Frustrated aesthete

[flemmings]

There's room for an essay on 'How Sei Shonagon ruined my life' but I'll spare you the length. Is mostly about how at eighteen I conceived the notion that the essence of life was exquisite moments, preferably exquisitely observed or recollected, where every detail came together to be just *right*.

So there I was on a lovely spring day, intending to have excellent lattes and sandwiches in that exquisite little coffee shop-in-a-house nearby while reading the perfect book-- and the perfect book was not forthcoming. The Quincunx is too heavy for travelling, and anyway I'm all 'meh' because as far as I've read, Dickens does it better in Bleak House and Great Expectations. My Buddhist reading is now into doctrinal stuff that can't be viewed as a pleasant romp. I have finished Inspector Hanshichi, who was perfect as far as he lasted, which was yesterday. I have two Japanese books in translation, rescued from the basement, but neither is the serendip of The Plum-rain Scroll. One is about cannibalism on Hokkaido during the war, and the other is Child of Fortune, which reads no better now that I've been to Japan than it did before. Perhaps if one is straight, and has children, or might have children, a heroine who goes about mooning over the men in her life and the kids she might have by them is rivetting. But it doesn't speak to me at all. I am promised Changes, eventually, but I can't guarantee I'll last till I get there.

Also the perfect little coffee-house was full of people who had moved in with their Macs, and while I was waiting some generous Suit decided to treat the friends who'd arrived just after me, effectively jumping them the queue, and then another group came in and bagged the stools at the counter. So no exquisite sandwich for me. Yes, yes, is why one should eschew the hangouts of Euppies, but periodically one wants a break from Starbux. Where people are also settled in with their Macs, unmoving for the whole afternoon. Truly, does no one ever so accidentally on purpose trip with their latte and flood one of those things? because lord I have been so tempted at times...

Comments

[incandescens]

It sounds as if not only was it the moment being spoiled, but it was the planned, entitled moment being spoiled - which makes it doubly annoying.

(And you are not the only person to have fantasies about accidentally cascading your latte (or other hot drink) all over such people.)

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

Thus one should not plan, or even propose, but let the Perfect Moment find one all by itself. In the event, the replacement place I went to turns out to have excellent coffee: even if it's too crowded and noisy for calm reading and reflection.

Also it has gelato and is therefore dangerous by definition.

[incandescens]

This weekend I discovered a brand of fudge involving caramel, whiskey and sea salt. I am now trying to avoid thinking of excuses to go and get more.

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

I hate it when calorific things call my name. *I* know what songs the Sirens sung, thank you. It was 'almond croissant, red velvet cake, whipped cream on top.'

[mvrdrk.livejournal.com]

You need to go not on a weekend or holiday! The local coffee house here has a maximum 1 hour stay policy, which is in it's own way just as annoying as people parking for hours and hours on end and never leaving.

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

But I work on not weekends and not holidays!

And in fact, when I went on a Monday morning once, it was full of people working on their Macs.

I wonder how these places stay in business, with everyone parked for hours. Must be the take-out trade.

[i-am-zan.livejournal.com]

Here it doesn't matter when you go in. If it isn't students, it's the office crowd and usually a noisome mix of the two. *sigh* I guess they do well enough as I'm certain these places jack the price up a little so that they don't.

The library's café has a 'we don't mind you parking here but if it gets busy please go' sign. Which I like. Their coffee is so-so, and their menu not that extensive, but for a bit of relative peace it is fine.

Hope that you get your latte/drink another time in relative peace

[flemmings.livejournal.com]

You'd think the students would be studying and the office workers working. What's wrong with people? ^_^

I like the 'we'll ask you to move on' signs, as also the very popular place whose outlets don't work. You're on battery only, guy. It's still crowded 'cause people come there in groups to dine and shmooze.

I should probably go to the little Korean bakeries around here. View isn't much, but it's nothing but little old ladies.