An ode to that “coffee friend” • Hacker News Board

Re: An ode to that “coffee friend”

#261

Post by rchaud » Fri, Oct 28, 2022, 3:01 PM UTC

drstewart wrote: post #140

The_Colonel wrote: post #137

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's a pointless effort to box the whole Europe into one stereotype, it's too diverse for that. From my POV, the school social structure in USA seems very "schematic". Like there are popular kids and they look like this and have these attitudes, then there are geeks who are socially awkward and physically weak, then there are jocks etc. My experience from growing up in Czechia was way more "random". There are kids wh…

>From my POV, the school social structure in USA seems very "schematic". Like there are popular kids and they look like this and have these attitudes, then there are geeks who are socially awkward and physically weak, then there are jocks etc. What are the odds your POV is coming from television and movies?

> What are the odds your POV is coming from television and movies?

I'd be interested to know what the odds are that students themselves are self-selecting into categories based on what they seen in TV and movies.

Today it would be more IG and Tiktok, but what even are those if not micro-reality TV full of tryhards desperate to get a TV deal?

Re: An ode to that “coffee friend”

#262

Post by snug » Fri, Oct 28, 2022, 4:10 PM UTC

wfleming wrote: post #39

As somebody who has been “that coffee friend” and received far too many coffee-related gifts for years (including many pounds of stale, burnt beans), I wish people wouldn’t do this. If I’m super into topic X and you’re not, there’s a good chance whatever you get will either not be of interest (e.g. bad beans) or just redundant (I can only use so many mugs or grinders). Obviously the thought is always appreciated, and…

idk, the way this guy is describing his coffee friend, seems like me. I wouldn't say my hobby is coffee, but I have beans I grind, and have my favorite coffee spot. But I am not a "coffee snob." I can drink coffee straight but prefer with milk, and generally won't drink an espresso shot. I love a PSL, and always get a latte otherwise. I love when people get me coffee beans from somewhere, especially if they are whole beans!

Edit: I do think this applies to lots of other hobbies though

Re: An ode to that “coffee friend”

#263

Post by m463 » Fri, Oct 28, 2022, 6:30 PM UTC

unwind wrote: post #124

m463 wrote: post #4

I like this. coffee is something like a hobby and a shared experience and can pull together even really different people. But if you know someone who is into a very technical hobby, it might be hard to give them a gift, or have a lengthy conversation. I knew a friend who was really into ranch dressing. Every time we went to eat, we knew what he would order, or could help him order. silly thing that enhanced the relat…

Wow that was odd and very specific. How did that work in practice? Would you order whatever dish that said it came with ranch?

more like, "ok, and what dressing would you like on the salad? we have thous..." and everyone would blurt out "he wants ranch"

Re: An ode to that “coffee friend”

#264

Post by lukego » Sat, Oct 29, 2022, 1:40 PM UTC

unwind wrote: post #122

lukego wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any time someone gives me chocolate as a gift I say a polite thank-you and then discretely throw it in the trash. Maybe I'm an outlier, or maybe not...

You forgot the why-part, which certainly seems on topic in this thread. a) You just don't like chocolate and never eat/bake/cook with it, b) You really like chocolate but only very particular/fancy kinds that people never manage to gift you, c) Sonething else that would be actually interesting to hear.

This could be a country-specific problem here in Sweden. I am on the other side of it today:

I travelled abroad last week and bought a last-minute gift for the family on the way home: a box of sugary sweets. But nobody in the family wants to eat them.

They all have a fixed quota of sweets each week (Swedish lordagsgodis [1]) and so choosing candy to eat is a zero-sum game. This random confectionery didn't make the cut.

So into the bin they go. Seems a shame but I'm used to it by now.

[1] https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20211004-lrdagsgodis-sw...