It's Not the Coffee, It's Who You Drink it With - by Colin Gawel

It’s Not the Coffee, It’s Who You Drink It With - by Colin Gawel

In the last week I’ve come across the expression “our country is being torn apart” many times and phrased many different ways. I thought since this is National Coffee Day and I myself own a small coffee shop, I would chime in briefly on why I still am hopeful about the USA.

Every morning at Colin’s Coffee in Upper Arlington, OH, a group of regulars loosely assembles around our coffee bar to figure out the world’s problems, talk sports and sip on something caffeinated. This group of folks consists of people all over the political spectrum: Left, right, moderate, crazy…..you will hear it all and react as such.

As you might imagine, during a week such as the Kavanaugh hearings (or a Buckeye football loss) emotions can run high and the debates can get a little heated. But you know what, that next day, the same folks come back and that discussion begins anew. Because here is a little secret for everybody: You can be friends with many people AND have differing opinions about politics. In fact, isn’t that a major premise our country is founded on?

So you can choose to drink your coffee while ranting on Facebook or sitting in the drive-thru listening to talk radio tell you how wrong EVERYBODY else is..

Or you can walk into a local coffee shop, meet some of your neighbors face to face and realize that even though you disagree over some ideas, there are many other topics you can agree on. Most folks are pretty good people once you get to know them.

After all, it’s not really the coffee that matters, it’s who you are drinking it with.

Colin Gawel owns Colin’s Coffee and plays in the band Watershed. He founded Pencilstorm and his favorite band is Cheap Trick.

Colin's Coffee Employee to Ride Greyhound Bus to California and Back.

Annie Deibel isn't your average coffee shop employee. Recently graduated from Upper Arlington High School she will be attending Columbus School of Art & Design this fall. She also is actively pursuing a career in comedy and last spring spent two weeks working with Second City in Chicago.

For her summer vacation she is traveling alone from Columbus to San Francisco via San Diego and then back, all by Greyhound bus. Yeah, the actual Greyhound bus.

"I should meet some interesting people."

The bus leaves from downtown Columbus Sunday July 20th at 7 am.

If you wish to ride shotgun with Annie on her two week adventure, click here for the link to her Facebook page.

Colin Tending Bar at Little Rock Saturday March 1st, 4 - 9 pm for "Pay The Rent Saturday"

Pay The Rent Saturday March 1st! Support a Local Business on this Day!

I know what you're thinking: "But Colin, Pay the Rent Saturday is supposed to be the last Saturday of every month. That's the day we are supposed to make a concerted effort to target and support a local business. Saturday, March 1st is obviously not the last day of the month. What gives?"

Let's face it, February is barely a month anyway. Just a handful of days with polar vortex jammed between Christmas and St. Patrick's Day. If it wasn't for True Detective, I could have napped on the sofa through the entire thing. February is a month the way Pluto is a planet. You sort of have to acknowledge its existence, but you can feel free to ignore it as well. So for the sake of convenience we are pretending like March 1st is the last Saturday of February. But I digress....... 

More importantly, what February lacks in substance, it more than makes up in misery for local business. Snowstorms, high heating bills and two less days on the calender means the landlord is all up in your face for rent  quicker than you can say, "I'm so broke, they call me Mr. Broke."

So in honor of this, the most important of all the Pay The Rent Saturdays, I will be serving coffee at Colin's Coffee and then heading to the fabulous Little Rock Bar  (944 N. 4th) to be your guest bartender from 4 to 9 pm. You have two golden opportunities to support very cool local businesses. Come visit me or hit a different local joint of your choosing: a record store, thrift shop, a bar or restaurant, book store, movie theater, catch a local band, etc..

Do it! And spread the word. See you Saturday.  - Colin

Colin's Coffee Invites You to Support a Local Business One Day a Month on "Pay the Rent" Saturday.

Announcing a new world wide movement: "Pay The Rent Saturdays!"

A plan to support local business beginning Saturday January 25th!

Okay people, I'm not going to bullshit you: things get a little tight around the coffee shop this time of year. More so, there is this guy called "the landlord" and this thing called "the rent" and together they can be a real drag. It seems like almost every month he is all, "Yo, give me some money" and I'm like, "Dude...I ain't got that kind of scratch handy."  So I need some friends to come in and buy a drink or a sandwich and help us "Pay the Rent".

We all know that buying local is much better for the planet, economy, and our collective well-being but let's face it, who hasn't sat in a drive-through burning gas just to get one sweet taste of Starbuck's overpriced Beelzebub blend? I know I have. Say what you want about The Devil or McDonald's, but if they know one thing it's location,location,location!

It's not like I'm are asking for a huge favor. We have great coffee, mocha, lattés and all that jazz that you can get at all the big places. Don't like coffee? No problem: we've got hot chocolate, breakfast sandwiches, grilled cheese & tomato soup, etc. And free WIFI. Come hang out. Study. Stalk your ex on Facebook, perhaps? Good times.

"But I really like the big corporate chain stores," you say?

Once again, no problem. Here at Colin's Coffee, we aim to please. On "Pay The Rent Saturday", we will have a jar out where you can just give us money and you do not have to order anything. You can support local business and then walk across our parking lot, choke down some crappy McYuks swill and still feel good about yourself. It's a win-win!

                                                                     One Day a Month!

In all seriousness, I stare out the windows of Colin's Coffee every single morning and watch the McDonald's drive-through line overflow down the street. And I get it. That's just how it is. People are busy and while we all agree "buying local" is the right thing to do, it just isn't always convenient or affordable. So here is what I propose: just one day a month - the last Saturday - go and patronize a local business, Colin's Coffee or whomever. Try a small local restaurant, or grocery store, or record store or bar. Or go see a band or whatever. Go to the Clarmont. Oh wait, too late, it's gone. Everybody misses the local place when they read about them closing in the paper/online but the best time to miss them is while they are still in need of your business. Pay that place a visit one day a month.

Write it in your calendar and plan in advance, like researching a local vacation. The last Saturday of every month is when you give the little guy a shot. We're just asking for 12 days out of 365. Not only will it improve your community, I guarantee you will be glad you tried it. Thanks for reading this and if you agree, please pass along the movement. Also, share some local places you recommend  for "Pay the Rent Saturday". Personally, I see Dirty Frank's Hot Dogs in my future. - Colin

Colin Gawel is best known as the founder of the worldwide, "Pay the Rent" movement. Additionally, he plays in Watershed, The Lonely Bones, and once ranked every single Cheap Trick song in a 29 page essay. He is a husband, father, songwriter, fantasy baseball player and Pencilstorm contributor. He moonlights as a coffee shop owner. colingawel.com 

Today is a Good Day to Make Your Own Video for the Song "Cold Weather"

Did you know that there was going to be a video for the song "Cold Weather" by Colin Gawel and The Lonely Bones? Well is true. We shot footage the same time we were making the video for "Still Love Christmas". As luck would have it, in the period between the filming and the editing, some wise guy broke into the car of our video guy and stole his laptop, and with it, the footage for "Cold Weather". Bastards!

As is often the case in minor league rock n roll, there is no contingency plan for setbacks as such, so all parties involved said, "the hell with it". Oh well, certainly the world will survive with one less rock music video. Still, it is a catchy little number, especially on days like today with temperatures dropping faster than Andy Dalton's QBR rating. (Zingo!)

So while driving around in the wacko cold, why not blast "Cold Weather" and imagine your own video?  And remember, "the only thing better than cold weather is knowing one day it will be warm again" - Colin G.

Listen to "Cold Weather" by clicking here.

Colin Gawel wrote this at a chilly Colin's Coffee. Learn more about him and other Pencilstorm contributors by clicking here.

'Happy Holiday Reality Check' by Wal Ozello

Why do I need a holiday to bring me back to reality?

Let’s face it. In today’s media world of Obamacare debt ceiling minimum wage duck dynasty fear mongering, it’s tough to have Christmas Spirit. I’m not referring to the Christmas Spirit that inspires Ebenezer Scrooge to bring a huge feast to the Crachit family after he realizes he’s been a jerk for decades. I’m talking about the wonderful life Christmas Spirit George Bailey gets after realizing his life doesn’t suck as much as he thought it did.

Think about it. Turn on CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, The Daily Show, or whatever your flavor of news is. Read the Huffington Post, The Daily Kos, or Redstate and you’ll soon discover that your world as you know it is coming to an end. Your ideological opposite is coming for you and they’ll turn it into a world of humans marrying their dogs or the dissolution of Medicare. All this clutter is just smoke and mirrors to the true reality of your life.

This Christmas Eve morning, I turned on the news and started hearing all the hype and thought, “How bad is my world?” After some deep thinking, I realized I have it pretty good. My guess is you do, too. Here are the basics:

1) I’m alive. My children are alive. My wife is alive. What more can I really want beyond this?

2) My family isn’t in any immediate danger. In other words, I don’t live in a war zone. I live in Upper Arlington. My biggest concern here is what type of parking spot I’ll get at Giant Eagle. Could you imagine not wanting to leave your house in fear of getting shot by gang fire? Or worse, yet, a suicide bomber?

3) I have easy access to healthcare. All this argument over obamacare is a big huge pissing match between two political parties. Seriously folks, it’s not the end of the world either way. No one’s gonna die in this country because Obamacare is or isn’t gonna happen. Can we all just realize that come January 1st, we’re going to just as healthy as we were on December 31st?

4) I have roof over my head, two cars in the garage, heat, water, cable, internet access, computers, cell phones, food in my refrigerator, clothes in my closet, and enough extra money to do fun things once in a while.

Seriously, what do I really need beyond all this? What more do I need in life that I don’t already have? Advertising would tell me I need more: that cool tablet/computer, new iPhone, blueray movie, kindle fire, or expensive jewelry for my wife. The media would tell me I need more: we need to repeal obamacare, raise the minimum wage, and stop those pesky republicans/democrat/teaparty/whoever from destroying the American Way.

I’m going to have none of that. I’m just fine.

It will be a great Christmas at the Ozello’s this year. Not because the kids will get a bunch of cool presents, but because we’ll be together. Playing games, eating great food, in my warm house and remembering the most important part of Christmas is not getting everything you want. It’s appreciating everything you have.

Wal Ozello is the author of  Assignment 1989: The Time Travel Wars and is the lead singer of the Columbus hairband Armada. He's a resident of Upper Arlington, Ohio and a frequent customer at Colin's Coffee.