In half an hour I intend to go unwind. I intend to sit down with a sketch pad, some water and maybe a friend or two in order to hear our friend, the Emo King, who is opening for TheSisterMaria. This is apparently a good thing. I wouldn’t know. I’m just going to support the Emo King. I’m sure it will be great what with people all around and the Cage turned into a… well. It’s not really coffeehouse material is it?

“The Cage,” as we so affectionately call the food joint below the cafeteria, is bright white with unfortunate flecks of red. The acoustics in there are so live that you can hear reverberations for at least a minute and you are left trying to figure out what in the world the words were meant to be. For the Coffeehouse, we tend to turn the lights down and fling a few candles here and there. People pull the overstuffed chairs in toward the makeshift stage and curl up with homework or a book or a latte.

Yet, it’s mostly social. We go there, yes to hear the musicians, but also to be seen. Girls here spend hours getting ready… not like when I head out to Arsaga’s at home. I go in what I went running in or what I worked in that day. Rarely do I hang around a mirror for hours doing make-up just to go to a loud smokey jazz joint. But maybe that’s where it is. Maybe if it were less commonplace to me, I would do the same. Like when I see the King’s Singers – hours of preparation there. Maybe I’m taking for granted something that most people do not have the luxury to enjoy.

However, I am still glad I have that luxury. Sincerely, Pokey