New Year's Eve Pixels

there's something refreshing about making things simple: like making shadow puppets or playing halo on an atari... so let's get back to basics on this new year's eve. if you think it's easy to make pixel art go here and try it yourself. my first "pixelating" attempt is on davidcedillo.com. oh by the way, happy new year.

Our Little World

we had a cool christmas surprise this year that i wrote about on my personal blog: i ran into a relative while getting gas in a town that neither of us live in. as i was telling some people at homer's about it, one of them said "i think i know your cousin, he's my dance instructor!" all three of us are facebook friends now. the world is shrinking as we speak.

One

Two

don't forget about double punches toward a free drink just for mentioning the blog, and free circuit bent ringtones on davidcedillo.com

Three

Just in Case You Don't Know

if you're still trying to find that special christmas present, there are a couple of suggestions on the handwritten note that someone found near a school. also a quick reminder that homer's HAS chocolate & other goodies for your christmas shopping needs, and i'm personally giving away circuit bent ringtones on my blog.

All I Want For Christmas

john ainsworth, a regular customer at homer's, played me the ringtone i made for him a couple of days ago. it all started when he asked where he could get some cool space sounds, and it just so happened that i was already making them at home via circuit bending. ask and ye shall receive.

Got Up Early

i usually don't work at homer's on saturdays, and this morning was no different... but i still woke up early. kind of a bummer, but music like this helps. oh yeah, moon city big band starts playing at 7:30 @ homer's tonight!

Soup's On

yesterday the soup at homer's was chicken & wild rice, earlier this week it was turkey chili... what will it be today??? remember, everyone who reads the blog gets double punches on their drink card when they tell a barista, and there are free audio downloads on davidcedillo.com. you're welcome.

Rainy Afternoon

as i get ready to walk to homer's, i realize there will ALWAYS be songs about the rain... and i'm more than OK with that.

More Christmas Signs

jenny & i watched christmas story with christy, josh, mike, and connie last night. as we walked past the frierdich's apartment we saw the infamous leg lamp poster in the window. after the movie, the conversation wandered toward blood, child birth, and other subjects that made me grimace, so josh and i tinkered with a circuit bent speak and math to drown out the noise. on a slightly more conventional note, the christmas tree is up at homer's with donations going to the city union mission.

Christmas Anticipation

you can tell christmas is coming just by the desserts on display at homer's. thanks to the good people who make them, and the good customers who eat them.

First Snow

nobody expected the little bit of snow that came through old overland park yesterday... none of the customers anyway. if we can all be a little more patient and be careful out there, everything will be alright.

Lost Art

found this on the counter a couple of days ago. is it yours? apparently it won first place in the doodler's competition. oh yeah, we still haven't identified who's in the black and white photo.

Cold Temps, Hot Drinks

it's cold outside. i know because i walked home last night, and i plan to walk to homer's in a few minutes. thankfully there doesn't appear to be any wind. when it gets cold like this, i know more people will congregate at homer's for warmth and hot drinks. hopefully you will be one of them. cheers.

Black Friday With Brent Lee

i realize that no one is reading this because everyone is shopping at the moment, but when you all come back with those awesome gift purchases, hopefully you'll stop by homer's for live entertainment. tonight it's brent lee. tomorrow night, wailin' wall. the music starts at 7:30.

Coffee & Rain

lennon & mccartney, martin & lewis, lieber and stoller, coffee & rain. see you at homers.

Position and Composition

when danny stacked these cups last week, i realized it would be a disservice to him (and you) NOT to post a pic on the blog... so here it is. if you want to see a picture of danny taking a picture of this, you can go to my blog.

Sky Blue For You

jim, wes, bob, and theresa are playing at homer's tonight. if you haven't heard sky blue before, make tonight count. come early if you like good music, come earlier if you want a good seat.

Danny Lark Lemon

danny williams can spin anything on one finger: trays, basketballs, tennis balls, coffee tables... the man has talent. and now we have it on video for future generations who will probably ask "is that what people did for fun back in the old days grandpa?"

Make Yourself at Homers 3

"i'll meet you at homer's" must be something that is said ALOT between friends, because it happens all the time. one of those times it was kinda cold outside, so i was surprised to see two opposite types of footwear. one of the women had just come from getting a pedicure, and the other one (paige) was dressed for the weather. they could have been felix and oscar.

Songbirds in the Round

the music flier taped to the door at homers features songbirds. nadia thomas and elsa rae will play guitar backed "folk rock tales" and sing about the "joy and heartbreak that for better or worse, are reality." they start at 7:30 tonight, don't miss it!

Music by Ronni Ward Tonight

never heard ronni ward before? where have you been? ronni has kept hands clapping and toes tapping at homer's over the years, and tonight she's doing it again starting at 7:30. so show up early, and show up thirsty.

Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

the ss edmund fitzgerald was a freighter that became the stuff of legend after it sank on this day in 1975. if it hadn't been for gordon lightfoot's song, and the radio stations that played it, i wouldn't know its story. gordon lightfoot wrote other songs i never heard because they were eclipsed by his hits. i had to dig to find this.

Rorshach

today is hermann rorschach's birthday. he was a swiss freudian psychiatrist best known for creating the inkblot test aka the rorshach test to examine personality characteristics. kinda makes me wonder what diagnosis he would make for baristas who create this stuff on a daily basis.

James Thomas Live

friday night at homer's means LIVE MUSIC! and tonight it's coming from james thomas. if you're wondering what kind of music he plays, check out the mp3's on his website. he also lists Butch Walker, Starfield, Leeland, Feeder, Switchfoot, Guster, and Elliott Smith for a few influences.

Who Is This Guy?

this pic was found recently at homer's. the only thing on the back is the number 43. this guy looks familiar but no one knows who it is. do you? is it you? any information that unlocks this mystery will result in a free drink, or at least extra punches on a free drink card. we now pass the burden of identification on to you, dear reader.

Toad

one of our regular patrons (and his wife) brought a trick or treater during the midday shift yesterday. i recognized the costume from a video game: toad from mario bros. apparently toad is a citizen of the mushroom kingdom, and a loyal attendant to princess peach. i forgot to ask the dog's name.

Halloween Memories

ahhh halloween... my earliest costume went from ghost to mummy. as the sheets took on forlorn edges over the years it seemed like a natural progression. for all i know this is how movie execs did it back in the 1930's. these days i have a poncho, hat, and cigars. i can be a pale imitation of clint eastwood in any of his spaghetti westerns. if you are still reading this you could be closer to a free drink at homer's. happy halloween.

Chalkboard Hieroglyphics

what do indian caves, egyptian pyramids, and ancient ruins have in common with homer's? indecipherable hieroglyphics. an unknown artist sketched the pic on the chalkboard by the register, and i don't know if it is a person jumping into leaves, spaghetti, or electrical wire. it was erased by wednesday so unless the artist speaks up this will be an unsolved mystery of sorts.

Make Yourself at Homers 2

our second pic in the make yourself at homer's series features tesfa. tesfa is a regular customer at homer's. when he walks up to the counter i will ask "are you having the usual?" and he is. tesfa's usual is one small coffee while he works on his laptop. he prefers ethiopian coffee, but will drink whatever is on tap, and that's why we like him.

National Pumpkin Day!

thanks to connie for reminding me that today is national pumpkin day! here's a chance to show off your pumpkin knowledge. the following facts will impress your friends, mystify your casual acquaintances, and silence anyone else who just thinks he knows alot about pumpkins!
fact #1: a pumpkin is really a squash
fact #2: pumpkins are 90 percent water
fact #3: the largest pumpkin ever grown weighed over half a ton
fact #4: pumpkin lattés taste even better in october

Make Yourself at Homer's

see what happens when folks pull up a chair & let down their hair? big thanks to jennie dunn for her crazy cool modeling skills! this could be the start of a new photo series where a random pic of a relaxed customer is presented.

The Big Bopper

the man known as the big bopper (real name: j.p. richardson) would have been 81 years old today if he hadn't been in a plane crash with buddy holly and richie valens waaaay back in 1959. most oldies aficionados know that the big bopper had a hit with chantilly lace, but did you know that he also wrote the country hit white lightning before that? well we don't serve white lightning at homer's but we CAN pour you a shot in the dark if you need a jolt of good stuff.

The Hallelujah Cowboys

the hallelujah cowboys have been playing gospel music together close to 20 years. they have also been a regular band staple at homer's for half of that time. they don't rope steer or brand livestock onstage, but they WILL play awesome music tonight starting at 7:30. ride 'em cowboys.

2 People 2 Drinks 4 Punches

today was awesome because adam and sara (not nick's brother) read the blog, ordered two drinks, and got an extra punch for each one... now they have a free drink coupon! it was THAT easy, and now we have something to talk about the next time they come to homer's. on a similar note, if you like freebies you can go to davidcedillo.com and download cool weird synthesizer sounds to play for trick or treaters on halloween. go ahead... i dare you.

Tonight: Charles David Smart

if you're looking for a warm cozy spot (besides your own living room) to enjoy some live music tonight, homer's is the place to be. charles david smart plays his blend of blues, instrumentals, and songs that you know starting at 7:30pm.

Troll Quoting Again

if you're clueless about troll quotes check out this link, then come back and see if you can figure out the pic above... who knows, maybe you'll get an extra punch on your free drink card. i'm not sure when deliberate misinformation started being used as a tool to sharpen wits... probably before the age of dinosaurs.

Nathan Beck Rules

and the winner is... NATHAN BECK! nathan correctly identified yesterday's music sample from fish heads by barnes and barnes. if you're wondering what this song has to do with coffee, skip to 3:53 on the video. was there some special search engine that nathan used that hasn't hit the market yet? does he have super powers? was it the result from listening to hours of dr. demento? the world may never know. get more punches on your free drink card just by mentioning what you read on the blog.

Name That Tune

can anyone name the tune that is sampled below??? if you're wondering what the connection is between the mystery song and coffee... listen to it again. and if you're wondering why you're spending time doing this, go here.

roly poly what? by ???

Bob Jenkins Returns

bob jenkins is a busy man, so busy that he had to stop by homer's last week and ask "am i playing this friday or next friday?" it's THIS friday, and you don't want to miss it! bob delivers acoustic singer songwriter fare with ease.

How It's Done

customer: how do i get extra punches on my free drink card?
barista: read the blog.
customer: then what?
barista: tell me what's on it, and ask for your extra punch.
customer: that's it?
barista: that's it.
customer: alright!

Celebrating a Round World

it's columbus day, the day the world stopped being flat. when christopher columbus didn't go over the edge of the world, and discovered the west indies instead, it opened up a bigger exchange of imports and exports including... COFFEE! his discovery of a non-flat world also motivated ferdinand magellan to sail around it, and magellan's name is currently being used for an experimental band/project that danny williams and i are currently cultivating. what goes around comes around (pardon the pun).

The Final Approach

if you are coming to homer's tonight for the music, just know that you should enter at your own risk, wear protective headgear, and fasten your seatbelts... it's going to be a bumpy ride. the first leg of the journey will be co-captained by the magellans making their first appearance, and then wailin' wall will scootch across the bench seat to take over the wheel for the second half of the show. flight attendants will serve snacks and beverages as soon as the turbulence stops.

Tonight: David George

david george is playing at homer's tonight starting at 7:30. if you haven't heard him before check out his myspace page. according to the posters, it's going to be an acoustic show. hope to see you there!

A Familiar Vibe

Get More: Dawes, Top 20 Countdown, Time Spent in Los Angeles, Free Music Videos

i heard this song awhile back, and when i found the video this morning it reminded me of a coffeehouse atmosphere: a band playing, people digging it, and eventually everyone is singing.

Lindsey Buckingham is 62

happy 62nd birthday to you lindsey buckingham! the guitarist for fleetwood mac shows no signs of slowing down. he's currently touring the US from atlanta to anaheim in october alone. so what is lindsey buckingham's connection to homer's or coffee? his dad owned a coffee plant, and his uncle's middle name was homer (okay that second part is made up, but his dad really DID own a coffee plant near palo alto, CA in the 40's).

Fall Drinks to Fall For

it is NOW technically autumn! along with cooler temps and changing leaves get ready for fall drinks at homer's. very soon we'll be serving hot apple cider... and before you know it, egg nog! anything with cinnamon, pumpkin, or hazelnut will even taste better when you combine it with autumn. bottom's up!

Who Reads the Blog?

phil and i were brainstorming about the homer's blog and how to attract readers when we came up with the song below. it reminded me of another time that i tapped into the weirdness of oz.

no one reads the blog by david cedillo jr. and phil hall

Ready For Autumn

one of these images currently resides at homer's, another one can be seen here, and another one is forever tattooed on most of our brains. who else is ready for cooler temps, falling leaves, and free candy?

Fleming to Fudge Brownies

if you've ever played six degrees of kevin bacon, you'll have a firm grasp of this blog entry. we'll start with something significant... oh say... something that happened on this date, and connect the dots to homer's coffeehouse (or just coffee). did you know that on THIS day in 1928, alexander fleming discovered penicillin? coincidentally, alexander fleming has the same surname as ian fleming, and when ian fleming wasn't writing james bond books, he wrote a children's story called chitty chitty bang bang. apparently there is a secret recipe for "famous french fudge" in the last chapter of that book (which i can't find). homer's doesn't have that secret recipe, but we DO have espress fudge brownies.

Spreading the Word

as i close in on the one year mark of being blogmaster general here at homer's (my first blog entry was october 9, 2010), i'll debut a flier that should draw people's attention. honk if you love coffee.

Happy Birthday

homer's turned ten yesterday. the actual celebration will take place october 15 with a host of bands that have played at homer's in the last 10 years.

The Kids Are Alright

i started working at homer's 7 years ago, and now i have an extended family as a result. the first generation of "homer's kids" i adopted (some say they adopted me) have grown up, but yesterday two of them came back to visit. mike and shandi sayre met at homer's, married, and had kids of their own. if you play the song above, you'll know how jenny and i feel about our "kids." on a somewhat similar note, tom waits will release a new collection of songs in a few weeks. you can see/hear a sneak preview here.

Another Mystery Band

who could it be?

coffee light and sweet by ???

Return of the Fog

it was good to see the fog transform houses on my street to european cottages this morning. i know this magical haze will probably be gone by the time both of you read this (you know who you are), that's why i wanted to preserve the moment. oh yeah, i've blogged about the fog before.

Back to the Chalkboard

here's another fine piece of work by phil hall. it was inspired by the lion king in 3D that opened in theaters nationwide last night. phil's artwork will remain up until somebody erases it. the lion may sleep tonight, but the coffee king will sleep when he's dead.

Mexico's Independence Day

today is independence day in mexico! and the good news is you don't have to cross the rio grande to be a part of the festivities. homer's is celebrating with double drink card punches to everyone who orders a mexican mocha today! olé!

Winkler, Party of Four

congratulations to the winklers on the arrival of little roseanne abigail (just 2 days old)! the boy/girl ratio is evenly balanced now.