I was very young it had orange and green flowered wall paper and dark brown cabinets with a light green refrigerator. I would've just been a baby in a high chair at the time facing the sink that had a window right above it. outside the window you could see our backyard and a small woods that would later be chopped down for them to build my future elementary school.

The only thing I remember eating in my high chair is ice cream. I'm sure my mother gave me other healthier foods, but the ice cream was so cold and so sweet and so delicious, that I remember flipping the spoon over in my mouth and gurgle spitting with joy.

When I got older the 70's decor was replaced with traditional 90's decor. Our cabinets were replaced with white ones and we had white flower wallpaper and white and a white and pink tiled floor.

Growing up we always had a dog, usually a German Shepard. The kitchen is where the dog was kept when company came over, or when it came inside with muddy paws or when we were training it to go outside that's where the puppy's crate was kept. I don't think the dog minded much because that's where we were mostly likely to drop food.

I had a small step stool with puppy stickers on it that I used to help bake. My mother would always tie my hair back and make me wear an apron before we began. Then we'd throw ingredient after ingredient into a bowl, usually it involved sugar, oh so sweet sugar, mixed with butter and oil and sometimes chocolate. I'd count the strokes as we stirred it all together...one....two...three....to 60 for brownies, but usually much more for cakes. My mother would pour the sweet batter into a pan and then let me lick the bowl...but I'd always have to back up when the oven opened as I was too afraid the heat would swallow me up and I'd burn away.

Conclusion and Change

This blog started because I had an ambition to be a writer and I thought I would obtain that goal easier if I could only find the perfect place to write. While I still love the idea of taking my laptop to a coffee shop and being able to park and write all day, I have actually found this to be rather unrealistic.

I will still write about coffee shops on this blog on occasion, but the truth is the idea that an unpublished writer will be able to spend their days writing in coffee shops and still make a living is more of a romantic idea than a reality.

Another truth is that for a while I have not been regularly writing. It's always been on my to-do list after a multitude of other things...so here I am picking up the pieces of not writing for a while and starting again with a new idea and conclusion in mind.

It is not the lack of a place to write that has been stopping me from writing, but it is the lack of making time. Instead of looking for a place to write I will now make the time.

I have slotted out times on my Google calendar that say WRITE. My goal as someone with another full-time job is to make time to write 10 hours a week. Most days I've scheduled 2 hour time slots, but there are a few days where I schedule more to make up for days I might miss.

Since the original focus of this blog was to find a place to write and now I'm focusing more on time to write I have a new blog titled: "The Unpublished Writer."

The new blog focuses on the fact that a writer writes regardless of whether they are published. I write because it's as natural as breathing to me. It assists me in sorting out my life as well as escaping from it. This new blog will allow me become completely immersed in my own writer's world and will be a place where I scribble down warm-ups, prompts, thoughts on writing and a writer's log.

The domain is: www.breathewhatyouwrite.blogspot.com

So wish me luck as I begin this journey once again! I welcome you into my writing world. Perhaps, if I do become published one day this new blog will become a record of how it all happened.

Biggby Coffee: I Have a Dreadful Secret

I am just going to come right out and say it. Unless I move and it is my only option, no Biggby Coffee, will ever be the spot where I choose to go hang out and write.

Not only are the hours less than significant, the reason is simple: the ambiance wigs me out. I just don't feel it. Taking the color orange, mixing it with the seventies and creepy frogs that look high, then openly advertising that you are an evil corporate franchise that furnishes it's place with uncomfortable hard wooden chairs because they are cheap is just not my thing, but really who am I to judge? After all, I do like Starbucks and I love their Mermaid. Some people might think that's creepy.



I have heard people describe Biggby lattes as "sweeter" than Starbucks' which people may prefer. I have heard other people who are Biggby fans describe Starbucks' coffee as "burnt" and it's true they do have a darker blend. It seems that these two places are just meant to be polar opposites and those who prefer one place may not prefer the other.

However, I have a dreadful secret. I used to work at Biggby. I won't say which one, but I think it was the worst job I ever had. The owner was a frickin' dragon lady, who I bet did not have higher than a high school education considering how she trashed her employees like she was in the movie "Mean Girls."

Not to mention "corporate" used to come in once a month and quiz like drill sergeants us on policies, dress code and drinks. Seriously, once I was reciting Biggby's motto to them and I accidentally said the word "beverage" instead of "drink" and they circled it in red pen.

Some people may think that my dislike for writing there may only come from the horrible time I spent working there, but let me tell you that I have worked at other coffee shops that I did not always enjoy (it was my go-to after college job before I became a librarian, hence the barista characters) and I would not rule them out as a writing spot like I am ruling out Biggby Coffee. 

Nevertheless, I do enjoy their smoothies. I do not think any other coffee shop has mastered smoothies such as the banana cream freeze or the strawberry shortcake quite like Biggby Coffee. So, I am admitting that I will go there on occasion. It's just not somewhere I will be hanging around. I will just be running in when I crave a delicious smoothie and then running out. More like a fast food place than a coffee shop.

Ink Stains Magazine: A Missisippi Delta Writing Project

Writing is an inspirational art form. There is a live interaction that happens between the text and writer while it is being written and between the text and every reader that reads what has been written.

As someone who has briefly taught and tutored in the writing community, I know that allowing students to understand the empowerment of sharing their writing through publication will inspire them to have a sense of pride and encourage them to continue to write.

If children are encouraged to express themselves in this manner then it is possible they will become more confident in articulating their voices in the future, which will create a wider variety of voices and opinions in the community they belong too.

With that said it is also important that as part of the writing community we support one another. I have recently heard of a new publication project that is a magazine called Ink Stains, which is a magazine created by teachers of Mississippi Delta that plans to publish writing pieces by students between 5th and 12th grade. This magazine is currently looking for more backers and pledges from the public inorder to reach their goal. It only takes $1.00 to support them.

You can read more information about it at this link:

                  http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/334505540/ink-stains-magazine

Update on the Hunt...

Yes, here I am almost a year later and still continuing my search for the perfect coffee place and the perfect writing spot...so far I think Starbucks is winning.

I hate to admit this because as an artist just starting out who would like to support local artists and businesses...it just seems so corporate, but you see their hours and the green glowing mermaid give them lots of points. Especially since one of my writing projects was inspired my mermaids and I even wrote a poem about the Starbucks mermaid-so not have on me now, will post later.

But the search is still on! So Starbucks hasn't one yet.

I would like to sadly report that since I started the hunt the local Primo Coffee has gone out of business. Good-bye fluffy gigantic muffins...*sigh*

Also, it looks as though the Espresso Royale in Ypsilanti and The Coffee Lounge have disappeared as well...Espresso Royale was supposed to be my next destination....and so soon I will travel to Biggby Coffee and test them out for a writing location.

There has also been some additions added to my list, that are in Ann Arbor, which means I would have to pay for parking, which means I would rather not go there...BUT local artists and writer friends of mine have been raving about cafe ambrosia or every time I mention I have a blog about local coffee shops people respond with "Have you been to Comet Coffee?!" So these places are worth investigating.

That would make my list:

1. Primo Coffee - :(
2. The Ugly Mug - :\
3. Perk and Brew- :(
4. The Common Cup- :\
DETOUR: Sweetwaters Cafe- :\
5. Starbucks Ypsilanti-:)
6. Starbucks Arborland-:)
7. Starbucks Carpenter-:)
8. Espresso Royale- :(
9. Biggby Coffee- ?
10. The Coffee Lounge- :(
11. Beezy's- ?
12. Harvest Moon Cafe-?
13. B-24's-?
14. Cafe Ollie-?
15. Comet Coffee-?

:(= Gone                   :\ = maybe      :) = winner so far          ? = yet to be explored    

We Danced

This piece of writing was inspired by a journal prompt, once again from Patricia Ann McNair's blog. Sorry, no journal sketching this time as I seem to have left my sketchpad and crayons at home.

We danced. There was rarely ever music, but we waltzed; one waltzed step after another. Then my favorite part he'd spin me. I would swirl under his arm, usually landing with a stumble facing him with a laugh and smile. We were this way whether people were around or not. We never really needed the music. The melody of our heart strings was always perfectly in-sync.


This prompt hasn't really turned into a story or anything, but I'm all day dreamy thinking about it just the same. I wonder if one of the baristas are ever going to feel this way....

Bitchin' Baristas: On Another Winter Morning.....

Before I begin I have to give the credit for the idea of this blog entry to one of my most inspirational teachers Patricia Ann McNair from the Interlochen writers retreat I attended in 2009. She teaches writing at Columbus College in Chicago and has just recently published a terrific book full of short stories entitled: "The Temple of Air." She has been posting journal prompts on her blog daily...I have decided to use these prompts, which were probably intended for personal journal uses, twist them around and use them as a way to look more deeply inside the Bitchin' Baristas.

The first prompt starts...On another winter morning....

Ella: On another winter morning Cliff would be walking in the snow with me. I never really bothered to ask him if he liked the snow or not and I'm not sure I would've gotten a straight answer anyway. He would've said that he liked to do whatever I liked to do. He once walked three miles in knee deep snow with me without making a fuss. Now, as I try to sop up the milk I had spilled all over my shirt, I watch Gabe-formely known to the other baristas as 6-Shot-Mocha-Latte-Guy swinging his new girlfriend around in the parking lot. She was so pretty, so petite and the two of them were smiling ear to ear. It is hard to believe that only 3 months ago his first marriage had ended. How did he get happy again so fast? How could I....?

Cindy: On another winter morning...if I wasn't still in bed... I would be driving Boring-Vanilla-Latte-Guy crazy as I flipped my hair and bent over so slightly to wipe down the tables, but for some reason predictable Boring-Vanilla-Latte-Guy didn't show up today and so I am forced to work with Pompous-Green-Tea-Man. The thought makes me throw-up in my mouth a little bit because Pompous-Green-Tea-Man spends his day here playing stocks on his computer, so he probably has a lot of money and yet he still wears dorky shorts and socks with his flip flops. I can just imagine he would keep his socks on and pulled up passed his ankles like that as we climbed into his bed, but no matter its worth a shot anyway...poor Boring-Vanilla-Latte-Guy he just doesn't know what he's going to miss.

Tiffany: On another winter morning the snow and ice may have been the most sparkliest thing in the world, but not this morning. This morning the most eye catching 2 karat sparkle is on my finger. I could barely stand to get out of his bed this morning after the night we had, but I have not escaped the daily grind just yet. Though I really should have been paying more attention to the grinds themselves because today as I ground the coffee beans they overflowed from the filter and right into where the diamond was set. Oh well, as soon as Penny and Rich leave I will simply use the milk wand to steam clean the ring and make sure it keeps shining as I punch the screen of the cash register.

Kay: On another winter morning I may have seen something besides splattered blood patterns in the snow. I may have seen red ribbons and sashes contrasting with the blanket of whiteness. There may have been flecks of silver and sparkles as bells rang in the distance. I would not be sitting here poking my finger with a needle in order to get the stimulation needed to forget the pain. The pain I cannot even bare to slap down on a page and call a poem. On another winter morning poems would not need to be called poems but instead they would be called vows. A winter morning is how I always pictured it anyway. I would not be sitting here freezing on a windowsill because I'm trying to freeze out the world and I would not be drawing patterns in the snow with my own blood just because I think it's pretty.

As always I am interested in your reactions and feedback!

Meet the Bitchin' Baristas

This post is a special post because in this post I am going to reveal the characters which narrate the Bitchin' Barista series!

The following is a description of each barista and a very rough sketch (please do not judge me on my drawing ability, I think you can still get a persona out of these sketches):

ELLA


Ella is the most down-to-Earth narrator in the series with a deep and passionate personality, on the other hand she struggles to overcome here timidness and let her true colors shine. Coming from the background of a broken home, she observes different relationships throughout the book always flashing back on her own and wondering, was she really ever in love? Is it possible? And what does it mean exactly?


CINDY

Cindy views the world completely opposite from her best friend Ella. She says and does whatever comes to her mind without giving it a second thought. She has no future plans and does not intend to create them. Yesterday she was a waitress, today she's a barista! Her philosophy on relationships is screw trying to figure them out, let's all just have fun and get laid. There isn't ONE man around that could keep up with her wild ways anyway! She stashes a tiny pink handgun, but where she keeps it exactly is a secret....


TIFFANY

As an aspiring actress, Tiffany is bright and bubbly. She will never forget her cheerleading days in high school. Her sunny outlook on the world has a way of making people sick. She trusts everyone and no guy for her could ever be scum. She became a barista because she believes that prince charming will find her in the coffee shop and maybe he has. Tiffany is in love with Jared, a coffee shop regular with lots of money to spare...enough for an engagement ring perhaps?




KAY

Kay is dark. Kay is cynical. Kay wears ALOT of eye-liner and black clothing. In fact, the only color she has in her wardrobe are the ribbons that hang from her hair. She will not put on a fake face or smile for any customer, unless maybe the boss is around and threatens her job for it. However...there's this one customer that digs the queen of darkness and makes a game out of trying to make her smile. He may even present her with a diamond ring. His name is Jared...oh wait...could that be the same Jared as Tiffany's Jared....


There is one more barista that works with the four of these girls who does not do any hefty narrating...her name is Chinca...she loves caffeine and is constantly shaking from the hype of doing espresso shots straight from the machine.

There are many other characters to be seen in this series including their bosses, their boyfriends and regular customers that come into the coffee shop that is called "Smile in Your Cup Cafe."

But the four above are the ones telling the story...and we all know how important reliability of the narrator can be...

There will be more posts and writing prompts that develop these characters further. I am always open to feedback and suggestions left in the comments.

A Starbucks is a Starbucks....or is it?

On my list of coffee shops to explore there were 3 different Starbucks, however each Starbucks would contain the same drinks for the same prices, with the same type of ambiance. For this reason, instead of boring you by writing about each one I have put them all in one blog.

I will also admit right away that one of the most appealing things about Starbucks to me is the hours. Starbucks, even the ones that close at 11pm is open later than most coffee shops.

I will also tell you that the liberal hipster in me wants to not like Starbucks. I want to write it off as corporate, uninviting, unoriginal and not the slightest bit whimsical, but I just can't do it. I have never felt unwelcome at Starbucks, the lighting itself is soft and welcoming. The staff is friendly. Many coffee shops try to copy their drinks-I said many not all so please do not be offended.

The most important thing I like about Starbucks is the icon, the twin-tailed Mermaid. out of all the coffee shops I would say that this icon is the most whimsical of all. The mermaid that glows in the green light outside every Starbucks window or the green stamp on all the cups, always catch my attention. It fascinates me that this rare mythical creature is so widespread throughout the United States. This logo was actually chosen when the creators of Starbucks were studying coffee's sea faring origins. This image originally came from a 16th century Norse woodblock of a twin-tailed mermaid or siren. You can read about it here. If you never paid much attention to the mermaid, perhaps now you will...

As far as the different Starbucks locations go....there isn't a big difference.

The Arborland Location:

• Big plus is that they are open 24 hours, I have been here at all hours of the night and morning. It's nice to have a place to go when everywhere else is closed. Especially if a writing fit attacks you.
• It is located around many stores and restaurants and therefore makes a good place to hang out and chat after shopping or dining
• It is probably the best for people watching because there is always a diverse group of people
• I've been here many-a-times to do homework and there is a big table here to share with others. I've seen and been one of the complete strangers that lend homework support to each other as the night grows later and later.
• One of the biggest complaints that people have about this place and told me to mention upon finding out about my blog is the seating. It is always crowded and therefore I've come here often and not found a place to sit. However, they have remodeled several times to try and solve this problem and I was pleasantly surprised to not only be able to find a seat tonight, but also to see that they have added several more tables and chairs. Aside from adding on to the building I don't see what more could be done.
• There is outdoor seating and a fireplace that shares both the inside and outside. A big plus in my book, when it is not raining-as it is tonight I always try to sit outside by the fire. Even, when it is freezing cold. :)

The Carpenter Location:

• A less crowded smaller more quaint place. It is a newer location-and I use the term "newer" loosely as in a few years old- I feel like it is slightly more hidden than the other Starbucks never creating a problem with seating. The picture shows just about the WHOLE thing!
• I could see myself writing in the corner near the art and this specific light fixture...it also seemed whimsical to me...I don't know why, perhaps I've read to much Dr. Seuss in my life.

The Washtenaw Location:

• I have been to this drive-thru many-a-times on my way to work in the morning and while the staff is very friendly, I warn you if you work a traditional 9-5 schedule like me, only do this if you have an extra fifteen minutes to spare in the morning. Yes, there is usually a line, but even if there isn't I would say I still spend over 7 minutes in line each time, but I am not supposed to be talking about that. I am supposed to tell you about this place as a writing space.
• I have had some seating issues here too, but none that have not been solved and result in me leaving (as I've had to do with the Arborland location in the past).
• Something about this location is not as homey as the other two. I wish, dear reader, that I could be more specific for you, but I just know this isn't the place for me. Perhaps, I have used it as a back-up location too much or perhaps I am just bitter about my morning coffee not being presented to me instantly, it could even be the fact that the building is not as architecturally pleasing to me as the other ones...which isn't Starbucks fault, but none-the-less this is not the place for me.

I don't want to worry about finding a place to sit when I arrive somewhere to write and for this reason I hesitate to make Starbucks a regular place for me to go, but looking at that mermaid I think she may have some tales to tell.

I am starting to believe that where something is written affects what is written...and although I do not feel like a novel would pour out of me at Starbucks, wondering what kind of novel would be written here might be a start.

DETOUR: To Sweetwaters Cafe

It looks like plot #2 from the last blog entry has won the vote! This elevates the idea of writing in a coffee shop as the appropriate atmosphere.

Today I am visiting a friend on the north side of Ann Arbor and so I have taken a detour away from the Ypsilanti coffee shop list to explore Sweetwaters. This means that this coffee shop will probably never be the one I choose to write at regularly, but I do work down the street from it and have thought about moving to this side of town, so you never know in the future it might be.

The walls separating the shop from the outside are all glass windows, which made taking pictures a challenge, but it does add a bit of romanticism to the place when you look outside and see a snowy scene like today. In fact, I'm kinda loving it here right now watching the snow fall on the tree branches as the street light blinks on the corner of Plymouth and Green road.

Also, there is a patio at the back corner of the Sweetwaters that allows customers to sit outside when the weather is nice. I always like to have the option of being outside, this probably comes from all the days I am stuck at work or was stuck in school and am unable to go outside.

I am sitting at a high top table near an outlet today, but there is four arm chairs in front of the fireplace that also look like they would've been a cozy place to become lost in thought.

The drinks taste good and are moderately priced. I ordered a small soy Chai latte for about $3.65, which seems about average for coffee shop drinks. Oh! But did I mention the sweets?! I wish it wasn't right after Christmas and I wasn't trying to be good or I would order what looks like one of the most delectable frosted cupcakes or cheesecake I have ever seen! They also have chocolate cake called "OMG! Chocolate cake," which can be ordered al a mode and looks so delicious it would probably take an entire year to burn off the calories.

As far as the corporate factor Sweetwaters is a corporation, but its a corporation that started out and is only located in Ann Arbor...so it doesn't seem as evil as some corporations which put the little guys out of business.

I also love these cute little tea pots that they have on display. My friend told me she bought one for her sister for Christmas and they pop just enough color in the room, where I can see why they would make a great happy little gift.

Let's Take a Vote: Which would you read?

I have had my car back for about two weeks now, but due
to the holiday season I have been a bit of a slacker on the blog front.

First of all, I want to cheer for my two new followers...yay!! I really appreciate your support and look forward to any comments you want to make in the future. If anyone else out there is reading regularly and wants to become a follower your support would be appreciated as well. :)

Anyway, I am completely prepared for the holiday season now and in just a few days things will be calming down with the light work week after the holidays before next semester starts. I will continue exploring coffee shops, but I want to select ONE writing project...instead of the many I have started now.

This is where you come in dear reader, please help me decide:



1. The Underwater Story- a young adult trilogy I started to create when I was in the fifth grade about two teens and their younger siblings that discover their past is connected to a magical underwater world.

2. The Bitchin' Baristas- A slightly older series of twenty-somethin' girls who work in a coffee shop posing as our modern day Cinderellas. There is romance, there is heartbreak and there are typical jerks for bosses as they struggle
to earn a living.




3. Entanglement- A play that demonstrates we are all connected in a way where we are "entangled" with each other and the people of our past trap us like a web.

4. The Fairy Godmother Business- After going through multiple unsuccessful careers and relationships Lola decides to convince her friend Trish to
start T he Fairy Godmother business- a top secret business dedicated to creating, preparing and helping women through the experience of the perfect "Cinderella" evening.

Which are you most interested in reading? Vote on idea 1, 2, 3 or 4

Hanging Out in a Basement near a Church: The Common Cup

Starting tomorrow, I will be car-less indefinitely while it gets fixed at the collision shop, but don't worry I am fine. While it was parked in the street someone backed out of their driveway and hit it. Note to self: never park behind driveway EVER again.

Anyway, the reason I am telling you this is because it led me to the conclusion that even though I went coffee shop exploring last night, I decided to go again tonight and I ended up at the Common Cup on Washtenaw in Ann Arbor.

The Common Cup is hard to find because it is actually connected to a church building and the facade faces a church instead of the street. In fact, I think the only reason I was able to find it is I have been here in the daylight before with Carla about three and a half years ago. At that time, we knew where it was because her boyfriend worked here.

This also explains why I was not freaked out or lost when I walked in the doors that labeled the building only to find I must turn left and go down a small set of stairs in order to reach the coffee.

When I walked in I decided this may be my favorite place yet...everything a coffee shop should be....

The music is a bit loud, but it is mellow and seems to be drowning out other people's conversations. They have both comfortable chairs and tables, you just need to be a little careful about which one you sit at if you need an outlet to plug in your laptop. The lighting is just right, not fluorescent, but not too dark either. It is a warm soft lighting.

There is even a shelf of board games and a few books for visitors to enjoy, meaning this would be a good place to hang out with a group of friends or solitary. The internet took a minute to log on, but there was a flawless connection once I did. I lacked cell phone reception, I imagine this is because it is located in a basement, but I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing.

As you can see by the mug that they put my hot chocolate in (located at top of page) they are not skimpy with their drink portions..nor is it too expensive. I was able to get a hot chocolate and cookie for a little over four dollars! Plus, the barista served it to me at my table and don't you just love the classic chip on the left side of the dish?!

I think my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE thing about this place is that they exhibit the work of local artists and hang it on the wall as if it were being displayed at a museum! Other coffee shops such as The Plymouth Coffee Bean and The Ugly Mug display local artists work for sale, however the Common Cup is different because here there is an actual wall post about the artist and another one about the work they are exhibiting. The work is hung and lit on the wall in an arrangement that reminds me of a gallery.At first I saw all these pictures of crucifixes and was a little freaked out..."Well the coffee shop is connected to a church after all," I told myself as I silently vowed not to come here where crucifixes are judging me ever again. Then I saw the sign that said "40 Crucifixes" and the name of the artist, Mike Frieseman and realized it was not a hypercritical stare down of Jesus due to the place's location, but instead an aesthetically pleasing visual placed by a local artist.

The barista said they switch exhibits every month. A coffee shop mixed with a gallery? Am I in Heaven? What a very whimsical characteristic, don't you think?

As an article that hung on the wall here said, three years ago when I visited with Carla, the statement stands true: "There is nothing common about The Common Cup."

Perk and Brew: Where are you?

I ventured out to the next shop on my list tonight only to discover I might as well have been looking for the great pumpkin. The Perk and Brew does not exist...at least not that I could find.

The website I originally searched for coffee shops was a city search URL and the reason I was afraid that Perk and Brew did not exist was because there was no attached website. It turns out my suspicions were true.

I followed their directions to the tee...turn down Pine View Dr. off of Textile, then Madrona, then Eagle Crest Ct. Nothing was there. In fact, if to you these street names sound like neighborhood streets...it's because they are.

It was actually a very nice neighborhood though with big colonial style houses that I would not imagine existed in Ypsi, but I guess that is what you get when you go on adventures. You find out there is different sides to the places you are exploring.

The neighborhood was called Pine View Estates and a golf course intertwined between the houses...why is it neighborhoods that surround golf courses always seem to be the biggest in the city?

Anyway, there must have been a Perk and Brew coffee shop at some point for the city search to list it. Did the map and directions just lead me astray? Does anyone have any information on this? Does anyone know where it could be? If so please pass your knowledge along to me.

After looking up the hours to The Common Cup which closes at 5pm on Saturdays, I have found myself at the Starbucks on Washtenaw. I am going to wait and let you know about all the Starbucks in one blog, because after all a Starbucks is a Starbucks....or is it?

The Ugly Mug- it's a tricky little hole in the wall

Over Thanksgiving break, I was able to go on my second excursion on the hunt for the perfect writing spot. I chose The Ugly Mug located at 317 West Cross Avenue. It is open Monday-Friday 6am to 9pm and Saturday-Sunday 8am-8pm...hours I can live with, plus this shop is also within walking distance from my apartment.

Once again, I brought my best friend Carla along. Her line of work is in the theater, both acting and stage management, leaving most of her day-times free. She hangs out at the Ugly Mug on a weekly, if not daily, basis. I had been to the Ugly Mug with her about a year ago, but it didn't leave an impression in my mind and so Carla kept urging me to return and evaluate the place for my mission.

At first look, I have to say I was not very impressed by the atmosphere. It was not at all like the coffee shops or houses that I am used too...you might even say that the inside is actually kinda ugly. The walls are made from dark cinder blocks which match most of the dark decor.

The lighting inside is also very dark and I imagine if you were stuck at a table without a lamp, it would be very hard to see at night. I am actually very sensitive to lights and am not a fan of fluorescent or bright lights, but the dark lighting with the dark decor is not a mood lifter. I also was not feeling the vibe of the heavy metal rock music in the background.

I did enjoy the fact that the art displayed on the walls is created by local artists and is for sale. Next to each piece the artist and how much they are asking for it is listed. The Ugly Mug does not just hang conservative art pieces that are ignored daily at other businesses, instead somewhat shocking and provocative pieces are hung. It gives them an edge. I believe the piece to the left was painted by Mallory Evens and she is asking for $400 or a $300 gift card to IKEA in exchange for the painting.

By the time I left, despite the dark lighting and the "hole in the wall," atmosphere I was in love with this place...why? Mostly because of the way they make their drinks! They are possibly the prettiest and the tastiest coffee drinks I have ever experienced, not to mention the person serving them was incredibly friendly in helping make a decision about what to order, without having to fake or force customer service at all...that's when I knew the run down environment was all a trick! That when you taste what they put in your mug you are more impressed than you will ever be!

The Ugly Mug is an Artisan Roastery, where they make their coffee manually with the machine shown in the picture to the right. The drinks are not expensive and no matter what you order whether it is hot chocolate, Chai or just a plain cup of coffee you will not be let down.
They do show more pictures of their drinks on their website.

That was the moment, I began to see why many of the seats in The Ugly Mug were filled, though seating was not difficult to find. The people there were also within Carla and my demographic this time. We ran into someone that lived down the hall from us our freshman year of college. Before we knew it we had a nice little group sitting at and around the table with us, which made our day at The Ugly Mug most enjoyable.

I still have other coffee shops to explore and I don't know if this is the place where I would feel the most comfortable getting work done, but it would be a nice place to relax with friends on a rainy day or get the uniquely gourmet cup of coffee without having to dress up for it at a fancy restaurant.

Primo Coffee

I wasted no time in my investigation and tonight I dragged my best friend Carla to check out Primo Coffee (Yes it does exist!) with me.

Something I forgot to mention in my criteria in looking for a coffee shop before is I would like there to be something unique and whimsical about the place I choose as my writing spot.

Based on this criteria, at first glance of Primo Coffee I was not impressed. There is the same traditional drinks, groovy lamps that hang from the ceiling, a couple cozy arm chairs and some wooden tables. I feel like it was made from a coffee shop cookie cutter.

Then I looked in their food case and saw their gigantic Primo muffins of all different sorts. The tops of them were so big that the muffins had to lay on their sides. So while the atmosphere here may be very provincial the food items were gourmet.

Also on my way out, I noticed they had plants growing on their windowsill, but not just in a traditional pot. There is actually a plant growing out of a leather boot. For some reason when I saw it I wondered if just maybe this is how Jack would've planted his beanstalk and points for Primo Coffee's uniqueness shot up.

I am not much of a coffee drinker and was planning on getting tea, but upon arrival they had a fantastic advertisement for a low-fat strawberry banana smoothie and I just had to get it. For a smoothie it was reasonably priced at $3.90 for a medium, not as cheap as I would like it to be...but hey for a bohemian artist (or anyone really) nothing ever is. It was delicious!

The comfy chairs here could be sat in for hours, especially while gazing into the flames of their crackling fireplace.

I did find I need to be patient with their free Wi-Fi because it is not as high speed as the highest speed internet I have at home, but if I'm coming here to get work done this may not always be such a bad thing.

It is quiet enough here. The music is not loud and disturbing, but has a beat to it that may just take me to far away land. I may not relate to the people here though. Everyone besides me and Carla either has gone gray in the hair or is bald. Not exactly in our five year post-graduate demographic, but no judgment, after all it is a Saturday night and our demographic may have more exciting things to do with their lives. At a different they may be here, in the meantime at least no one here is intimidating or disruptive.

All and all Primo Coffee is not too bad. I might have considered making it my spot except for one thing... the hours. I was very disappointed to get here at seven and discover the hours on the website were incorrect and this place is not open until 10pm or 11pm, but is only open until 8pm.

I will have to continue my search, however if I'm ever passing by here on my way home from the Ypsilanti Whittaker branch library I will not hesitate to stop for a smoothie or a muffin.

The Hunt Begins

That's right it's a hunt for my perfect place...and we're off! I accumulated a list of coffee houses that I plan to test as a writing spot. In making this list I made a few rules, which are listed at the bottom if you are interested, but for now I plan to visit each of these shops to see if any will help me become the writer I dream of becoming:

1. Primo Coffee House Does this place still exist?
2. The Ugly Mug
3. Perk and Brew I don't know if this place is still there either?
4. The Common Cup
5. Starbucks on Washtenaw Ypsilanti
   
6. Starbucks on Washtenaw Arborland
7. Starbucks on Carpenter
   
8. Espresso Royale
9. Biggby Coffee
10. The Coffee Lounge in Canton but I'm willing to give Cherry Hill a Chance
11. Beezy's
12. Harvest Moon Cafe
13. B-24's
14. Cafe Ollie
    

* Many of the places I found on the internet I know have gone out of business and so anything I found that I knew was out of business did not go on the list...duh, but some shops I think may be out of business, but I'm unsure did so we can see about them. I consider myself coffee house keen, since its more my scene than a bar is and some I have not heard of so I wonder if they are out of business or simply the best kept secret ever!
**There is no Bearclaw Coffee on my list because they are just stands.
***Most shops that were listed too far in Ann Arbor have been excluded because of the travel and parking effort.
****No Tim Hortons or Dunkin' Dounts because I have more class than that
*****Not in Canton or Plymouth since that is my hometown and I already know the perfect spot would be the Plymouth Coffee Bean which again has been excluded due to travel time
******Nothing on Eastern's Campus unless I am feeling nostalgic and writing/ re-living my college experience that day
*******Why not a library? Mostly because of hours and that would make writing seem more like work and like I said before, the purpose of this exercise is to make my writing an escape from my work...

Ideally, I would like to find a place that isn't corporate. I'd like to find a nice hipster privately owned by bohemians spot, but I am unsure this will happen given the hours I need the writing spot to be available to me and therefore places like Starbucks and Biggby still remain on the list.

Make the Time, Find the Place

I have decided that I am going to fight this identity crises, I am a writer and writing is what I will do dammit. I think what may have sucked the fun out of it for me was when I started thinking of writing as a second job...writing as work, instead of expression and escape. So, I just need to set myself up to work and make writing fun at the same time.

When I saw Margo Rabb speak-mentioned in a previous blog- she called the first part of writing a novel "coffee shop time." She said that she initially goes to a coffee shop sits there with a nice drink and spaces out in order to see her entire novel scene by scene like a movie. This sounded so appealing and relaxing to me that I am going to take her advice. This will be step one to writing my novel...

I just need to find a time and a place.

A time is easier to decide on, I work 9-5 Wednesday through Sunday and I don't see why after work I cant spend at least one evening spending time relaxing and writing.

A place is a little more difficult...I want to find a local coffee shop that is my writing spot. This will save valuable seconds deciding where I want to write each night. This writing spot of mine will require the following:

1.) Hours that fit with my schedule

• This will typically be about 6pm-11pm unless I go on a day off

2.) Inexpensive Drinks

• After all I am a bohemian and cannot afford to pay a toneach visit

3.) A cozy place to daydream and sit
4.) Local

• Preferably within walking distance or a place that has free parking

5.) People that do not Annoy me, will be friendly but not distracting

So my mission is set...and I choose to accept it: #1- start writing in free time and #2-hunt for the perfect coffee shop to become my writing spot...

Words of an Identity Crises

I haven't been writing and this is strange for me. Lately, it has crossed my mind that maybe I'm not a writer after all...and this is strange for me. There have been no journal entries, no short stories, no poetry, no novel and as you can see there is a major lack of blog entries.

Writing was something I did automatically as a child, something that came natural, something I needed to do to breathe, but lately...nothing.

Have I given up on this dream so easily? Is this part of my identity gone? Just two years ago, I was so set, so determined to become a writer. Why did I stop?

Was it just too difficult? Others were better than me and I couldn't stand the jealousy I felt? I wondered what the point was with so many other writers out there? Was there too much negative feedback? I find it hard to believe that would stop me...but did it? *shivers*

I am going to library school. I want to be a youth librarian, but did graduate school really cancel out ALL writing time? Will this soon turn into another librarian's blog? Bleh.

Why can't I do both? Today, someone must pick one career and spend all their time working toward it in order to succeed. God forbid, someone does decide to split their time between different interests, because then they are not considered dedicated enough to one...they will not become as much of an expert on one thing and for this they will not be respected enough to accomplish their goal.

My name is Angela Michelle Scott...and I am a writer...right?

The Heart Doth Repair Itself

Dr, Jonas Frisen: "In an old person, the heart muscle cells will be a mosaic: some that have been with that person from birth, and there will be new cells that have replaced others that were lost." -Lauren Rediness, Radioactive, page 180, 2010

In this case...it's a scientific fact.

Definitions of Romanticism

A Long Overdue Post

Romanticism- according to Wikipedia Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, it was a revolt against the aristocratic norms and was inspired by the industrial revolution. It validated strong emotion as an authentic source of aesthetic experience, placing new emphasis on such emotions as trepidation, horror and terror and awe—especially that which is experienced in confronting the sublimity of untamed nature and its picturesque qualities, both new aesthetic categories.

Romanticism- according to Webster:
1. Consisting of or resembling romance
2. Having no basis in facts
3. impractical in conception or plan
4. marked by the imaginative or emotional appeal of what is heroic, adventurous, remote, mysterious, or idealized

5. a : having an inclination for romance : responsive to the appeal of what is idealized, heroic, or adventurous
b : marked by expressions of love or affection
c : conducive to or suitable for lovemaking

6. of, relating to, or constituting the part of the hero especially in a light comedy

Romanticism- some random website: Whereas rationalism was dominated by logic and reason, romanticism is more emotional, less controlled

Romanticism- Sixth Edition, Handbook to Literature: Romanticism arose so gradually and exhibited so many phases that a satisfactory definition is not possible