Tag: high point coffee

High Point Coffee (Oct 21st)

10/21/2008 / Blake

I’m sitting in High Point Coffee for a quick pit stop after paying my speeding ticket. I almost got driving school except for I was driving with a Commercial Drivers License. Nevermind that I was in a regular vehicle and the CDL was needed for my old job. I can’t wait to drop it.

But I’m uploading some pictures to print. So I came to one of the local watering holes. And it’s interesting today. Here’s what I see around me.

Halloween decorations: to the tune of cotton stretched to look like spiderwebs, orange lights, and big black spiders.
A girl with a stack of books a foot high. Most of them had Thoreau on the spine. Surely she won’t need all 9 of them while sitting here.
About four macbooks. One is black. Looks sweet.
Two guys in black suits wearing their shades inside. They didn’t’ realize that look went out when the debate left Oxford.
Sarah Palin is on the tv. But the sound is down so I can listen to something I can’t really pick out on XM radio.
About 6 junior high kids. I tried to take them for young looking high school kids, but then they got up and started moving around and removed any doubt. They they cozy up in the big chairs together and stroke each others face.
The above should be outlawed in some fashion.
New photos on the wall. They each have a little card at the bottom corner. So they’re for sale. I’ll check them out before I leave.
Now CNN has a story on “Atheist Business Campaigns” in London.
Older folk with their younger children sitting and reading at tables.
The junior highers finally left. Now it feels comfortable in here.
Tow friends talking animatedly over a magazine or something.
And some readers.

That’s what’s happening in my neck of the woods. What’s happening right where you are RIGHT NOW?

Right now?

09/11/2008 / Blake

Right now I’m in High Point Coffee near the square. Doing some reading. Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claibourne. It’s not that crowded in here. But the people who have a computer out, 3 of the 4 are Macbooks. Impressive. Strong wifi signal from someone’s Belkin router too.

On the tv is silent but showing news about remembering 9.11 with public officials talking over the hot spots. And also hurricane Ike is barreling across the gulf. I tried something new. The hot chai energy tea. Said to ener’chaize’ you. The barista said if I didn’t like it I could go back with the old stuff. I traded my cup in for the old. I know that I’m supposed to drink coffee. That’s what everyone else does, right? But I went w/ the Chai instead.

Oxford is gearing up for the Prez Debate in about 2 weeks. Still pretty amazing that an event of that magnitude is coming to small town Mississippi. But Oxford is unique. I told Bev yesterday, “Is it strange that Clinton is larger than Oxford, and it has a weekly paper. Yet Oxford has a paper that comes out every week day?” She just replied, “lots more happening in Oxford.” And she’s right.

Pat and I were talking yesterday about Oxford. How for Mississippi it’s unique. I mean, in such a huge way, it IS Mississippi. But then it’s a lot of other stuff too. The university brings a lot of diversity, there is a political hotbed here even before and beyond the debate this month. We were trying to decide if Oxford was probably the most cosmopolitan city in the state. I’d guess it might be. You could argue for Hattiesburg or maybe the Gulfport/Biloxi area.

But Oxford has stereotypes of the “Ole Miss brand“. And there are lots of reasons why that stereotype is there. LOTS! But there are lots more types of people here than just frat boys, sorority girls, and lawyers. There are plenty of rednecks, blue collar workers, soccer moms, a varied “artsy” crowd, lots of people who wear vintage clothes, tight jeans and thick framed glasses. There are minorities and internationals. There are people on many sides of the political and moral spectrum. There is a music scene here that if it isn’t vibrant [and many would argue that it is] it’s consistent And God wants them all to taste of His love and grace…and see that He is good.

Wow, I didn’t know where this entry was going. But it’s where we ended up. So I’m going to go back to my tea and my book. I’m going to watch the people walk by on the sidewalk. And I’m going to listen for that still small voice of God…

What are you doing right now?

Free WiFi in Oxford, Mississippi

02/12/2008 / Blake

When I getting ready to move here I wondered where the free wireless internet spots were here in town. I’m still ferreting some of them out, but I couldn’t find a list of them anywhere on the internet. So I started asking around and doing some of my own investigation. I’ll make a list of place I know there is free wifi. I’ll update it as more are discovered:

Bottletree Bakery: Just off The Square. (map) A really eclectic, snazzy bakery with good breakfast and lunch. It was actually featured on The Food Network and Oprah because of their pies.
San Francisco Bread Company: Jackson Avenue (map)
Pak Mail: Jackson Ave (map)
McAllisters: University Avenue (map) The restaurant that is pretty much like all the other McAllisters, yet this one was the first one.
High Point Coffee: North Lamar by The Square.
Purple Haze: North Lamar (map) Nice little shop with culture and groovy tunes.
Puddin Place Bed & Breakfast: University Avenue (map)
Kroger: University Ave (map)
Comfort Inn: Jackson Ave (map)
Days Inn: Jackson Ave (map)
Proud Larry’s: South Lamar (map). You may have to ask them for access, but they’re cool about it.

Now please double check me on these. Sometimes I’ve found a signal, but then turns out you have to pay to surf (like McDonalds). But I may have missed some or have been mistaken about a couple. If there is a correction or addition that needs to be made, leave a comment!