Video No. 3 for Halloween

Video No. 2 for Halloween

Video No. 1 for Halloween

Songs in Your Head

music is a big part of the homer's experience. local artists have been performing onstage every friday and saturday night since homer's opened in 2001. during the summer there is an open jam session called pickin' on the patio where artists are encouraged to show up, plug in, and play along. when jim mathis designed the coffeehouse over 9 years ago, he specifically put a stage near the front for the purpose of showcasing live music. so it was no surprise when i was working with kyle yesterday and he said, "dave, you ought to do a blog entry about songs that you can't get out of your head during while you're at work!" i think he was trying to stay awake (sometimes kyle has problems sleeping). when i asked him what song he couldn't get out of his head he said, the superman theme song. so we did some dishes, made some drinks, and cleaned the counter... and after 20 minutes passed he said, "now i'm thinking of the james bond theme." later he mentioned an outkast song that i didn't know, then he mentioned another theme song, "final fantasy," which made me think of the final countdown by an 80s band, europe (i think). one of the last ones i remember him randomly saying was "rachmaninoff elegy #9." we were listening to some swing/jazz/blues music over the house system, and he heard something that made him think of that. of course hearing anything followed by #9 made me think of the beatles and revolution #9. then an hour later he said "amazing grace." apparently there were alot of songs fighting for superiority that day.

Josh & Christy's Wedding

Last night Jenny & I attended Josh Frierdich and Christy Janouschek's wedding. Christy used to work with me at Homer's. The chapel for the ceremony was full, and probably breaking some fire codes, but everyone was able to fit into the American Legion Hall later.

Saturday Morning

it's 7:35am saturday morning... this used to be the time and day that my sister and i would willingly wake up early while our parents slept in. we would veg out to cartoons that were only interrupted by cereal and toy commercials. well... that was the 1970s... a lifetime ago. Now history is repeating itself 'cause i woke up earlier than my folks did again (they are visiting this weekend), but instead of watching bugs bunny and the roadrunner, i made coffee and decided to write about it instead. i usually don't work on the weekends, but saturday mornings are one of the busiest times at homer's. customers will meet with so many friends they have to pull tables together... some people just like to watch the morning unfold at a table or a bench outside... the coolest thing to see is when strangers start talking to each other as they wait to place an order or wait for their drink. if you want to feel connected to something, saturday morning at homer's is the time and place to do it.

The Omega Man

on tuesdays i wake up a little before 5am to work the morning shift at homer's. tim andersen used to work this shift and when he left, i offered to help out. it's the only day i'm scheduled to work before sunrise. i don't mind because it keeps my week from being too predictable. i don't usually encounter other pedestrians that early... but when i do, i try not to think of them as flesh eating zombies. the omega man or night of the comet feeling (that i could meet the undead) reminds me of another pre-dawn job i had years ago, delivering doughnuts for a local pastry shop. back then my alarm went off around 4am, and i drove a red van full of doughnuts to gas stations, break rooms, and grocery stores in the greater KC area. the folks i saw then looked red around the eyes and didn't say much, but they posed no immediate danger to me. the people that ran the doughnut shop paid me five dollars an hour plus all the doughnuts and coffee i could consume. when i found out they worked all night i asked "when do you sleep?" and they answered "same time the vampires do... during the day." again, there was no threat, but i could never be sure. the only serene thing about that job was driving to the beat of an old rock station, and watching the pastel colored sunrises and knowing that once the sun rose, i was safe.

Old Slang and Blank Stares

"when a mocha comes along, you must whip it"
"no time for love dr. jones!"
"i can't tell you what's in the forbidden fruit smoothie"

...these are just a few things i've said to customers over the last 6 years at homer's. if the customer is close to my age (44) and has the same pop culture background, i might get a smile out of them... but if it's someone under 30, they just look at me funny. yesterday i quoted some obscure line in a movie to kyle as his shift was ending and mine was starting. the look on his face made me feel like i was quoting an ancient proverb. then i said something like "i should stop making references to old movies like this" and he said, "no dave, don't stop." and i believe he was serious. oh, and if you are remotely interested in where those three quotes came from, just leave a comment and i'll get back to you. if you don't care, i'm not surprised.

When Time Stood Still

even though it's a known fact that time never stops, sometimes it feels like the laws of nature are seriously altered... like when there's no clock on the wall, and everything slows down like a buffering video on a bad internet connection. right now there is no clock on homer's wall, and some folks are a little disoriented by the lack of a "time" gauge. when they ask me what time it is, i look at my cell phone and give them an "ish" answer if i can't make out all the tiny numbers (1:30-ish has a long hang time). yesterday, heather and i were talking about the concept of time standing still. for me, time stops when i'm NOT thinking about what is happening later, and i'm absorbed in the moment, and when i'm only concerned about what is presently at hand... like right now. i wouldn't know what time it is if a clock wasn't on the lower right hand corner of my computer screen (it's 7:35am by the way). right off the top of my head i can think of a few instances when the normal passage of time is irrelevent:

-when the sky is overcast and it feels like 7:30am all day
-when i'm in a place that feels removed from time like metcalf south mall or sam's tastee treat
-when there is a full moon
-when i'm drinking my first cup of coffee in the morning

i'm going to eat some breakfast now. i'll leave you with this.

Tatooine: The Coffee Colored Planet

The Night Shift

kyle asked me to work his shift tonight... i figured it was only fair since he worked my shift this morning. i have only worked the night shift a handful of times at homer's. those 4 hours definitely have a certain vibe. it's also cool to watch the sun set on the rio. sometimes it goes fast, other times it looks like a careful senior citizen easing himself into a recliner... and before you know it, he's lost in the trees.

First Week in the New Digs

hey everybody... dave cedillo here... i'll be your blogging buddy 'til someone pulls the plug. it's 2:08 saturday morning, and i thought my eyes were tired an hour ago, but i'm still here. homer's re-opened after being closed last week. the work that has been done is amazing. i'll shoot a video next week and post it. i am in a band with chris mull called THE SUBS. we played surf, swing, and spy tunes earlier tonight (yesterday technically) to a decent crowd... probably another reason i'm not sleepy. ok, back to homer's and the new look. i work the afternoon shift and i've seen folks walk in this week and say "am i in the same place? is this homer's?" and they take it all in, the new bench booth where the sofa used to be, new tables and chairs, and ICE CREAM! there are other things to see, and if you come on a weekday in the afternoon, there is a good chance i'll see you and we can talk about it.

Almost Done!

Homer's is looking amazing!

We are almost ready to
re-open.

Get excited...