UVillage Zoka

U Village Zoka is a total study place and there are no conversations going on around me right now. Even the couple used their version of sign language to communicate a need for a jacket. Oh yeah it's gorgeous outside, but pant and long sleeve doable inside.
I'm sitting at the head of a long table in a chair that suggests royalty. Purple, padded and just amusing. I'm studying hard, my hands are sore as is my back. studying for the bar exam is consumes my life because even when I'm not studying, I should be.
Pleasantly, today instead of obnoxious distraction of either stupid conversation or distracting conversation (Chocolati has had women exploring bisexuality and a woman conveying to her friends that her husband had decided their marriage just really wasn't the effort) I have had eye candy. The woman I thought was more attractive, but the other woman is still here. Proving to me once again that I am such a sucker for a nice smile. She's probably too young, may be to straight as well (but may not, one of those that could go either way for me). But it doesn't matter because today, we're in this thing together. We smile knowingly at the idea that it would be nice to be outside playing in the sun. Instead we are fighting the fight to gain knowledge. Here with her multi colored highlighters, books, folders computer, and various beverage containers. Me with my legal pads (oh yeah, they're even legal size), outlines, binder, computer, vent for my computer, and endless hope that maybe, just maybe all this will somehow find a way into my brain just long enough to be able to pass the bar on the first try.

Chocolati - The New Lesbian and Gay Hot Spot

Back again for more studying. My lesbian counter-part and her girlfriend are back again as well. And tonight, joining us are two gay guys on an awkward seeming date that looks like it might be getting a little better (hands kind of on the table in a way that looks like maybe they might hold hands). Too bad gay men don't seem to find lesbians as adorable as I find them. Not really actively listening but the white guy mentioned his lesbian friends in that sort of tone that just doesn't suggest endearment. Oh well, I still think boys on a date is adorable. But then I think lesbian on a date is adorable too. Old straight people (like 80) who look like they're totally in love still, also adorable. Straight teenagers (and sometimes even gay teenagers) not so adorable. So there you have it, my litmus test for dating adorablity.

Um seriously, gayer than I thought. Two women, who my gaydar didn't exactly go off for, are sitting in the corner, and I'm pretty sure one just kissed the inside part of the other's arm. Doesn't seem like an exceptionally straight thing to do. Maybe she was just smelling - because they have a very large amount of personal space - but I'm going to assume they're in their first lesbian relationship and are trying to figure out how they feel about PDA. It's okay girls - your totally surrounded by family :-)

Online - Personal Space Etiquette -6/23/08

It's a beautiful sunny day here in Seattle and I am stuck inside studying at a coffee shop. Not one of my favorite coffee shops either, just one with free parking in Capital Hill.
So I came with a friend and we were sitting on the couch together and then she left. Only to be replaced. Seriously, when the cafe is open and there are so many other options, why do you have to drop your cigarette smoking (yeah you smell), cell phone talking, loud typying while hunched over your keyboard self next to me? And of course you would adjust the table I'm using so it suits you.
So not classy. And now you're invading my couch cushion.
Lame.

Ladro Queen Ann 4/30

There are moments when the pieces of conversation are less exciting than the theories about the conversation. Tonight at Ladro is definitely one of those moments. There is white guy probably in his mid-to-late 40s and he's on his cell phone with a simple day planner and a giant cup of tea and he became far more fascinating when I heard "I have pocket knives in my car." It sounds like he's doing some sort of business deal. Could he be supplying the Russian Mafia in Seattle with weapons? Because seriously if you don't need them for illicit purposes, why is there a conversation on a cell phone in a coffee shop at 8:15 at night about pocket knives.
I know I have no idea.
They may be all we get - the music got turned on louder and the only other people here tonight are her alone. I could eavesdrop on my own conversations with my study buddy, but really that's not nearly as fun.

Random Night at Chocolati - Monday, April 28, 2008

What an odd night at Chocolati.

First a family was having some kind of political discussion, and I couldn't understand a good portion of it, but what I did overhear was some discussion where the mom was saying something about how she thought Maria Cantwell took someone's seat (only heard male pronouns) and her son or pre-teen companion corrected her that Cantwell couldn't have taken his office because she's a senator and he was a Congressman. I wanted to correct him that Congressional Representatives (get rid of your sexist wording kid) are actually the neutral term for referring to representatives and senators.


Second is the kids behind me - I guess having a bible study discussion and they're talking about a couple and this couple is living together. And the boy in the group is seeming a bit incredulous about this. He is questioning whether they slept in the same room, and the girl is responding uncomfortable saying that it was a two bedroom apartment but that she never asked if they were sleeping together, but assumed that they probably were because they've been together for five years and engaged for two and so they're practically married. And the guy in a the world must be black and white kind of tone said something about how we're supposed to hold people accountable to the Christian life.

Kirkland is the newly divorced people, 50 year old guys with 25 year old girl friends and this is some how connected to hot yoga. This is news to me. I wonder if this kid goes to Marshill or something because of the way he talks.

Okay back to work for now, they may inspire me to write more because they're doing bible study and I'm an athiest and maybe they really are Marshill kids, so they will likely annoy me.

So as they're talking about who testifies for Jesus and I cannot help but wonder - why do bible studies flourish but we don't really have political studies groups? Why aren't kids sitting over the text of presidential statements, congressional actions, etc., and having questions about their actions? Why is can't we get as interested about things that could truly change the lives of people?

High School Students - Chocolati - 4/23/08

So I'm in Chocolati again, and it's interesting - kids are studying or something and talking about inflation and Hitler.
Things that are interesting - listening to the distinct cadence of high school girls and the number of times they say "like." One girl was talking about seeing a Holocaust survivor and how cool it was and seeing his number tattoo and it seemed like she was sincere in her feeling that it was a powerful experience, but it still had that upbeat cheery tone that seemed in disconnect with what she was saying.
But study time is over - so that's all I'll write...

UW Cafe - April 22, 2008

Is it really eavesdropping when you're sitting in front of people who you know and they know you and they're talking loudly? You know the kind of tone where it's obvious they know they're being overheard. It's like they want people to hear their conversation.
So here in this graduate school cafe with people in suits, it's amusing to hear - Female 1 "Dude, did you see Gossip Girl Last Night?" Male No. 2. "No. And don't tell me, I'm going to download it on itunes later!" I'm not sure what is more amusing - a guy liking gossip girl or liking it enough that he's going to pay to watch it.
So Guy No. 1 is obviously working and preparing for this competition that is going on tonight and Guy No. 2 is having a conversation with Guy No. 3 (In fair disclosure, Guy No. 2 is someone I have very little respect for because I think he's lazy and arrogant). It becomes obvious that Guy No. 2 is Guy No. 1's partner for a big competition happening tonight. Guy No. 1 in a suit diligently working, seeing Guy No. 2 looking scruffy, unshowered, and definitely not dressed appropriately for the competition. Guy No. 1 asks if Guy No. 2 has prepped his witness. Guy no. 2 responds aloofly and sort of shrugs it off, and then says something about how he was going to do it at home. Guy No. 1 fortunately doesn't seem stressed about it, but he probably knew what he was getting into when he signed up with this guy.
Eavesdropping on people you know isn't nearly as fun either. I know too much about the competition, the people involved. In some ways it's amusing. But I like strangers better.

Telaporting at Chocolati - Sunday, April 20, 2008

Apparently Chocolati is a hotspot for people to have a brainstorming sessions or interviews about all sorts of projects. The one behind me right now is another film conversation. This time I'm thinking its fictional. There's a conversation about the first time he telaports maybe (male name no.1) may be sitting on the lap of (male name no.2) (yup already forgotten their names). And then that would be bad because then they wouldn't be together for the entire story.
Then something about how being different is bad and scary. Also ironically mixed with a repeating comment about the old world and the new world and leaving something behind from the old world. Which is ironic to me, because it sounds a little like a story about accepting that your different, but then encouraging assimilation.

As they talk more it seems like maybe it's supposed to be a journey into fatherhood and being a good father. The old world is apparently not the land of ones past but rather something a little less profound ("swinging singlehood").

That's all for this moment in the eavesdropping world as I really should focus on my own project, and not eavesdrop on them. (Oh if your curious, an Asian woman and a White man are having this conversation. And I get the feeling whatever they're doing is the woman's project more than the man's.)

Co-Ed Sports - Chocolati - 3/30/08

One of the things about eavesdropping half-heartedly is that sometimes conversations are hard to follow. The guy and girl behind me are having a very non-linear conversation that is hard to follow. They seem to be discussing a sport, I can't figure out exactly what sport, maybe ice hockey, maybe roller derby, but I didn't think we had co-ed roller derby here in Seattle. Something where there are refs, and they are on a co-ed team.

The league sounds bizarre, like it's small enough that people think you should know about the league but big enough that you don't really know, or at least the guy doesn't know much.

Random Comments of Interest:
Heterosexual dating is discouraged, but apparently lesbian dating is almost encouraged. Really do they not know about lesbian drama?

They both make comments that are a bit disparaging of the girls on the team.

They're both dating other people, the girl is dating someone on her team, apparently he's gone and she's curious how it will impact the team dynamics. He's dating someone on the other side of the state or something. Yet there's just something about their interaction that feels like a date, but it could just be that this is one of the first times they've hung out together.

Now they're talking about Austin, maybe their team went to Austin, she couldn't go, but would have liked to because she went to school there.

They're now going back to her house, which seems a little odd, kind of date-like before their movie.

And now the visual as the leave, he's got to be in his 40s and she has got to be in her late 20s. He didn't sound that old...

But now they're gone and no one else is nearby to distract me, so I will work on my reasons for being at a coffee shop.

90s Kick Butt Movies - Chocolati 3/29/08

Most of the morning I have been completely alone (and being fairly productive), and now there is an interview going on. Three kids, can't be much more than maybe 22 or 25 are interviewing this guy (probably early 40s) from Kenya (been in Seattle for 8 years), who seems pretty cool. He's a journalist or photographer or something, described himself as a shooter (as in cameras, probably film). One of the interviewers, who couldn't even remember the guys name and admittedly didn't even look at the guys resume asked, so what made you apply to our project, are you just looking for a job? The woman, seems to just not be that respectful, distracted like being there is a little bothersome for her. The other guy interviewer asked some getting to know you questions and seems like he's being respectful, though sort of ignorant (asked the "where are you from" question stupid white people ask.). The guy who didn't look at the resume, isn't even sitting at the table, he's sitting in a couch away from it and as he talks, I understand why, this whole project is pretty much his ego project.

Apparently they're doing a documentary on explosion films, etc., mixed with reality T.V., apparently the goal is to watch his path to fighting Steven Segall. Apparently, he loves Steven Segall, "he's one of the great B-Grade action stars, never broke out like Stallon or Bruce Willis." Segall is the real deal and Van Dam is a dancer, Segall is a real Akido black belt and there are rumors that he's worked with the CIA.

Seriously sometimes entertainment value of coffeeshop easedropping is priceless. He wants to some day fight Segall (he says "i'm an out-of-shape, donut eating...) - joke, catering to jack-ass crowd who want to see him get pummelled, but also wants to change his life around...

Haha he wants to interview Ralph Machio from the Karate Kid for advice on how to beat Segall.

I want to transition myself, mentally, spiritually and physically. And then... These guys slam hard alcohol and I'm not a drinker, so I think the outtakes from that will be hilarious, I'm sure I'll vomit right away. One of the things we filmed was me getting a tattoo, because that's a tough guy thing to do, and I was a pussy throughout the whole thing because I don't like pain. (I, of course, take offense to the description of pussy in such a negative use of the word, plus, I have two tattoos, and I'm a wimp, but I handled them quite well).

Really it's one lame guys "everyday man" personal self-development/transformation, "I'll probably still get my ass kicked, but at least I'll go in there with confidence. And who wouldn't get behind the transformation?"

I can't help but wonder how the other two people got involved with this project.

This interview finishes and the star of the film goes out for a smoke (because of course there's no time like the present to begin getting in shape for your big fight).

Two more interviews, and they're running late. And it's as if they think that running late is a sign of how important they are, but really it's just rude. More of the guy being self-indulgent in how cool he thinks his idea is. I can't help but wonder if the guy who did Supersize Me sounded this stupid when he was planning his film, because that turned out to be an interesting film, but I have very little hope for this guys film and am quite skeptical about the idea that there is a built in audience of people who would go see it because they're fans of Steven Segall. And I'm really surprised that no one asked, "have you gotten Segall to agree to fight you?" because I can't help but think that if I'm Steven Segall, I wouldn't want to fight some out of shape guy making a movie who is a self-described scrappy fighter (I omitted his discussion about his fight style was faggy, because really he sounds stupid enough without also adding in his homophobic banter).