Observation Reflections

When I found out about the assignment, I thought it would be interesting since I had just assigned my freshmen to write an observation paper.  I had never actually done one, though.  Even so, I thought it would be an enlightening experience, and one that would go quickly since the time constraints were for two sets of 20 minutes each.  So I chose to type my observations on my laptop, as I can type faster (and more legibly) than I can write.  Plus it would save time in transferring my data to my writeup if it was already typed.

I found when I concentrated on my reactions during my observation I got a lot more out of it–if I would go back, I would do more on the reaction side than on the observation side.  My reactions, such as when I noticed that everyone seemed to know each other, led to learning more about the site.

I think I hindered myself by choosing a place I had been to before and had preconceived ideas about (Grounds for Thought).  This limited my observations, as I already knew how to describe the front window, the tables, the bookshelves.  Once I got to observing and reacting to the people, though, I began to notice new things.  It also was more exciting as people were constantly coming in and out of the place during the breakfast rush.

I realized that I respond more to the actions of people and find more interest in how people interact in spaces than the physical attributes of a space.  I seem to find more to observe, and definitely have more to react to when I’m observing people than when I’m observing spaces.  It gives me more help in how to observe a space, to think of it as dynamically as I consider people.

I think I observe a lot of details–but one place I got hung up was on language.  Sometimes it hindered me when I couldn’t think of the right noun to describe the thing.  (Is it a “book tree”?)  That held me up from doing more observation, when I had to think about how to express my visual observations in language.  Translation was sometimes difficult or awkward, at the least.  My notetaking skills are OK–better on the computer than on paper, as I mentioned before–although still I was observing more than I had time to write about, specifically when I was observing people.  I wished I had a videotape of it, so I could watch the scene over and over and find new things about it.

–ejfleitz

Observation: Grounds for Thought (Thursday, Sept. 20)

Observation—Sept. 20

 

Grounds for Thought

 

Physicality of space (start 8:13): Sunny, large east window, looking out onto Main street. One person sitting outside, but not for long because the sun’s in his eyes. I’m sitting at the front round table inside, tables big enough to sit three people around. The wooden tables are marked up, from past users digging their pens and sharp objects in. They need to be refinished. To the left of me is a book display in the front window, which is blocking the sun from my eyes. It’s a combination of books stacked and on a bookcart, and fake flowers and greenery in vases, and food items (coffee bags). There’s a green tall (live) plant, about 4 feet high, in the corner keeping the sun out of my eyes. It’s slightly warm up here. Across from me is the entrance, where people’s purses, hats, denim jackets and lost umbrellas and library books are kept. Underneath that is the table with current newspapers. New York Times is the tallest stack, then The Blade, then a short stack of USA Today. Other regional papers are on the lower shelves. Following that along the north wall of the store is a wastebasket, book tree of mystery used paperbacks, and a long set of green painted shelving units which have crafts, used records, local fliers, and mostly (on the upper shelves) their coffee beans and mixes for sale, some already ground and packaged. Behind me is a map of the world pasted on like wallpaper, which nearly fills up the wall space. Next to that (the area where I’m sitting is large enough for three tables) is the counter. It is a three-sided counter, the longest part of which is where purchases are made. Around the counter are shelves of chess sets, used paperbacks, ground coffee. The counter is brown painted with a dark gray countertop. Three glass cases are used to hold the food items, such as donuts, pastries, sandwiches, desserts, cookies, and ice cream. I’ve gotten used to the smell by now, but when you walk in the strong smell of freshly ground coffee greets you. Mingled with that are the smells of the food, especially donuts and pastries which are fresh this morning.

 

 

 

Reactions:

Some of the book stacks are rather precarious…hope there’s no small children running through here, otherwise there could be a big mess of books and flowers and vases. Everything’s clean, but a bit shabby. Could use a renovation. Unless they’re trying to go for the charming quaint look. I’m not sure why the NYT has the tallest stack—because everyone wants that one, or because no one’s taken any yet? I shudder to think that the short stack of USA Todays are few because they’re the most popular paper and everyone’s taken a copy so far. The crafts are ridiculously expensive—no wonder nobody buys those purses. I mean, $50 for a purse made out of coffee bags?

 

 

 

People (8:35):

 

Lots of different kinds of people—there’s one that just came in who brought a bunch of brightly colored balloons for someone’s birthday who’s a regular and should be in today to see them and be surprised. Other people, young girls (undergrads), older retired men, travelers filling up their travel mugs before they continue on their trip, regulars who (apparently) usually sit where I am (??), businessmen looking stressed and hassled, who look around longingly to sit down but then see the time on their watch and leave after getting a coffee and bagel/roll/donut to go. There’s parallel parking outside and cars come and go, as most people just stop in for a minute to get a coffee, or a coffee and pastry, to start their day. One older man drove his vintage black convertible—perfect condition—to stop in a minute for coffee. Everyone gets coffee to go in a Styrofoam cup which is white and tan with pictures of coffee cups on it. Usually people know what they want when they order, they always know just what coffee to order, but if they hesitate it’s to choose which pastry they want that day. There’s also a window washer who washed only the outside of the windows. An employee was windexing the entry glass door earlier from the inside. A male college student just sat down with a coffee outside, to study and (possibly?) smoke, even with the sun in his eyes. It must be to smoke. An older man, retired, in a blue and white flowered Hawaiian shirt, sat facing the map wall at the round table next to me, sipping his coffee, clearly without any important place to be.
Working moms in their SUVs park outside and come in for skim lattes. The college student just came in, after realizing the sun would be too distracting. He walked to the back for another seat away from the sun. Often people when they come in open the door for others who are coming in at the same time, everyone seems to be in a good mood, happy it’s the morning, or happy they’re about to get their coffee. If anyone does stop in front of the newspapers, it’s to look at the front headlines of the Blade. No one normally picks up a paper to buy and take it along, if anyone reads them they read them there and fold them back up and put them on the stack again. Everyone seems to know each other, they must all be regulars here. The window washer is back, squeegying loudly enough on the front windows to cause a low-pitched squeaking sound that makes people look up from their coffees or conversations. For the most part, the average age of customers are over 40, as most are professionals or retirees. Fewer students than I expected. People order skim drinks, fruit juices, mochas, all different kinds of drinks. An older gray-haired woman sat down in the other round table in front of me, reading the BG News and having a coffee. There are two baristas, female, under 30, petite. When there isn’t a rush they’re talking and sharing gossip and stories to catch up with each other. They seem to know most of the people who come in, and chat with everyone there as they get their drinks. A younger man (30s) came in with a baby strapped to his chest and is waiting for his order. If people don’t end up talking to someone while they wait, they turn around and look at the books for sale, the coffees, or the newspapers. A woman with two large Lassie-type dogs tied them up outside at one of the tables so he could go in and get a coffee. She then walked back outside and sat with her dogs to have her coffee.

 

 

 

Reactions:

From about 8:10 (when I came in) to 8:20 there was a rush, and then from 8:20-8:30 it was mostly dead—I was surprised about this. Then it picked up like I expected after 8:30, and it’s been busy (at least 2 people waiting for orders at the counter) ever since. If people are sitting up in the front, they’re quiet and sometimes speak to the people who go past they know. I’m really surprised everyone knows everyone else—I really didn’t recognize anyone (except for my 7^th grade science teacher, who, for many reasons I preferred not to speak to). Also I’m interested that the coffee house, which in our culture always seems to be a hangout of the young (it’s a Gen-X thing), is frequented at least on a weekday morning by BG locals, older people and professionals. Also I can tell it’s the Midwest because people are friendly to each other even if they don’t know them. They hold doors open for people (right, like you’d see that in NYC). I’m also surprised how late some professionals must need to be at work—it’s 8:59 right now and there are still suits walking in to get an order. Finally, I’m surprised that really no one is buying or reading the newspapers. The only reason my dad comes in here is to get the NYT. I wonder if they lose money from those—it’s 9am and no one’s touched the Times. If I could afford it, I would! (I read it online.)

Anyway, this was an interesting activity, I actually did learn a lot both about the place itself and how to observe something–and how difficult it is to include everything and remember it all! I often can’t type faster than I can think or observe.

–Elizabeth