the creative minimalist

darren r hill : writer, minstrel and journal keeper

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Latte Loquacity – girls will be girls

The coffice and the journal
The coffice is busy and noisy when I get there. The sun, shining outside, seems to have brought people out nice and early. I order my coffee and sit down. It goes quiet. Do they know I have come to listen? Don’t worry, I’m here to work too.

The voices rise again. A lady nearby has the Daily Mail open in front of her, this could be fun. She’s threatening to put on her reading glasses as she talks to the family member with her. On… off… on… But there is no comment as she flicks through the paper. The Daily Mail must be losing it.

Two older gentlemen leave. They would look equally at home sitting in a cafe on the streets of Napoli enjoying an espresso.

From another table, ‘She’s not even 13!’ Oh, this could be interesting, but it is followed by, ‘Jason is better than Freddy.’ Is that still a thing?

Girls will be girls

The ladies of a certain age are back. They are acting like a group of young lads at a pub, jostling over who will buy the next round. One of them is ordering a double shot. Now, they are picking up on the news that drinking a little wine each day is good for you. Yes, just a glass a day, but they also seem au fait with more than two glasses. The analogy with young lads is growing. Oh, and the house that was sold is now available ‘to let’.

A lot of those who were here when I arrived have left. Just a few of us lonely souls are left. To be honest it is lovely. The gentle sound of inoffensive coffee-shop music and the odd puff of steam from the coffee maker.

I would stay but I need to go to the post office. Now that will be a very different experience.

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Latte Loquacity – a little subdued

Coffee and journal
I wonder if I arrive at the coffee shop too early. There’s certainly not much going on today. It’s full of people on their own, many lonely people. Am I one of them?

We have a battle of the circus’ on the notice board. The traditional Gerry Cottle’s The Magic Circus vs the Circus of Horrors. One appeals more to me than the other. I have always been the alt guy. I should be the alt.minimalist, that’s not overly interesting though. A little like the conversations here today.

There has been no toast delivered. That’s good. I shouldn’t eat toast, or too much. It does mean an extra coffee before heading to the beach.

Oh, a spillage

Getting a little louder as more people come in. I need a coffee refill, but can’t leave my seat, and all my stuff, while the queue is that long. Patience young man. Most of the conversations are unintelligible as I can only hear very young children – although that is normally more sense than I get eavesdropping.

There are some loud phone conversations. Someone is not too happy about something or other. (Nor would I if the highlight of my day was three hours’ parking in Paignton.)

I wonder if the coffee conversation is a little subdued as we teeter on the brink of nuclear conflict? If only the main protagonists in that particular issue were a little subdued.

Well, if no one is saying anything here, I am off to work in the sunshine on the seashore.

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Latte Loquacity – recent conversations

Midori and coffee

The coffee shop is a place to be quiet, on your phone or reading a paper. Or, it is a place to be loud, on your phone or with friends and family. I come down here on a regular basis to write and work. I get caught in the crossfire of the loud conversations. Why should I have to deal with them on my own?

It must be a quiet news day. I can’t hear anyone blaming the worlds’ problems on China, the unemployed or the EU. There are some conversations on energy bills, with lots of gesticulating and raised voices, but I can’t quite make out the words. They seem to have turned up the music on the speaker system.

There is some news from a group of ladies of a certain age, gathered together over their small Lattes. ‘Someone is moving into that house at the end… well, they took the sign down.’ I love a good bit of assumption.

There is a little conversation about how much the top earners at the BBC are getting from another couple. ‘One month of that wage would be enough.’ I’m not sure to which BBC employee the man is referring, but it made me think how we see things in our perspective. We go on what we earn, what we have. The more you earn, the more you spend or invest. Quite often what we have is seen as just a little less than what we need, wherever we are on the scale. Part of my minimalist vision is to try and see things differently, to not ‘need’ more. I fail most days.

Time for another cup of coffee.

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August’s full moon rises

New and Full Moon goal cycle
The August full moon rises. It is the time when my plans and goals for this moon cycle begin to fall in to place. As long as I have tended them for the past few weeks.

Several threads are woven and I can begin to see images appearing.

Life’s tapestry is slowly revealing scenes

These scenes may or may not end up as reality, but they are there because seeds were sown. Seeds that have been sown on land tended for the past few weeks (and previous moon cycles).

I find it so difficult to wait. Cycles take time. Seeds grow at their own speed. Seasons come and go. So often, because of the wait, I forget to sow the seed, to tend the crop. My forgetfulness is often intentional. If I can’t have it now, I won’t bother.

My moon intentions and realisation cycle has helped. It’s a nice metaphor to hold, to remind me that I have no right to a field and harvest if I have not sown the seed or tended the land.

Doing the work does not guarantee a harvest. There are many variables. But I try. I learn. I understand. Every new moon cycle my wisdom is greater. Every lunar month I know a little more than the previous period of waxing and waning.

The August full moon rises, let me see if my crop is bearing fruit.

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