People-watching from your home or office!

[Dien Rice]

Sometimes it's fun to "people watch."

Why?

One reason is you can see what ordinary people are like. Unlike on TV, ordinary people are not perfect, so it is okay if you are not perfect, too!

Another reason, is, "people watching" can be just interesting... It makes you wonder, where are they going? What is happening with their lives? How are their lives different from my life? These questions can be stimulating...

That's why I sometimes go to a cafe to work - I can set up my laptop computer, and work from there, and watch the people in the cafe, or walking along the street, at the same time!

(Somehow, I often seem to work better in these conditions... I think it provides just enough distraction so I never get bored, but not too much distraction so I can't work...)

However, it's not always convenient to go out to "people watch"...

Thanks to wonderful webcams, you can stay home!

Now, most webcams online aren't that good for this. They tend to be long-shots of buildings, where people (if you see any at all) look more like ants.

However, there are some good webcams where you can "people watch"... I find it a pleasant distraction every now and then.

Plus... If you work for yourself or by yourself, working from home can sometimes feel a bit lonely if there's no one else around, and it can help counter those feelings of loneliness...

(You have to check the time of day at that location, since if it's night time, you might not see much.)

Anyway, here are a few good "people watching" webcams, so you can still feel like a "part of society" - even from home... Check 'em out!

US Webcams

The News Cafe, Miami
http://www.earthcam.com/usa/florida/miami/

Bourbon Street (outside the Cat's Meow, 1st story), New Orleans
http://www.earthcam.com/usa/louisian...bourbonstreet/

Bourbon Street (outside the Cat's Meow, 2nd story), New Orleans
http://www.earthcam.com/usa/louisian...?cam=catsmeow2

Mission Beach, San Diego
http://www.earthcam.com/usa/california/sandiego/

Sheri's Sweet Shoppe, Winthrop, WA
(click on "Viewing Mode" to make it "Live Feed")
http://www.opentopia.com/webcam/11011

International Webcams

Oviso Bar, Barcelona, Spain
(click on "Viewing Mode" to make it "Live Feed")
http://www.opentopia.com/webcam/6937

Restaurant patio, Dronten, Netherlands
(click on "Viewing Mode" to make it "Live Feed")
http://www.opentopia.com/webcam/9527

Abbey Road Crossing, UK
http://www.abbeyroad.com/Crossing

Gifu, Japan
(click on "Viewing Mode" to make it "Live Feed")
http://www.opentopia.com/webcam/15912

Finally... If you're interested, here's the Wikipedia entry on people watching!

Best wishes!

Dien

Dien,

Thanks for sharing and posting on that subject...

Surprisingly! All kinds of Cool ideas, relationships, networking...

Directory related business models and Concepts can be Established with Some Quick Thinking! Creativity and Smartly Focused web development...

Hang-outs: Restaurants, bars, and cafés that attract the entrepreneurial set...
http://www.boston.com/business/techn..._bars_and.html
http://www.businessinsider.com/25-re...gs-2012-5?op=1
http://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/227087
http://travel.cnn.com/explorations/d...ch-bars-709433
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/225262
http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/219835
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/...956/story.html
http://www.vencaf.org/
http://www.meetup.com/Freelance-Entrepreneur-Cafe/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20159947

All the best,
Phil

[Dien Rice]

Originally Posted by Phil

Dien,

Thanks for sharing and posting on that subject...

Surprisingly! All kinds of Cool ideas, relationships, networking...

Thanks Phil for sharing those...

I found the most interesting was the board games cafe!

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/life/...956/story.html

I went to a cafe like this once (in Brisbane, Australia). It was an interesting place, and it definitely had its fans!

Why do some people find they are more productive working in cafes?

Some of the things I like are...

• You get personal attention. I must admit, I like that. However, I also like that the waiter or waitress will leave me alone, too, if that's what I want.
• If you are at a cafe where you are served (as opposed to a self-serve cafe), you don't have to get out of your seat for anything, if you don't want to. (Except to go to the bathroom!)
• If the cafe is in an interesting location, you can observe how interesting the world is as you take "micro-breaks" from what you are working on!

Another great thing about cafes is you can use them as alternative offices for meetings. I've had many fun and productive meetings in cafes!

Conor Friedersdorf of the Atlantic pondered the question of why some people work best in coffee shops...

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...-shops/237372/

I agree with his preferred answer - there's just enough distraction...

Finally, a website called "Coffitivity" tries to recreate the "working in a cafe" experience, through cafe sounds...

http://www.coffitivity.com

I find it doesn't work as well for me as a real cafe, though!

Best wishes,

Dien