Fun Thursday Adventures in Easton

I've lived in the Lehigh Valley for basically all of my 34 years, but I didn't really spend time in Easton until October 2014. At that point in my life, I reconnected with a high school friend, Marybeth Large, over Facebook. We started meeting on Thursdays at Cosmic Cup, where Marybeth worked until recently. I found Easton to be a flawed, but vibrant city, enticing with its Victorian architecture, restaurants, bars and coffee shops, along with Lafayette College.

Easton is ethnically diverse with sizeable populations of Germans, Italians, Irish, Puerto Ricans and African-Americans, each group contributing to the cultural tapestry that is Easton. The city has cheap rents, attracting artists, musicians and professionals from the Lehigh Valley and from major cities such as Philadelphia and New York; Route 22 makes Easton accessible from both Harrisburg and Manhattan. In recent years, Easton has attracted art galleries and specialty shops. Community events and celebrations include Heritage Day and Bacon Fest.

College Hill is easily my favorite part of Easton. Easton is a college town, centered on Lafayette College, and College Hill is its namesake neighborhood. It is home to 2,400 Lafayette students, as well as to some of the school's professors and a few locals as well. My primary reason for visiting this neighborhood is to spend valuable time at Cosmic Cup, a coffee shop established there in 2005.

Cosmic Cup is a large, relaxing, Bohemian coffee shop that serves Lehigh Valley locals, as well as the Lafayette community. It has an awesome owner, Troy Reynard, who is personable and attentive to every patron. The baristas there are friendly and attentive, definitely worth spending an afternoon with! I always take my spot at the comfortable coffee bar facing March Street, a picturesque view through the large windows. You get to be part of a fun neighborhood, populated by easygoing locals and motivated, enthusiastic college students.

I will often spend time on Thursdays in Lafayette's Skillman Library, where I will look at old magazines, including Time and The New Yorker, dating back to the 1920s. The library was reconstructed in the 2000s, and is a fine example of uplifting modern architecture. Its layout is perfect and its interior creates an aura of positivity.

I sometimes also enjoy forays into Downtown Easton. I often enjoy taking in the sights along both Northampton and Third Streets. Centre Square is a prime spot for checking out specialty shops, bars and restaurants, as well as for some interesting people-watching! Bushkill Park and Riverfront Park are both beautiful in the spring. A few times I have even ventured over to the Easton library, which has beautiful old, brick architecture and a large computer lab, along with some great reads.

On a normal Thursday, I will stop in for a coffee at Terra Cafe before taking the bus home. I enjoy the caffeinated reflections on both my Cosmic interactions and the material I poured over at the Lafayette library. Terra is very close to Easton's Centre Square, drawing on the heavy foot traffic, especially on weekends, at the holidays and during the warmer months. Its outdoor seating near the street provides an excellent opportunity to soak up the sun while enjoying an iced coffee. Terra Cafe is a staple of Downtown Easton and is part of the overall experience.

My Easton trips provide a break from my weekly pattern of visiting Center City Bethlehem on most days. I get to see the mass of Bohemians and other interesting denizens that make up Easton. Some of the more interesting individuals include artists, musicians, old gadflies and local rebels (such as myself)! More importantly, I have met some great baristas at both Cosmic Cup and Terra Cafe, people who I am now close friends with. Despite Bethlehem being my hometown, Easton has enriched my life in ways that Bethlehem can't. Marybeth Large is a close friend, and that makes Easton near and dear to my heart.

Green for Life at NCC

I've spent a major part of my life at Northampton Community College in some capacity, as have many of you. My first experience with the college was when my cousin Julie began attending the college in 1992; I was only 9 at the time. I then participated in children's activities there in the summers of 1995 and 1996. The buildings and grounds of NCC have gone through multiple renovations since then, but the campus has been near and dear to my heart as an important part of my personal story.

As an NCC student, I had my favorite hangout spots: the cafeteria, the Student Activities Lounge and Mack Library. The NCC cafeteria was the center of my social world at the time. It was great for Magic: The Gathering, medieval armor, bad pizza and other junk food. The NCC cafeteria is really nice now, but before it was renovated (in the 2000s) it was quite the fun hangout spot! The Student Activities Lounge featured old, broken-down couches and tables that served as focal points for card games, r-rated movies, students sleeping and others showing off their exotic pets. It was definitely a place that created a sense of belonging.

I've always loved the view from NCC's Mack Library; you get to see the change of seasons and weather from a distance! The Quad was always a nice spot when the weather was warm, mostly at the beginning of the fall semester and the end of the spring semester. That is why Quadfest is always held at the beginning of the fall semester. You got to see the NCC Spartan dancing around - always a unique character, invariably with a super hot girlfriend! The Quad is also scenic when the leaves change later in the fall.

I went to Northampton Community College directly after high school, but took some time off in 2005. I subsequently changed my major and resumed my studies in 2006. For a while I tried out Paralegal Studies, but it didn't work out for me. At that point in my life, I didn't apply myself academically the way I should have - I'm sure a few of you can relate. I felt somewhat lost as I reached an existential crossroads in my life and struggled to regain a sense of self-control. I did learn a little bit about the legal system, however, which is critically important in today's world.

Finally, in December 2007, I graduated with an associate's in liberal arts. I made my share of mistakes, but I finally got the degree. I left NCC academic life for good in 2008, as I focused on work and my life in South Bethlehem. Since then I visit the college once a week, where I hang out in Mack Library for several hours on Mondays. As an alumni, I am allowed to use their library, so I surf the Internet and check out the stacks of informative, interesting books.

I met some great people at Northampton and learned some great things. Some of these people I still keep in touch with today. At that time, I loved hanging out with Colleen McGouldrick, Kadisha Roberts, Joe Vetter, Paul Belles, Alex Mendoza, Katy Steager and others. I nurtured my love of history and the weather. I also developed an interest in human evolution and sociology, as well as drag racing and forbidden sources of knowledge. It was a period of tranformation through rebellion.

I had some wonderful professors at Northampton Community College, including Rebecca Dean, Earl Page, Nancy Trautman and Sandra Del Cueto. They taught me how better to speak, write, examine history and explore new cultures, gaining a larger international understanding. I wasn't a perfect student, but I did learn from their knowledge and the wisdom that they imparted with us. They also provided some stability at a chaotic point in my life.

When I attended NCC there were several things going on in the world: the Bush Administration, the War on Terror, the Iraq War, and the war in Afghanistan. The major controversies and scandals of the period included euthanasia, Abu Ghraib, the Terri Schiavo case, Hurricane Katrina and the introduction of social networking sites. It was the flawed world that immediately preceded the chaotic world of today's times. By learning to better understand that world, I am now able to get a grip on today's world.

I did a lot of research when I was at NCC. Topics I covered included history, politics, weather records and evolution. I have my notebooks from that period! I have continued my research and this has given me a better appreciation of the earth and societal complexity. I have written journal entries since then and done copious amounts of research at other college libraries, including at Moravian College and Lafayette College. I am a lifelong student!

It was a growing time for me. I was new to adult life when I started at Northampton Community College, but, through trial and many errors, have become more mature and seasoned. I learned more about myself and the world around me. I questioned and then opposed many of the dogmas I was raised with. This created some interpersonal conflicts, but such difficulties were necessary in order for me to take a broader view of life and the world around me.

Many people throughout the Lehigh Valley either currently attend NCC or have attended at some point in the past. It seems that nearly everyone has a connection to the college. NCC makes a good topic to use to break the ice with new people that I meet in the Lehigh Valley. It seems that NCC should be called "Lehigh Valley Community Center!"

I love the setting of the campus, along Green Pond Road, surrounded by green fields and woods. The campus and environs have a rural/suburban feel to it. Due to it's relatively high elevation, the area is often slammed by thunderstorms in the summer, and it's open fields are subject to strong winds, which can drift snow, spread dust, etc. The campus is made green by the raw power and beauty of nature, as well as by a respect for the environment promoted by the faculty and administration at Northampton Community College. NCC has made me a well-rounded citizen of the earth!

The Internet, the Devil and Society in Flux

As most of you have figured out, we have entered a challenging period in history, in the United States and around the world. America is extremely and painfully divided right now, much like it was in the 1960s. We have two Americas: Left and Right. As a result, friendships, relationships and families have been torn apart. Holidays have become contentious, book clubs broken up and marriages ending in divorce!

Numerous external threats also face our country, mainly from North Korea, Russia, China and ISIS. In North Korea, Kim Jong-Un is a murderous psychopath who keeps us all awake at night! Vladimir Putin, like Joseph Stalin, is very much the evil genius adept at geopolitics. China is striving to replace the United States as the world's superpower. An agent of pure madness, ISIS is the vilest terror group on the face of the earth! The results of these internal and external threats are negative emotions and paranoia that we all feel, threatening to tear our nation apart. 

 

People's lives are being disrupted and the resulting psychological problems are further eroding our institutions and our society at large. 2016 in America was a terrifying psycho-drama! Everyone is yelling and screaming at each other, making life unbearable. Adults even have trouble conducting themselves in public. We've had a troublesome history, are experiencing a rough present, but will eventually reach a positive, harmonious future. We've gone through difficult periods before in this country, and have come out the other side. I'm confident that we will be able to do it again.

Today, there are fault lines of social and political division. Race is tearing much of this nation apart. Various regions are at odds with each other. Each region could really become its own country and individuals from one region don't even want to visit some other regions. I, for one, wouldn't want to visit Alabama right now, with Roy Moore headed for the U.S. Senate from that state. Since 2000, the gulf between Red States and Blue States has only widened and deepened, as the Florida recounts now seem like a kumbaya moment!

There is also an urban/rural divide that is a mile wide and cannot be crossed. A 10-minute drive will transport you to a whole new world. For this reason, there are sometimes culture clashes in both urban and suburban areas. As examples, bikers sometimes visit hippie novelty shops and left-wing activists visit suburban mega-churches.

Small-town America contrasts with diverse, cosmopolitan cities. It includes the divide between country music and punk rock. I'm an anomaly in that I consider myself a bohemian, but also like a country song from time to time, especially if it's Johnny Cash! In suburban battlegrounds, the past battles the future for domination of the present. The solution is to learn from the past, while formulating a pragmatic plan for the future.

Worst of all, political ideology exploits these divisions with emotional intensity. This is the San Andreas Fault of social division! Politics is the key to one’s identity, because politics is about people and the issues that matter to them. That is why politics is such a difficult topic, the third rail of public conversation. In today’s world, politics is a catalyst that pits groups of people against each other. Politics has become a blood sport worthy of the Roman gladiators.

We in this country now behave like Israelis and Palestinians. Republicans and Democrats don’t want to talk to each other, or even to see each other. This creates awkward situations in public places, such as sidewalks, coffee shops, bars and libraries. Our daily lives have become stressful and intolerable.

Hateful ideologies make unity and cooperation impossible, especially in the near term. Hatred and intolerance cannot be tolerated, due to the threat that they pose, so both sides need to remain separated, often by a buffer zone. This is most unfortunate, though. This is why street protests descend into chaos!

The national mood is one of decadence and decay, creating fear and anger. Many people today are afraid, fearing others and events that may take place in the future. Fear always causes people to overreact, and often paralyzes them, preventing them from going about their day-to-day lives. Others are angry, causing distress in their emotional lives. People are lashing out, getting irritated and showing very little patience. Hate is gaining ground, so people are looking for excuses to lash out at others.

Hatred is the most destructive emotion of all, especially when directed toward groups of innocent people. Hatred always leads to violence and misery; that is why it is to be avoided at all costs! Hatred had been festering beneath the surface for decades, was enhanced and exposed by the 2016 presidential election, and is now making civil society impossible.

Also, this is an era of extreme self-indulgence, with the individual winning out over the community. Self-indulgence, in its essence, is generally good thing, as long as it's not too destructive. We can enjoy the pleasures of life without destroying other people. For this reason and others, I do not believe that Hugh Hefner is burning in hell!

These shared feelings have their cultural fruits, for good or ill. Fear has led many people to own and carry firearms. Anger has led to aggressive driving, putting us all in peril. You never feel safe crossing the street, even in a crosswalk! I’ve almost been run over a number of times, and I know several people who have been hit by cars - always victims of hit-and-run situations. Many drivers today have the attitude that they'll run over any pedestrian that gets in their way, and then take off before police arrive!

Hatred has led to a rise in violent crime, including a greater number of hate crimes. We now have a rash of mass shootings, terrorist attacks and individuals terrorizing racial and religious minorities, through "trolling" on the Internet and in person. This a very real problem with neo-Nazis and white supremacists attacking people across the country. This has been spawned by the hateful rhetoric of individuals like Richard B. Spencer, David Duke and Matt Heimbach.

 Finally, unlimited self-indulgence has created America's crisis of personal debt. In America, we have an epidemic of credit card debt, families buying cars and houses that are too expensive and gargantuan student loans. It is an attitude of "buy now and spend later." It’s really a lack of personal responsibility.

In our world, the Internet is acting as a catalyst for change. Romantic love has changed as people look for sex and relationships online. The "hookup generation" has become the "adultery generation!" Marriage is becoming obsolete, replaced by a serious of supremely satisfying sexual liaisons. There is something positive to these changes, though, because we as a people can finally overcome the repressive Puritanical sexual mores of our past. That is why it is good that individuals such as Dr. Alfred Kinsey and Hugh Hefner have challenged America's Puritan excesses. Sex is not evil, it is natural!

Another effect of the Internet is that our private lives have been made public. Many people no longer have their dark secrets, but share all their vices and prejudices with the entire world! If you talk to a person for 5 minutes, and then add them on Facebook, you get to learn their political leanings, see vacation pictures of them, learn about their stool samples, get to know who all their friends are and see what their children look like. This reality does facilitate social interaction and create new friendships and relationships. It also, however, gives Big Brother the tools to keep tabs on each citizen. Luckily, social media also gives us the tools to criticize the government and influence public opinion.

Due to the prominence of the Internet, local trends and fads spread very rapidly through the global population. These include sayings, goofy memes, and things such as "twerking." Miley Cyrus popularized twerking and, soon, everyone was doing this on social media! There are varieties of human behavior and the Internet accelerates these differences to a fever pitch. This confuses people, overwhelms them and sometimes leads them to withdraw from meaningful social interactions. Either they withdraw or they act out inappropriately, reverting to the lowest common denominator of human behavior.

 

Mankind has two natures: its aggressive nature and its social nature. Man's basic human nature always reigns supreme, no matter what era or society we are talking about. There are only so many variations on animal human behavior. In our era, however, we may be returning to a "state of nature," a more primitive form of existence that is worthy of prehistoric man. Our aggressive nature is based upon our drive for survival and reproduction.

Aggression has a major, necessary evolutionary role in human society, though it's excesses cause all of us problems, whether it be verbal or physical aggression. This excess of physical aggression is manifest by fistfights and shoving in public places, along with the threat of violence or physical confrontation. The sex drive is part of our aggressive nature and unfortunately can be tied in with acts of both verbal and physical aggression.

Our social nature also preserves the human race, as well as our daily lives. It ensures our survival as a group, especially when facing an uncertain and dangerous world. Our social nature also makes life worth living and separates us from the other animals. It was this that held prehistoric tribes together in a time of constant danger.

Both of these natures conflict with each other. We can't let either nature win, or we will all be unhappy. We face the extremes of either letting other people walk all over us, or of completely disregarding everything that is good and beautiful in life. The wisest people steer the middle course, sticking to the double yellow line of moderation. This conflict creates confusion in our daily lives, as our ids are constantly in battle with our egos and superegos. In this way, I am a Freudian!

Despite the fear and despair some of us feel - and the other factors coming together to change society, there are difficult solutions we can find to create a hopeful future for our world. Vices are not as dangerous as the threat posed by unbridled aggression. Vices are fun and necessary, but unbridled aggression will end mankind's existence on this planet. I'd rather deal with a man who drinks and womanizes than one who is chaste and sober, but nasty, violent and bigoted! We can solve the world's problems by creating a new social contract, thus preserving all of our human societies.

In this way, I side with Thomas Hobbes, writer of the Leviathan, in the hope that life won't become "short, brutish and nasty." The old social contract is breaking down, so we need a new one in order to survive as a society. I'm sure that we will be able to do this, so our shared future will improve over the next 10 to 20 years, or so.

My Wired Counterparts

There are different types of coffee shop patrons; I have observed this over the years at numerous coffee shops. With every form of social activity there are participants with varying personalities. They interact in unique ways, for better or worse. Impromptu groups form, in which one person leads the discussion, providing social cohesion. In a coffee shop, these spontaneous connections create a vibrant feeling of community that lasts for a long time. Every person contributes something positive, to create a beautiful, multi-colored tapestry.

People go to coffee shops for different purposes, often related to their age, their profession or their lot in life. Why people go to coffee shops determines how they behave and present themselves. They could be seeking a mid-day pick-me-up, a hangout spot, a workspace, an arranged meeting, a hot date, or visiting their favorite barista. 

A diverse clientele is good because they all have their own perspectives and opinions. Patrons also share interesting experiences, facts, jokes and captivating personas. The high achieved from the caffeine drug makes any quest or venture worthwhile. It also makes any book or article seem the most interesting piece ever read by the coffee drinker. People will be motivated and enthusiastic for any thought or urge that pops up in their brains.

There are always great opportunities for people-watching, to observe mankind in its natural setting and to get acquainted with the latest societal trends. You get to observe people's quirks and peccadillos. People can have some pretty odd ways of speaking and behaving. Some people are the nasty, pleasure-seeking sons of bitches whom others avoid.

 Coffee shop patrons represent a random sampling of everyday Americans, pointing to social realities and new societal trends. Every demographic, viewpoint and philosophical paradigm is represented. When you see enough people interacting in groups, you will learn a lot about human nature and society. You can easily pick up on new social trends, especially if people discuss it openly, as with Pokémon Go.

At these venues you can observe people in certain types of social interactions. You get to see dating couples, open conversations, groups of friends, families and business meetings. With first dates, the rendezvous are often nervous and subdued, with the man talking incessantly in order to try to impress the woman. Established couples usually prefer couches or tables in the corner, so they can cuddle up, kiss and flirt with each other. Open conversations among strangers provide for the long-term success of a coffee shop; new customers are transformed into regulars. A group of friends will share past experiences, discuss favored topics and gossip about mutual friends. 

 Families come in most often on Saturdays, but the situation is sometimes awkward because some kids really don’t want to be there, but are forced by their parents. With business meetings, people are very professional and work hard to impress each other. They are well-dressed, polite, and concise, and tend to use a lot of job-specific jargon. It is their chance to shine!

There is a coffee shop culture in America that developed in the late 1990s. In addition to regular coffee, these local places sell lattes, iced coffees and other specialties. Lattes are the sign of a cultured individual. There are also fattening, so people limit their latte intake. Iced coffee is popular in the summertime, and among affluent, cultured young professionals. The pastries, doughnuts and muffins are also important for coffee shops; they are better at more expensive places. Smoothies also vary from location to location, and are loved by health nuts and vegetarians.

There are some cool reading materials for bibliophiles who often visit these spots. Most coffee shops have newspapers that patrons peruse. The more expensive places have numerous magazines, including arts periodicals such as the New Yorker. Coffee shops also feature local arts publications, such as The Elucidator. I enjoy looking over bookshelves with novels - I've seen these at places such as The Wise Bean and Coffee House Without Limits. They are often older, paperback novels that are gripping reads, especially if they are mysteries.

For social types, there are frequently open conversations, reminiscent of the barber shops of the 1950s and 60s. It is a great way to meet new people! Small talk can quickly evolve into some very exciting and worthwhile conversations. These conversations also present many opportunities for romance. It is a situation ripe for flirtation among singles! You get to talk to people from all walks of life, so your social life is enriched, while you learn about different cultures, lifestyles and generations. Any gossip will teach you more about man's dark side.

And, best of all, coffee shops offer free Wi-Fi offered to customers. Many ambitious patrons, including freelance professionals, use this popular feature with their laptops, turning their computers into effective workstations. Hip young adults tend to focus intently on their iPads and smart phones, using them for online games and social media. We are a Facebook world and coffee shops help facilitate that!

When you attend a coffee shop you get to meet the various species of coffee shop patrons. These individuals include working professionals, local regulars, college students and local Bohemians. Working professionals are well-dressed, stay for a short time and speak with business-like brevity. The male professionals exhibit alpha male behavior, while the females exude the successful career-woman persona. Male professionals and business managers often carry themselves in an assertive, dominant manner and speak on the phone. The career women can be noticed by the click-clack of high heels and their aura of sexy sophistication. Real estate agents are the politest and most professional, because they meet prospective home buyers. They keep their voices low, and so protect the privacy of their clients.

 A coffee shop’s local regulars are the staple of its social and economic life. Nearby residents enjoy walking to these places to visit neighbors. Friends of owners and baristas will visit these coffee shops to check in with lifelong friends. These individuals come often and befriend the regulars present in the coffee shop. This further enhances the community of that particular shop.

Local service-industry people come in for a pick-me-up before work. Servers and bartenders need a caffeine fix in order to deal with all the nasty, irritable people throughout their shift. They can relate to baristas, so they are often in the same social circles. These servers and bartenders will also come in on their days off, as they are very social creatures, and want to hang out.

Professional regulars commonly go to coffee shops to work on their computers, enjoy some coffee and break up their work with bits of conversation. These include traveling salespersons and freelance professionals, who make a living by trading, promoting and working online. Some of these individuals promote bands or buy and sell online with Bitcoin. Also, there are a few people who work at jobs nearby and shoot the shit with regulars of a coffee shop they've fallen in love with. These people are usually tradesmen or friendly local professionals, such as Graham, who renovates buildings in Bethlehem and Easton, or Haley, who works in an office nearby.

College students often populate coffee shops located in college towns or neighborhoods. They self-caffeinate when they're studying for exams or working on important papers with looming deadlines. For this purpose, Cosmic Cup in Easton is opened late for the Lafayette students during their exam week, in December and May. They come in with books, notebooks and laptops, typing away and listening to tunes on their headphones while accomplishing these tasks. Female students in yoga pants seek girl-talk in a pressure-free environment, largely free of male athletes and fraternity brothers.

Local Bohemians naturally feel at home in any coffee shop or cafe. They include artists, musicians, gadflies, local rebels and burned-out drifters. The musicians are quite common and popular. They are the members of local rock bands that perform at bars and private parties. Their groupies sometimes seek them out at nearby shops. The local rebels alluded to include adults over 30 who live life on their own terms, while pursuing a life of pleasure and hedonism. These days there are many such people - male and female.

Regular coffee shop patrons make great friends and acquaintances at local coffee shops. Each person has offers something socially, no matter what their background is. Everyone has their own life story, which is compelling, as long as it's brief! When you learn new things from other people, you become more intelligent and interesting. Also, your curiosity is piqued and you can read more about those topics. Hey, that's what Google is for! Cross-cultural understanding enriches the lives of everyone, making people well-rounded.

Many of my best friends are people I've met at the "third space" of coffee shops. Marybeth Large, from Cosmic Cup, is my closest and dearest friend. She was a friend from Notre Dame High School that I reconnected with on Facebook, after 12 years! Marybeth is a longtime barista at Cosmic Cup in Easton and is integral to the College Hill community. I always enjoy visiting the awesome baristas at The Wise Bean. I love spending time with the great baristas of The Wise Bean: the owners – Joan, Bill and Sam Young; Carla, Maggie and Sara. A lot of regular patrons come in to see these friendly, personal baristas in a fun, comfortable environment. 

Billy Mack is a great person with a huge number of friends and acquaintances. I first met Billy Mack in Bethlehem when he worked as a barista at the Joint. Now, he owns an awesome coffee shop in Allentown, aptly named the Coffee House Without Limits (CHWOL). I love the atmosphere and friendly vibe of the place. I also enjoy the "new frontier" of Lit created by Matt Hengeveld in South Bethlehem. As one of the Lehigh Valley’s newer coffee shops, Lit is chic, but well connected to Third Street's thriving shopping district.

 

When I meet someone new in a coffee shop, I try to add them on Facebook after connecting with them in person. Often, these individuals end up being some of my most loyal and supportive Facebook friends. They even sometimes end up reading my blog posts! Coffee and writing do go hand in hand!

Coffee shops are great places for meeting women. Single women do tend to go to such places. Men often want to show their masculinity by just “drinking up" in their favorite dive bars. For this reason, women outnumber men in coffee shops. People at coffee shops are sober and in control of their emotions, so they are often better for meeting someone than bars are. When you meet people in the light of day you connect with them on a deeper level that is less chemically-induced. Alcohol-fueled relationships rarely run very deep! However, caffeine is a mild drug that facilitates social interaction and warm, romantic feelings. Congress considered banning caffeine in 1914 as part of the Harrison Tax Act, which outlawed marijuana, cocaine and other substances.

Coffee shops are great spots for maintaining friendships and connecting on a deeper, more emotional level. Friends and lovers sit at tables discussing their major life events. They receive advice, offer emotional support, and become lifelong friends. Eventually, coffee shop friends plan future social outings and parties in other, new venues. These plans usually work out very well, because the emotional connections are already deep and meaningful to begin with.

Coffee shops are a very important part of my life. I enjoy people watching and want to establish meaningful and lasting social connections. I connect with others over coffee and great reads at the crossroads of the Lehigh Valley's cities. I hope to be able integrate my coffee shop habit with my other interests and endeavors, including blogging, Facebook and outdoor activities. I intend to enjoy my role in the local coffee shop scene for years to come!

Story of All Things, Retold

History has always been important to me and to my life in general. I have been interesting in history and politics since early childhood, beginning with my earliest imaginings and ending with my mature adult understanding of history and society. These imaginings included such things as "Old" England and the Roman "Umpire." My early interest in England was inspired by Mary Poppins. I already knew about "New" England, since my aunt and her family had recently moved there, but my mom told me that the England of Mary Poppins was a different "England;" that is why I thought of it as "Old" England. My misreading of Roman "Empire" originated in a morality tale about society told me by my mom around the same time. She told me that our society at that time was headed for a fall, similar to that of the Roman Empire. My early education was an integrated mix of religion, morality and politics.

The civic knowledge that I gained during my childhood also contributed to my later interest in history. I knew President Ronald Reagan as "Ronald," "like Donald" from my Donald Duck kids' books; he was the president when I was born in 1983. My mother taught me about Washington, D.C. being our nation's capital in order to increase my civic knowledge. She read me a photo book about Washington, D.C. in the summer of 1992. I then visited our nation's capital with my parents in June 1993. We visited the Smithsonian and the Washington Monument.

Around this time, I was also aware of the presidency of George H.W. Bush, which included the Persian Gulf War and his loss to Bill Clinton in the 1992 U.S. presidential election. I saw democracy in action, as the American people were free to decide to vote their leader out of office, in favor of a new one. It was during Bush’s presidency, in 1989, that I learned about the White House, along with its importance and symbolism. I came to understand the role of symbolism in American power. My newfound knowledge of this was expanded when I learned that the Pentagon was the center of U.S. military might. I thought the Pentagon was cool, because it was a huge five-sided buildingt! From my exposure to the Persian Gulf War I came to understand that there are different countries in the world, and there are often wars between them. I was telling everyone about the war in my 1st grade class, as I pretended to be a news reporter!

As I became older, I enjoyed learning a little in school about American history, beginning to learn what it meant to be American. My education about American history began by learning a little bit about slavery and the Civil War. My 8-year-old self was appalled by slavery. I never understood the wisdom and desire of owning another human being based on skin color. I was also horrified by the Civil War, as it was "brother against brother." I was horrified by this because I loved my family and I could never imagine family members treating each other this way!

In fourth and fifth grades, we learned about the American Revolution and the colonial period leading up to it. My civic knowledge was greatly expanded. During those years, we also learned about the state capitals and about Pennsylvania history. In fourth grade, we had a very basic treatment of American history, covering mainly the French & Indian War and the American Revolution. We learned that the Declaration of Independence was the reason for the 4th of July - "Independence Day." We were also introduced to Washington, Franklin, Benjamin, Revere and other figures in the pantheon of traditional American heroes. At the end of fourth grade, we learned the state capitals of the northeastern states; we learned the state capitals of the rest of the country in fifth grade. It was fun to learn about some of the cities I heard referenced on the Weather Channel during the brutal, stormy winter of 1994.

I learned in Fourth grade about the Lehigh Valley's location relative to the Megalopolis and the East Coast of the United States. I came to appreciate the Lehigh Valley's place in America! Learning the states and capitals made taught me the size and geographic diversity of the United States. America is a vast continent of mountains, rivers, plains, hills, lakes and sea coasts! It was America's geography that first made me proud to be American.

In fourth grade, we also learned all about the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and its history. We learned about its varied geography and its industrial past, focusing on that of the Lehigh Valley, Philadelphia and the Poconos. We came to appreciate the true size of our state. We learned that Pennsylvania had been a hotbed of industry for many decades, important to the nation’s economy! That explained the abandoned factories all over the place.

In fifth grade, we had a more in-depth study of American history, learning about the colonization of the New World by European settlers - Spanish, French and English. I was surprised to learn that Spain had such an active role in conquering and settling the New World. I was also surprised at how late the English got into the game. We came to appreciate the relative barbarity of colonial America. It was through blood, sweat and tears that America was settled. The settlers weren't very smart, so they created a lot of their own problems. We learned a little about the generals and battles of the American Revolution. I came to realize that history happens through the efforts of a large number of important individuals. It was still, however, a sanitized, largely patriotic version of our story.

It wasn't until sixth grade, however, that I absolutely fell in love with history, becoming obsessed with medieval history. I was very much interested in knighthood and medieval battle. There was always a desire to learn more about chivalry and the ceremonies of knighthood, as well as weapons that included lances, swords and arrows. The architecture of the period also captivated me; I enjoyed reading about castles and stone cathedrals. Castles were always a favorite of mine, ever since I played with LEGO castles as a kid! I loved how castles developed and changed over time, based upon changes in how wars were waged, including the introduction of the cannon in the 14th century.

I also enjoyed looking at cool photographs of many of Europe’s finest Gothic cathedrals. I was absolutely entranced by the beauty of medieval Gothic cathedrals. The medieval monasteries were equally appealing to me. I was intrigued by the dark beauty of stone monasteries in the Middle Ages. I always thought it was sad that Henry VIII destroyed so many of England’s finest monasteries.

I was eager to learn about the political development of Western European kingdoms in the Early Middle Ages. I enjoyed learning about how kingdoms formed and fell apart, which was usually based on continual warfare in that period. I learned that it was feudalism and manorialism that defined the economic and power structures of medieval European society. Amazingly, over 90% of people in Europe at that time were either serfs or peasants. I eventually became interested in how the church and state became intertwined in medieval society. This odd relationship between church and state decided much of the world’s future.

In the spring and summer of 1997 my love of everything medieval led me to play a lot of the PC game Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness, which I got for my 14th birthday. I loved the awesome castles and the cool warriors. I enjoyed playing with the many fantastical creatures, the state-of-the-art medieval weapons and the amazing spells used by mages, ogre-mages, paladins and death knights. I was also mildly intrigued by the occult symbolism.

My love of medieval fantasy ultimately led me to Magic: The Gathering in my freshman year of high school. That interactive card game delved deeper into the world of medieval fantasy. There was a much greater emphasis on the occult. For me it was a point of connection to the dark, Gothic world of the late 1990s. It was a game that was great for trading cards, having tournaments, or impromptu games in which you would connect with other young people!

In my early adolescence, I was completely obsessed with religion, related closely to my historical interests. The historical development of the Roman Catholic Church was a topic interesting to me as a boy being raised Catholic. Over time, the men of the cloth transformed themselves from traveling preachers in rags to well-dressed clerics. I was mesmerized by the frequent conflict between church and state. The Church's theology and doctrine also became more clearly defined. New devotions were constantly being added and saints being canonized. I soon lamented the decline of religion in the modern world, viewing 13th-century Europe as the ideal time in human history. Due to further learning and experiences, I have since adopted a much more secular worldview.

I also loved the cool habits worn by medieval monks. These habits made monks look mysterious, like characters from some cool video game. I dressed as a monk for Halloween in 7th grade. I think I wanted to appear as some medieval saint or something!

Due to morbid curiosity, I enjoyed learning about the brutality of the Roman persecutions of Christians. The Romans employed some very creative forms of torture and execution! History often shows the madness of mankind and the extreme depravity of certain individuals. I also became completely fascinated by the Protestant Reformation. I wanted to know the reason for the disunity and myriad of denominations that define modern Christendom. I was amazed by the 16th century and how quickly everything changed - how can someone's beliefs change overnight, and on such a large scale? I also wondered why the Christians killed one another instead of trying to understand each other.

The history classes I had in high school fueled my fascination with history, while adding to the historical topics and eras that I was interested in. Mr. Dennis Fenton was my freshman history teacher and homeroom moderator at Notre Dame High School. He made American history fun and interesting, and brought to life the period from the end of Reconstruction to the Vietnam War! He could tell a story like no one else! He got us to understand our place in history on a deep, emotional level. He taught us that we were born into the midst of an unbroken chain of events and that much of what affects us in our world was the result of some things that happened or existed before we were born.

I also learned a lot from Miss Evans' World Cultures class. Ancient history was covered as I had never yet experienced. We learned about the Fertile Crescent and some very ancient civilizations that predated the Greeks and Egyptians. We also had in-depth coverage of the ancient Greeks and learned about how Rome grew from a tiny kingdom into a great empire. She related the history to us and to our modern world; she made world history accessible to the average teenager.

Mr. Harder continued to feed my love of history in AP U.S. History in my junior year. I loved the props that he used to teach his class. He brought objects and artifacts into the discussion of history. Harder even gave me an extra college-level textbook from the back of his classroom - one that I still have to this day and enjoy reading! I also enjoyed his folksy, calm demeanor and speaking style. By the summer after my junior year, I had a strong desire to be a history major in college, as I toured Westchester University and began to think about my future.

My historical thinking became more emotional and personal once I studied history at Northampton Community College (NCC). I had two very important history professors at NCC: Margaret Borene and Earl Page. Professor Borene taught that history isn't just about dates and events, but also about individuals with their own aspirations and personalities. She really helped bring our distant past to life. Professor Page also explored the human element of history, just in a slightly later time period. He used his life experiences to bring historical events to us on a human level and was a very engaging and charismatic speaker (He taught class dressed in overalls, a turtle-neck and a winter hat!). Not surprisingly, he was very popular among NCC students. History, like the news, is about people; if you truly understand history, you will truly understand people

I came to believe there was a history to be discovered, one other than the sanitized version people are often taught between 3rd and 12th grades. I was both enlightened and scandalized when I learned about the sexual misconduct among the medieval and Renaissance clergy. The way medieval society appeared on the surface didn't always reflect the reality of people's everyday lives. I was also surprised to learn that there were a number of influential women in medieval times, contrary to the view that the Middle Ages were entirely male-dominated. The Middle Ages also featured crime and prostitution, which countered the conservative Catholic position that the era was a golden age, an "Age of Faith." Society under the Inquisition was brutal and repressive. Crime and illicit activities occur in every society. The state and other powers-that-be just put the lid on such activity as much as they can.

In my adult life, I increased my understanding of history by reviewing primary sources and reading online. Primary sources don't have the spin give by historians, and I can interpret for myself the material I'm reading. These sources always take history down to the most basic human level. I use my life experiences to give context to the history that I am processing, while using my newfound knowledge to give structure to these same experiences! These primary sources have shown me that people remain basically the same in every period of history, but that they do change somewhat from time to time, often in repetitive cycles. One type of societal excess leads to another type of excess. People are often reactive and extreme (and most foolish).

To access primary sources, I have frequently visited college libraries over the years, perusing archives of old magazines, as well as reviewing the New York Times on microfilm. The Times provides copious details about a lot of newsworthy events. I also read old copies of Time Magazine and The New Yorker Magazine, which are housed in old, hardcover volumes. Time Magazine shows the society of each time period on a deeper level than a major newspaper would. The New Yorker showcases the nature of high society in every era, and the intellectual endeavors of its thinkers. As an adult, I not only indulge in the dark side of history, but also read between the lines of that history to find underlying human factors, including vices and primal urges. How people seem and how people are often two different things, and this can be applied to whole societies.

History is very important in the grand scheme of things. History sheds a light on human nature, both of its dark side and of the heroism and sacrifices made to ensure our survival. Our dark side is on display in the atrocities of history. The greatest sacrifices are those of veterans in wars throughout history; they are truly to be admired! When we understand the basics of human nature, and how it played out in the past, we can figure out what is going on in the world today, and how we can expect society to look in the future! When a person understands where the world is going, one can plan one’s life around those social/political/economic trends.

Like many people interested in history, I have some historical periods I like reading about more than others. My favorite historical periods include Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, the Middle Ages, the Age of Piracy and 20th-century America. With Ancient Greece, I like to focus on Greek mythology, the Greek city-states and the Hellenistic Period.

As for Ancient Rome, I enjoy learning about the Etruscans; the Roman Republic, which lasted for 446 years; the Roman Empire and its long, slow decline – and how Roman culture continued to provide continuity and structure to the people, even as the political and economic systems collapsed all around them; and the final collapse of ancient Roman civilization, including how the Barbarian hordes filled the power vacuum created by Rome's fall - and provided the source material for some cool video games!

In medieval history, I enjoyed the Dark Ages/Early Middle Ages, the England of the High Middle Age (1066-1307); the Crusades, including the armor, castles, battles and politics of the era; the Inquisition and how the Church used force to keep people in line, the Hundred Years' War - a fine example of medieval warfare; and the England of Geoffrey Chaucer, which was a period of social unrest and depravity in late-medieval England.

The Age of Piracy was interesting due to Captain Morgan – a real pirate of Welsh origin, Blackbeard (a.k.a. Edward Teach, one of the most fearsome pirates in history) and the Pirates of the Caribbean, a movie series which fused the history and fantasy of seafaring and pirates into a thrilling, gripping saga. There are also modern-day pirates from Somalia and other places who are successors to the likes of Morgan and Blackbeard.

Finally, in the America of the 20th century, I enjoy learning about the 1920s, the Great Depression and New Deal, World War II America, the 1960s, the 1970s and the 1980s. 1920s-America was essentially a sex-saturated alcohol binge. In World War II America, our nation’s existence was threatened by both Germany and Japan, until our military veterans made tremendous sacrifices to save it from fascist oppression! The 1960s was the decade of President John F. Kennedy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Vietnam War, Woodstock and the Apollo 11 moon landing. The 1970s gave rise to the Kent State Massacre, Watergate, and disco music. The 1980s - the decade of my birth - were known for President Ronald Reagan, the War on Drugs, Cocaine as king, MTV, VCRs and, finally, the Cold War coming to an end.

We may be heading into a difficult period of history, in which humanity's weaknesses are multiplied, creating great social conflict and change - at warp speed! If we can understand history a little better, we may use its lessons to prevent any catastrophes that loom on the horizon. If we understand humanity's weaknesses, we may be able to compensate for these weaknesses. This foresight will preserve civilization and make it feasible for future generations. We need to try to be happy and make our lives enjoyable and positive as possible as we face the uncertainties of a challenging world.

In short, history is a gift to mankind. Recorded history is symbolic of civilization itself, separating us from pre-historic savages. It provides us with illuminating self-understanding and enables us to plan for society's future.