Damn. Did anyone else find the mandatory dance breaks at Center Cafe to be annoying as fuck? I used to find it clever and charming when Center Cafe would bust out into a spontaneous dance party, but the whole "stop working and dance!" thing shouted over the megaphones by managers every half hour was the ultimate in contrived.
And not to mention degrading. I'm sure it was fun for some of the people behind the counter, but for me, it turned me off to the idea of ever working for Center Cafe. It reminded me too much of "ten pieces of flair" from Office Space - too much like "yay! we've planned to be spontaneous and wacky!".
Judging from the glazed-over looks on the faces of 90% of everyone standing in line, I'm going to hazard a guess that I wasn't the only person who wasn't amused. I realize "it's Burning Man!" and I don't have to go there, yadda yadda, but there's one thing you don't fuck with, and that's someone's first cup of coffee in the morning.
And while I'm at it, can we please drop the "all of these people are volunteers" schtick? They are not volunteers. They get their tickets reimbursed (if they work enough shifts), they all earn tips, and everyone I've ever spoken to gets free drugs. All of these things have value (cash value, even) that are directly exchanged for the service they provide. This is called "work", not volunteering. I agree that everyone should be friendly and polite to the people working behind the counters, including saying "please" and "thank you", but calling them volunteers and acting like Center Cafe is just another free, optional gifting experience sets up false expectations.
My solution to this was to never tip during the planned dance breaks. If everyone was working to provide a service, I tipped at least one dollar per beverage. During the dance breaks, no tips. After all, do you tip other camps and performers at Burning Man? Of course not. So if Center Cafe is a performance, no tips. If it's a coffee shop in the desert with people working hard to make Black Rock City a better place with better infrastructure, then they get tips.
I encourage everyone else to follow this model if it makes sense to them, or until the people who organize Center Cafe realize that planned spontaneity is lame, annoying, and the furthest thing from spontaneous.
Mandatory dance breaks
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HughMungus
- Posts: 1813
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:17 am
- Location: Dallas, TX
OK, because I didn't bring any coffee, I was really thankful for the coffee at Center Camp this year but when I was in line and saw that the volunteers were dancing rather than working, I left. That was pretty annoying.
With that, um, comment, I have a suggestion for whoever runs center camp -- if you send someone out into the crowd to find volunteers for center camp, the best people to ask are the ones NOT in line who have probably already had some coffee, not the people who are waiting in line who probably just woke up (or who are probably still up, hehe).
Not bitching, just suggesting.
With that, um, comment, I have a suggestion for whoever runs center camp -- if you send someone out into the crowd to find volunteers for center camp, the best people to ask are the ones NOT in line who have probably already had some coffee, not the people who are waiting in line who probably just woke up (or who are probably still up, hehe).
Not bitching, just suggesting.
It's what you make it.
In total agreement, and If I may quote Office Space" further:
::::::::::)^(::::::::
"die motherfucker die motherfucker die!!"
or
"yeah, I just don't feel like going anymore,so i'm not gonna"
:::::::::)*(:::::::::::
either one will work for almost every situation, and i avoided CC completely this year.
BM
::::::::::)^(::::::::
"die motherfucker die motherfucker die!!"
or
"yeah, I just don't feel like going anymore,so i'm not gonna"
:::::::::)*(:::::::::::
either one will work for almost every situation, and i avoided CC completely this year.
BM
Bah! Psshhh!
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unjonharley
- Posts: 10434
- Joined: Tue Sep 09, 2003 11:05 am
- Burning Since: 2001
- Camp Name: Elliot's naked bycycel repair
- Location: Salem Or.
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puffycloud
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 5:47 pm
No more center camp for us!
I didn't mind the dance breaks but what I did mind is the sea of negativity that exists at Center Camp. We even saw some goon in the crowd punch out one of the coffee people. I've never really liked going to Center Camp as it is overcrowded and the coffee is mediocre. None of the performances are very good either! That being said, we'll be making coffee at our camp next year. G'bye center camp, it was real, it was fun, but it wasn't real fun!
Re: No more center camp for us!
I've only the rumors, and I heard it was Aristotle who got the sock. Any idea what happened?sun4all wrote:We even saw some goon in the crowd punch out one of the coffee people.
First of all, I agree that the mandatory dance breaks are "contrived." But believe me when I tell you that when you are spending 4 hours of your playa time working your butt off, 3 minutes spent dancing to a Beastie Boys tune can be a welcome diversion. I worked at the Center Camp Cafe from 11 PM to 3 AM on Thursday night and yes, it was a volunteer experience, S5. I left the fabulous time I was having zooming around the playa on my friend's tandem bike to honor the commit I had made to sling lattes for the masses. And sling I did, nonstop (save the dance breaks) 'cause you people LOVE your hot beverages at 2 AM. I had no qualms with the cafe maanger reminding folks in line that they were being served by volunteers -- BECAUSE I WAS A VOLUNTEER. Yes, I made tips -- they didn't add up to much, and that wasn't even close to my motivation for working. It felt strange making money at Burning Man and I used those dollars to buy my ice and my coffee and my friends' coffee for the next few days. I don't know if it's true that some cafe staff get free tickets, but I sure didn't and I put the tips I made back into the Burning Man economy.
S5, there are a lot of fucked up things that can happen at Burning Man. If the worst part of your experience was waiting an extra 3 or 4 minutes for your coffee, then congratulations, Mister -- you had a GREAT BURN. Take it with you.
S5, there are a lot of fucked up things that can happen at Burning Man. If the worst part of your experience was waiting an extra 3 or 4 minutes for your coffee, then congratulations, Mister -- you had a GREAT BURN. Take it with you.
Bringin a little too much of home out to the Playa are'nt you people ?
Its Burningman, it's center camp, it's a Mocha espresso in the middle of nowhere.
I could care if the center camp crew are doing the fuckin Macarena back there, if it puts one more grin on my face in the morning after a night of doing whatever it is I did out there, I'm right with that.
It's not Starbucks, it's Black Rock.
I agree with Sun4all, bring a coffeemaker and make your own if you think it will make your morning easier. That's just one less person in front of me as I'm waiting to get my Mocha at 7am while some punched up Funk band is onstage. I Love Center camp in the Morning.
Try a little perspective guys.
^_-
Its Burningman, it's center camp, it's a Mocha espresso in the middle of nowhere.
I could care if the center camp crew are doing the fuckin Macarena back there, if it puts one more grin on my face in the morning after a night of doing whatever it is I did out there, I'm right with that.
It's not Starbucks, it's Black Rock.
I agree with Sun4all, bring a coffeemaker and make your own if you think it will make your morning easier. That's just one less person in front of me as I'm waiting to get my Mocha at 7am while some punched up Funk band is onstage. I Love Center camp in the Morning.
Try a little perspective guys.
^_-
"God is a comedian playing to an audience that is afraid to laugh".
Voltaire
Voltaire
Burning Man deems coffee so important they break their own rules to bring us the café, yet if the quality of the product and the service is unacceptable no one can complain because "it's a mocha in the middle of the desert"?
The café takes our money and provides a service. If the service is bad, the customers have a right to talk about it.
If the entire operation was truly a voluntary gifting experience like we're all supposed to aspire to, there would be no mercy for those who complain. Yet they're not. The customers pay their hard earned cash for goods. There's no reason to cut this profitable business any slack. If they can't get their shit together to serve their customers, and they can't tolerate complaints about quality or service, they shouldn't be charging.
Newflash: it IS Starbucks out there. There is no difference, except the crap that Starbucks serves up (and it is NOT coffee) tastes a hell of a lot better than what I got at the café this year.
The café takes our money and provides a service. If the service is bad, the customers have a right to talk about it.
If the entire operation was truly a voluntary gifting experience like we're all supposed to aspire to, there would be no mercy for those who complain. Yet they're not. The customers pay their hard earned cash for goods. There's no reason to cut this profitable business any slack. If they can't get their shit together to serve their customers, and they can't tolerate complaints about quality or service, they shouldn't be charging.
Newflash: it IS Starbucks out there. There is no difference, except the crap that Starbucks serves up (and it is NOT coffee) tastes a hell of a lot better than what I got at the café this year.
It's true, though you have to work a certain number of shifts. It's a good system for people who can't afford tickets.lizard wrote:I don't know if it's true that some cafe staff get free tickets,
Far from the worst, but certainly worthy of a satisfying rant. Personally I don't care about the 3-4 minutes of added time. It's the lameness of doing something contrived and self-indulgent, and expecting others to find it amusing, or face admonishment for not being in "the Burning Man spirit".If the worst part of your experience was waiting an extra 3 or 4 minutes for your coffee,
Anyway, if that sort of thing doesn't bother you, then this rant doesn't apply to you. I'm still not going to tip during Compulsory Team Spirit. Either it's an interactive performance installation, or it's a money making service. I would be perfectly happy if they would pick which of the two they intend to operate, and I'll adjust my expectations accordingly. Until they pick a side, I'm going to bitch.
Olivia,
Did'nt mean to ramp you up there, I was just trying to state that it's just coffee. It's not a profitable business, all the profit generated from center camp is donated to local organizations.
I never said no one could complain, it's just that some of these posts are really kinda heated given what it is we're talking about.
No it's not the best Mocha I've ever had by a long shot, but it certainly is NOT Starbucks. If I got a Mocha like that from them, I would probably sound like you.
But to me, that crappy little cup of coffee seems really good when I'm curled up on a bench at Center camp listening to a performer in the morning or walking to the Esplanade and watching the sun come up with that dusty little haze floating 6 feet off the ground. I like that experiance.
And who cares if the staff breaks into a dance for a couple minutes, whats your rush? It's not like you have to be at work in 20 minutes thru 405 traffic.
It just seems like almost every aspect of Black Rock is getting attacked this Year. And most are pretty valid topics that should be discussed and addressed. LEO harassment and citations, Burn weekend Frat punks, sexual assault, stolen bikes, getting dosed.
If the worst thing someone has to say about Black Rock this year is that he stormed away from center camp in disgust because he saw the volunteers dancing behind the counter, is that really so Bad ?
That's what I meant by have some perspective.
Twas just my opinion, not an attack.
Did'nt mean to ramp you up there, I was just trying to state that it's just coffee. It's not a profitable business, all the profit generated from center camp is donated to local organizations.
I never said no one could complain, it's just that some of these posts are really kinda heated given what it is we're talking about.
No it's not the best Mocha I've ever had by a long shot, but it certainly is NOT Starbucks. If I got a Mocha like that from them, I would probably sound like you.
But to me, that crappy little cup of coffee seems really good when I'm curled up on a bench at Center camp listening to a performer in the morning or walking to the Esplanade and watching the sun come up with that dusty little haze floating 6 feet off the ground. I like that experiance.
And who cares if the staff breaks into a dance for a couple minutes, whats your rush? It's not like you have to be at work in 20 minutes thru 405 traffic.
It just seems like almost every aspect of Black Rock is getting attacked this Year. And most are pretty valid topics that should be discussed and addressed. LEO harassment and citations, Burn weekend Frat punks, sexual assault, stolen bikes, getting dosed.
If the worst thing someone has to say about Black Rock this year is that he stormed away from center camp in disgust because he saw the volunteers dancing behind the counter, is that really so Bad ?
That's what I meant by have some perspective.
Twas just my opinion, not an attack.
"God is a comedian playing to an audience that is afraid to laugh".
Voltaire
Voltaire
This year only? People have been criticizing Burning Man for as long as I've been going. May I bring your attention to:Karma wrote:It just seems like almost every aspect of Black Rock is getting attacked this Year.
http://www.pissclear.org/PDFArchives/
I don't see any mention of storming off or that this is the biggest, most important issue that BM should deal with. I see a complaint that the "spontaneous" dancing was contrived and annoying, and a call to make a decision about the café's status as either commercial venture or art camp.
Oh, and I complained that the coffee sucked. In truth, it only was undrinkable once. It was eh most of the time, but I did get one pretty great one on Monday.
The mandatory dance breaks were tacky. It's tacky to stop and dance in front of a line of sad bastards who just want coffee and are willing to face a long, long queue, pay you, and be polite to get it. It just wasn't fun. It was kind of a slap in the face. And then you're threatened that if you don't dance and be merry you won't get coffee because everyone behind the counter is a volunteer and in addition to your cold hard cash you must degrade yourself in order to purchase what is most likely to be a substandard beverage.
Ok, I'm done ranting on this subject. I have loved the café every year but this one, and I hope they put an end to mandatory merry-making. Oh, and that they train the baristas a little more thoroughly. And offer refunds if your beverage is undrinkable.
The end.
Oh, and I complained that the coffee sucked. In truth, it only was undrinkable once. It was eh most of the time, but I did get one pretty great one on Monday.
The mandatory dance breaks were tacky. It's tacky to stop and dance in front of a line of sad bastards who just want coffee and are willing to face a long, long queue, pay you, and be polite to get it. It just wasn't fun. It was kind of a slap in the face. And then you're threatened that if you don't dance and be merry you won't get coffee because everyone behind the counter is a volunteer and in addition to your cold hard cash you must degrade yourself in order to purchase what is most likely to be a substandard beverage.
Ok, I'm done ranting on this subject. I have loved the café every year but this one, and I hope they put an end to mandatory merry-making. Oh, and that they train the baristas a little more thoroughly. And offer refunds if your beverage is undrinkable.
The end.
Popped into center camp twice this year for some iced tea for the lady, and hmm, what else did I do? Did my BRC civic duty by filling out the census, sighed at the continued takeover by the capoeira peeps, did a little bit of my "surly furry" routine (fun as hell), had some great convos with the people sitting nearby, felt some fake titties that were offered to the lady and I in the middle of one such convo, pondered waiting for a massage (didn't), saw some cool interactive art, wondered why the chai was 4 bucks, heard some awesome beatboxing by a guy wearing a sock on his dick, posed for a guy's pic with some crazy vampire dude, heard some overly self-important spoken word, picked up some free candy and postcards, marvelled yet again at the size and structure of the place, marvelled yet again that the place is run pretty damn well in spite of being exposed to the BRC elements, didn't wait for any dance breaks, but did wait for a "let's hear it for the volunteers" rah-rah, which I clapped for. That's the stuff off the top of my head.
Yeah, I have exactly the same experience when I go to the Starbucks. Yep, sure do. And I whine and whine and whine about it.
Yeah, I have exactly the same experience when I go to the Starbucks. Yep, sure do. And I whine and whine and whine about it.
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skygod
- Posts: 737
- Joined: Thu Jan 13, 2005 8:50 am
- Burning Since: 2004
- Location: Twentynine Palms, CA
- Contact:
I was asked to volunteer to make coffee at CC and I considered it, but I'm just to freakin' lazy.
I can't believe you guys are complaining about people who gave up some of their playa party time to serve you.
I can't believe you guys are complaining about people who gave up some of their playa party time to serve you.
"It will seem difficult in the beginning. But everything seems difficult in the beginning."- Musashi
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puffycloud
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Wed Sep 06, 2006 5:47 pm
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HughMungus
- Posts: 1813
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:17 am
- Location: Dallas, TX
Why don't they just give those starving, tired volunteers a real break?lizard wrote:First of all, I agree that the mandatory dance breaks are "contrived." But believe me when I tell you that when you are spending 4 hours of your playa time working your butt off, 3 minutes spent dancing to a Beastie Boys tune can be a welcome diversion. I worked at the Center Camp Cafe from 11 PM to 3 AM on Thursday night and yes, it was a volunteer experience, S5. I left the fabulous time I was having zooming around the playa on my friend's tandem bike to honor the commit I had made to sling lattes for the masses. And sling I did, nonstop (save the dance breaks) 'cause you people LOVE your hot beverages at 2 AM. I had no qualms with the cafe maanger reminding folks in line that they were being served by volunteers -- BECAUSE I WAS A VOLUNTEER. Yes, I made tips -- they didn't add up to much, and that wasn't even close to my motivation for working. It felt strange making money at Burning Man and I used those dollars to buy my ice and my coffee and my friends' coffee for the next few days. I don't know if it's true that some cafe staff get free tickets, but I sure didn't and I put the tips I made back into the Burning Man economy.
S5, there are a lot of fucked up things that can happen at Burning Man. If the worst part of your experience was waiting an extra 3 or 4 minutes for your coffee, then congratulations, Mister -- you had a GREAT BURN. Take it with you.
It's what you make it.
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RINGMASTER
- Posts: 55
- Joined: Sun Apr 02, 2006 1:41 am
- Location: Astoria, Oregon
- Contact: