Myles Ogea

While trying to find pictuers for my blog I came across several articals about the MT Cup. One article was from the Alumnus Magazine on the Ball State website. The article "Drinking from the Cup of Life" was written by Laurel Peffer. It is basically an interview with him. This is what I've discovered.

Record # 1. Myles Ogea opened the MT Cup in 1994. He opened it after recieving his Masters Degree in '94.

Response # 1. I was suprised it had been created in '94. Nor did I realize it was created by a Ball State Alumni.

Record # 2. He decided to create the MT Cup for several reasons. For one reason "he found no good breakfast resturants in the area" and figured the next thing he should do is make one. He also made it because of his love for "good food, arts, and Ball State"

Response # 2. On campus, there really isn't much for breakfast. I like that he mixed all the things he liked to make a good business.

Record # 3. He also opened a Martini bar, Motinis, which is located just avove the MT Cup. Motinis has a music lounge.

Response# 3. I am little worried that the music scene will only be upstairs. That might make it difficult to observe since it's a bar and I am 19. But it seems like he has done alot in the Ball State community and knows not everyone is able to drink so maybe it wont be that way.

Record # 4. He also believes that being a music/voice major and believes "being a music major helped me in this buisness."

Response # 4. I think it is cool that he was able to connect his major and business to create such a unique business.

The interview refrenced to was written by Laurel Peffer from the Alumni Association. the article was found on the Ball State Web site:

http://bsu.edu/alumni/article/0,1384,128511-9913-22515,00.html

Free Writing In Class January 24, 2008

I am kind of excited about my topic. Coffee has always been a big thing in my family. My mother basically lives off of caffeine, nicotine, and cheese. While cheese is okay it is not my favorite thing and at the time nicotine wasn’t an option (nor do I feel overly compelled to try it out now). So naturally, the only thing left was caffeine. Being able to drink coffee was a start of being “grown up” I guess. So starting from middle school I was allowed to have one cup of coffee after school. It was also good that I actually liked my coffee. Yes I am one of those people who puts sugar and cream in it. If the opportunity arises I get chocolate coffees or caramels or basically any form of liquid candy. Since then coffee has become my life source. Once I hit high school I had one cup in the morning and one after school. Sometimes I would end up having 3 or 4 cups a day. Now in college I know that is not the healthiest thing to do so I have cut back as much as possible. I try to keep it at one cup in the morning unless it is an unusually stressful day. So now getting to research coffee houses is going to be great. A major part of coffee houses is, go figure, the coffee. While doing more research I can compare the MT cup to Starbucks and point out the differences. I know there are differences because during orientation to ball state the leader told us about it. She said avoid Starbucks because it takes away from our community to give all the profits to the man. She was an interesting individual with pink hair, a lip ring and a strange fear of monkeys that she felt the need to share with us. I am also excited to look up the history of coffee houses. I wasn’t sure there would be much but I already know from looking up possible books that many people went to coffee houses to speak their minds. They were looked down upon but continued to thrive. I think it’s interesting that even with so much changing in the world it seems like the coffee house has been around and somewhat liberal for a long time. Another thing I am interested in is maybe finding why Starbucks has mostly Business people there and local coffee houses have a totally different feel to them.

So far I have stared what I call the boring work. I have looked online for the website and found one good thing. They have a map and tells what happens there. ( Live music and breakfast and coffee. ) I will go look at the place hopefully Friday, just to make sure it will work for the project but I am pretty sure it will. Tonight I will do more web searching and maybe pick up the book with the history of coffee houses.

I am also looking forward to playing with my blog a little bit. Getting pictures on might be intresting but we will see.

Ground Work

1. Possible Field Working Sites

• Cafes or Coffee Houses
• Undecided Majors
• Show Choirs
• Wood Worth Complex
• Bracken Library

2.

• Cafes or coffee Houses-

To investigate this site I would observe the Mt Cup in the Village. I could also go to the White Rabbit Book Store to observe how the two interact since they are regularly referred to together. I could watch and observe in the cafe since it is okay to just sit there and work. I could interject myself by asking other customers questions and employees.

• Wood Worth complex-

To investigate this one it wouldn't be hard. I live here. The only thing would be how to view it from an outside perspective. To do that I guess I could go on other floors and see how it differs. so that way I would actually have a good view both inside and outside.

• Undecided Majors-

This one I would be interested in just as comfort that I am not the only one. I know a few people with an undecided major and could ask their views and compare them to people who have majors. That would be a good way to look both in and out.

3.

With the cafe The Mt Cup, I know I would have fun with it so It would be easier to write about. I know it exists but I have never been there. I could ask people if and or why they come here rather than the Star Bucks on campus. I could ask what makes it different than other coffee houses and why they go. I can see what types of things people go for; coffee, study, social reasons or reasons I might not even know about since I've never been there.

With the Show choirs I am not sure where I would have to go abut that can account for the outside view. I will have some inner views since I've been in show choir before. I can view things like how is it different in college? I could ask people what they thought of it and if they were in high school show choir what they thought was different.

With the undecided major I don't think I would have to go anywhere special. I could just ask around at food places or study lounges. I could have the inside view since I am undecided. I can compare how people view school to people who have majors. Are they more or less dedicated to their work? Are they actively looking for a major? What made them choose the major they did? It could be interesting

4. I think The Mt Cup would be the best thing. I know from going to Starbucks that coffee houses are like communities. People are accepting and they all have one thing in common, they like coffee. (Coffee lovers are always fun people.) I will have a totally outside view so I can learn the inside view as I go and have a better paper. It will put me on the same page as my readers when they are reading it so that will be interesting I think.

The Mt Cup it is!

Box 1

In this subculture we have a small group of men and women who travel around to sing and dance. These people break away from the larger crowds to perform. This mesh of strangers must learn to not only work with others, but care for them. They must forget themselves as an individual and merge together to become a show, being nothing more than a character. They are also required to dress in uniform. The uniforms for both the men and women are sparkly and deep red. The men of the group must act as men, being kind and have a strong presence. The women must act as ladies, with curtsies and smiles glued to their faces. At the end of the day this subculture disperses, returning to their individual selves and returning to the cultures right outside the auditorium doors.