The new Tremont Rd. Starbucks

I tried the new Starbucks today and ran into a former neighbor. He's lived there about 8 years now, moving in shortly before we left, and I think everyone around him has moved. He has one of the more challenging homes in terms of upkeep, but I think they can afford it. I don't know what happened to the family who bought our house--in our opinion they ruined the floor plan (removed the dining room), then divorced and sold it--probably at a loss. As I sat at the table and looked across the street at the floundering, frumpy Kingsdale Shopping Center I did wonder what sociologist/ city planner/ architect came up with the idea of "mixed use, high density" for suburbia. Only a few of these condos have sold, and they are in the $400,000-$600,000 range. It's truly awful, both in design and concept. The 50s ranch style four-families that used to be on this land made much more sense.

A very trusting group

Today I stopped at a Starbucks after running some errands. Most of the people in the seating area appeared to be OSU students--maybe 18-23 years old--all but one with laptops on the table. I could overhear the phone conversations of the men in front and behind me. One young lady across from me was well-mannered and took her cell phone calls out side--and it is bitterly cold today. However, I noticed when she went to the rest room in the back of the store (a long way from seating because it is a very long, narrow room) she left her bag with her laptop and purse open on the chair, her i-pod on the table, and her cell phone sitting on top of her text books. Another young lady came blowing in the door about the time the other one left, settled her self at a table, putting her huge bag with computer and books on the floor, and walked to the back (completely out of sight of the seating area) to place her order. I either look like a security guard or a very safe old lady.

What I heard at the Starbucks

I hear ya talking
on your new cell phone.
I hear ya talking
with your rockin' ring tone.

You talk and you talk,
what could be so grand?
You talk and you talk
about tonight's party plan.

Flirting with the ladies,
calling two or four.
Flirting with the ladies,
They should toss you out the door.

I hear ya talking,
You're a lonely S.O.B.
I hear ya talking,
with tears in your cold coffee.