I was that guy

December 1, 2008
by Rodney Olsen
8 Comments

coffee_cup.jpgI’ve seen him plenty of times before.

He’s usually there when I’m having coffee with my cycling mates on Saturday mornings. I’ve seen him as I’ve hurriedly walked past cafés on my way somewhere else. He’s been there when I’ve been enjoying a quiet cuppa with Pauline. He’s there in shopping centres, airports and cafés everywhere.

Sometimes he’s tall and middle aged. Other times he’s a little shorter and fairly young. He’s bald or with a full head of hair. He’s dozens of different people but I always want to be him.

Yesterday I was that guy.

I was the guy sitting on my own in the café, sipping a long black while reading a good book. There’s something very therapeutic about sitting in a busy café, letting the world buzz around nearby as you bury yourself in the pages.

I had to be at Mia Café in Inglewood yesterday for a Christmas afternoon tea. The rest of the family had to be across the other side of town so Pauline dropped me off an hour and a half early. That gave me the opportunity to partake in the magnificent pastime that I see so often yet so rarely enjoy.

Maybe I need to make that one of my New Year’s Resolutions for 2009. “Spend more time alone in cafés.” In 2009 I intend to be that guy a lot more often.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading I was that guy? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

An almost perfect Perth weekend

August 18, 2008
by Rodney Olsen
6 Comments

We experienced some more magnificent conditions over the weekend in Perth. It feels like spring has arrived early.

I managed to get out on my bike for my Saturday morning ride with friends for the first time in a few weeks. It was great to be able to push myself a little harder than I normally do on the daily ride to work and back. I’ve had back pain which has prevented me riding too hard for the last few weeks and while my back isn’t feeling 100% it is certainly a lot better than it was.

The scenery we get to take in on our ride is such a bonus. We live in the heart of suburbia yet it always amazes me that in just the fifty kilometres we ride together we get to experience the magnificent Swan Valley then paddocks of cows and sheep out through Hazelmere and Helena Valley before we head back into civilization to grab a coffee. I reckon it’s the perfect way to start a weekend.

On Saturday afternoon I headed to Bassendean Oval to see Swan Districts Football Club play a brilliant game against Subiaco … at least for the first three quarters. The mighty black and whites were slightly ahead until five minutes into the last quarter when Subi ran away with it. Oh well, it was a great day for watching football.

After church yesterday we headed into the Swan Valley to the Margaret River Chocolate Company. It was beautiful weather for sipping coffee in the valley but unfortunately the venue left a lot to be desired. I love going to the Margaret River Chocolate Company and sampling their wares but they were extremely busy and no one was bothering to clean up the tables in the outside cafe area. Time and time again we saw waitresses carry orders out to patrons before walking empty handed back to the cafe. Would it really hurt to grab some of the piles of dishes on your way back?

On top of that they had three reasonably talented musos playing some live music. They’re repertoire was pretty much ‘golden oldies’ but they sounded OK. Unfortunately management decided the best place to put them would be right next to several of the cafe tables. The only table we could find when we first arrived was near the ‘band’. While they weren’t turned all the way up to eleven, it was still way too loud for us to be able to chat. If I want to go to a concert, I’ll go to a concert. I don’t mind a bit of background music but if I’m sharing a coffee with family I want to be able to hear the conversation. My tip – never go to the Margaret River Chocolate Company on a nice day when they’re likely to be busy.

Now that my whinge is out of the way, it was good to catch up with family and overall the weekend was a good one.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading An almost perfect Perth weekend? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.

The Morning Tea's On Me

July 18, 2008
by Rodney Olsen
3 Comments

coffee.jpgMy apologies to those who don’t live close enough to Perth to take advantage of this but my morning radio programme on 98.5 Sonshine FM will be even tastier during our annual Radiothon which is just over a week away.

Thanks to Miss Maud and Five Senses, we’re inviting 20 listeners each day to join me and my morning programme guests for morning tea each day from Monday the 28th to Friday the 1st of August.

The morning teas will run from 10:00 a.m. to around 11:30 a.m. and should be a lot of fun. It’d be great to catch up and it’s a wonderful opportunity for me to show off my workplace for the final time before the radio station moves to Como.

We’ve done a similar thing over the last couple of years and had such a wonderful time. The food from Miss Maud is always outstanding and the Five Senses coffee is spectacular. On top of that it’s a lot of fun meeting a variety of listeners and letting people see how radio works.

If you’d like to be part of the fun simply click here to email me at my work email address and tell me which day you can join me. If you’re one of the first 20 replies for each day you’ll enjoy a delicious, free morning tea at our Morley studios thanks to Miss Maud, Five Senses Coffee and 98.5 Sonshine FM.



Do you think some of your friends would enjoy reading The Morning Tea's On Me? Please use the buttons below to share the post. Thanks.