# Project 300 - visit 100 bars, 100 restaurants, 100 coffee shops



## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

I've made a lot of progress in the past few years and kind of feel like I've "graduated" from SA. However, I still feel like my life is standing still. Probably like a lot of people here. I don't really know anyone in this city and I never see much of anything besides my office and my apartment.

So I thought I would come back to SAS and start another epic goal thread. Project 300 is to visit 100 bars, 100 restaurants and 100 coffee shops. I'll count a maximum of one place a day. I won't count the same place twice. 95% of the time I'll be alone, but if I go with someone, I'll still count it. I have to go in, buy something, eat/drink the whole thing, and get out. Hopefully I will get more out of the experience, but I need to have the freedom to rush through it if I'm really out of place or overwhelmed. Obviously, it will take about a year or more to get to 300...

*What about privacy?* I'll be posting real places I've been with the actual date I visited. Privacy could be a problem but I'm not super worried about it. I'd rather write down the details. I'm not going to announce specific plans in advance. If I have a real good reason not to share something, I won't...
^ I'm doing a 180 on this, because I don't really don't want to mention names of places and have strangers come into here through google. So I'm going to be really generic...

*What about talking to people?* I could make a goal to talk to one stranger at every place I go to. But that's a good goal for someone who's far beyond my current ability. I might get there somewhere in the middle of all this, but not now. I feel like I can be social naturally once I have enough exposure to a situation. This is more of an exposure exercise.

Total: 18/300 (6%)

Bars - 2% done
2012/12/13 - Karaoke Bar
2012/12/27 - Downtown Bar #1

Restaurants - 7% done
2012/12/26 - China Buffet
2012/12/31 - Mexican joint
2013/01/09 - Indian diner
2013/01/14 - Mexican diner
2013/01/23 - Sushi joint
2013/01/28 - Sushi joint #2
2013/02/13 - Chinese buffet #2

Coffee Shops - 9% done
2012/12/09 - Starbucks #1
2012/12/17 - Starbucks #2
2013/01/05 - North side indie coffee shop
2013/01/06 - Starbucks #3
2013/01/07 - North side indie coffee shop #2
2013/01/10 - South side Coffee Bean #1
2013/01/11 - South side indie coffee shop
2013/01/16 - Starbucks #4
2013/02/03 - Mall Starbucks


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*Sunday, December 9, 2012* - Starbucks #1
I'm still here after the first post. Sorry for the slow start.

I just went to the Starbucks down the road from my apartment. I've lived in this neighborhood for 3 months but never went in there before. I took my laptop to get some work done. I was worried not knowing how to order there, people giving me weird looks, not having a place to sit...

It was fine but the inside were completely full, so I had to sit down outside. It was hard to concentrate and the bugs were starting to come out, so I left after 20 minutes or so. Also, a lot of people were bringing their kids outside, so it got really distracting. I'll probably go back when it's less busy.


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*Thursday, December 13, 2012* - Karaoke Bar
It's been kind of a weak start, I'll admit. I've been on a messy sleep schedule.

I worked late today and decided to go to a bar afterward. The place that was my Plan A had zero parking, so I went for Plan B. First thing I noticed was that there were _way_ more people inside than I was comfortable with, but there was a little space at the bar and a couple of open tables. So I was able to order a drink, sit down, chug my beer while I read my phone and looked at the menu, then leave.

In retrospect my nervousness was a little unnecessary; those people weren't all "hostile forces" as my brain interpreted them. But it's hard to be around so many normal people having a good time and not worry intensely about sticking out like a sore thumb. I could have stood near the stage/dance floor and maybe it would have been better for me to blend in that way.


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## Hyperborea (Aug 28, 2011)

Nice goals. I bet after that youll have no problem at all to go in such places. That would be great one day being able to just go some place, order what you want, enjoy it in peace without trying to look purposely busy doing some other stuff at the same time. Just chillax. 

Good luck (if you need any).


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## Fixfounded1994 (Feb 19, 2012)

Way to go dude  Do you think going to 100 bars, restaurants and coffee shops in one year is kind of too much of a goal? maybe cut those in half (i'm mostly considering the fact that it seems like it'll be kind of costly) you should also consider making a blog or a site to post all of your entries in instead of on this page


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*Monday, December 17, 2012* - Starbucks #2

I was exhausted from lack of sleep so I decided to throw myself a softball. I did some shopping, then I went to the Starbucks that's the second closest to my neighborhood. This place had more room and less people, which was nice, but I still wasn't sure about where I could sit. I left my phone in the car, so I didn't have it on me. It was extremely uneventful. I saw a guy who looked 60 years old playing some kind of turn-based space strategy game on his laptop. I sat inside long enough to finish my drink.


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## Zeeshan (Sep 4, 2011)

This thread is awesome!!!


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## Sevrin (Dec 23, 2012)

This is an inspiring thread it makes me want to set similar goals ! thanks for sharing!


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## SomniferumPapi (Nov 29, 2012)

Sounds like a great plan. Can I get funded to to do this? Thats whats stopping me is money lol


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## Zeeshan (Sep 4, 2011)

Sevrin said:


> This is an inspiring thread it makes me want to set similar goals ! thanks for sharing!


Too bad its abandoned


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## Sevrin (Dec 23, 2012)

SomniferumPapi said:


> Sounds like a great plan. Can I get funded to to do this? Thats whats stopping me is money lol


Dude, I have money issues too if I do something similar to this it will be free night at the museum and stuff like that lol!


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## Sevrin (Dec 23, 2012)

Zeeshan said:


> Too bad its abandoned


it's never to late to start up again... hope the OP can come back and report more.


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## SomniferumPapi (Nov 29, 2012)

Sevrin said:


> Dude, I have money issues too if I do something similar to this it will be free night at the museum and stuff like that lol!


just tryna get free money lol. Plus I've even met people at places like walmart, which is free lol.


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

Bah, I'm not dead...

*Wednesday, December 26* - Grand China Buffet

I was tired as hell today after trying to pull an all nighter to reset my sleep schedule.

It looked good on the outside. This place was expensive as ****, the food tasted bad, and they gave me a dirty drink cup. I thought about asking for another cup, but I wasn't so sure that any of their other cups would be clean either. So I just pushed through without drinking my Pepsi. They had a weird system where you paid up front and they wouldn't give you silverware or your drink until you showed your receipt to a worker. Maybe if they didn't charge so much and had a better restaurant, they could afford to be less paranoid.

There were a few other customers there, enough for a slow night, but I was just crabby about the bad service.

Tomorrow I'll try going to a bar downtown. It'll be a good time to go as any, before all the students flood back into town this weekend.


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## insert name (Feb 29, 2012)

This thread is insane, what a great idea! I'd like to try something like this.. except my goal would be a lot less extravagant because I'm a poor college student haha.


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*Thursday, December 27* - Downtown Bar #1

It took me a long time to settle on where to go, but to a bar on Red River where I've walked/driven by many times but never been inside. It tried to have more of a rock/metal atmosphere, which I'm actually more comfortable with. It was slow enough that I could sit in relative peace and watch the Mavericks lose to the Thunder in overtime. By the end of it, a couple drunk/obnoxious guys started standing near me and talking to the bartender, and I was sick of it and ready to go.

Going to bars will probably be my least favorite part of all this, but until I find a way to enjoy it I just think of it as exposure and local recon...


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## mcgilicutty (Apr 9, 2012)

Impressive. To say the least! 

Reminds me of David Burns, the self-help author, who said that he went out alone for 30 consecutive days. He said that on a talk show and when he did, half the audience went, wow! I wondered if anyone else in the world had ever done that and if I would ever have the guts to do it. 

Going out alone is of course, more anxiety provoking for the average person then going out with another person. If you keep going for even two weeks, that would, like another poster said make for very read-worthy blog content. Maybe you could take a picture of yourself or have someone else take it at some of your stops. 

An ultimate exposure therapy!


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

Didn't get much else done this weekend. I was at Taco Bell and got a chicken quesadilla that was way overcooked. I was able to go back and ask the manager for another one. That one wasn't very good either, but at least I tried. :roll

I'll try to do a new place for lunch tomorrow. I don't have any New Years plans unless my friend invites me, and he might be just staying home.

I think I'm getting more mentally prepared for tougher situations (bigger crowds, making requests, etc). I'm not exactly looking forward to it, but my mind is more prepared for it.

I go back to work right after New Years and then I'm going to be extremely busy. Hopefully I can do 2 or 3 outings this week.



mcgilicutty said:


> If you keep going for even two weeks, that would, like another poster said make for very read-worthy blog content. Maybe you could take a picture of yourself or have someone else take it at some of your stops.


Thank you for the comment. I wish I could do a blog but I think it would be confusing and not very "inspirational" for people who don't understand. I think I have exactly the right audience with this thread, for now. Heck, I'm not sure I even understand what I'm doing...

A bit of self-criticism here. I probably could've driven to any random coffee shop and been halfway done with my drink, in the time it took to write this post.


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*December 31, 2012* - Mexican joint

Went to a place that's within closest walking distance of my apartment. It's one of those where it's really more like a sports bar inside and all the employees are white college kids. It was lunchtime and I didn't have much of a problem being there alone.

Food was not great, I would only go back for happy hour and appetizers.


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## Coastal (Aug 5, 2012)

Cool thread, and a great idea! I would like to try this. Do you find that with your age it feels awkward being at a bar alone? For some reason the only people I picture alone in bars are disgruntled men in their 50s-60s.


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## identitycrisis (Sep 18, 2011)

I kinda want to try this too. I'm only worried about how expensive it might be as it adds up, plus I've never been to a bar by myself (nervous about that one).


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*January 5, 2013* - North side coffee shop

This was an independent style coffee shop not too far from my neighborhood. I tried to go here to study once before but it was a busy night and I got too overwhelmed.

This night was pretty medium traffic. It has a very "college" feel, a bunch of small groups just sitting around and talking. I brought my laptop to do some work but I felt like I would've stuck out too much, so I just sat around for a while and finished my drink. It probably wouldn't have been a big deal if I worked on my laptop, though.


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

Cost issues - I'm doing well enough I can afford to do this. Look at it this way, it's cheaper than traveling ($300+ for a plane ticket, plus hotel, etc). I want to go on some trips, but what's the point if I can't even explore my own neighborhood.

I believe you have to do whatever's necessary to adapt to your situation. If you're a college student you probably have lots of things catered to students you can do for free or cheap. If you're not in school, or your school doesn't give you any opportunities, then there are other things you can do, you just have to figure out what will work.

Bars - I just play it off that I'm waiting for someone, or I'm there to watch a game on TV, or I'm here on a trip, or I'm new in town (which is still kind of true). No one has really bothered me or confronted me yet. I'm basically ignored by all people (which is how it's going to be 95% of the time, if you're a guy). At one place when I was on my way out, the door girl said "you're not leaving, are you?" and I just said "oh, I just had a change of plans" and she said "oh okay, have a good night". 

I know a couple guys who are used to going out to bars all the time, alone or not, but they're basically alcoholics...


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*January 6, 2013* - Starbucks #3

Still looking for a place where I can relax and get work done on my laptop.

Not much to say about this one, it was a short trip. The other Starbucks stores I went to were more frequented by students. This one had a mix of high school girls and well dressed professional types. I had go outside to find any place to sit and then the glare was too bad to do anything on my laptop.


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## Zeeshan (Sep 4, 2011)

mountain5 said:


> *January 6, 2013* - Starbucks #3
> 
> Still looking for a place where I can relax and get work done on my laptop.
> 
> Not much to say about this one, it was a short trip. The other Starbucks stores I went to were more frequented by students. This one had a mix of high school girls and well dressed professional types. I had go outside to find any place to sit and then the glare was too bad to do anything on my laptop.


this is what really bothers me about Starbucks, the high school students. Somebody has go to open a 19+ coffee shop


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*January 7, 2013* - North side indie coffee shop #2

Decided to make a coffee run and there was only one place open this late.

To my surprise, it was pretty much dead. There was a middle aged couple there. I think they were on a first date or something. No one else was around, except a minute before I left, some college-looking girl came in with her laptop.

If it's always like on that on weeknights, I might have found my new place to work online. The inside was nice, not fantastic, but nice.


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## Xanatos32 (Dec 28, 2012)

I've been thinking of doing something similar, but it would have to be more sporadic since there are only two bars in my small town and neither are my type. 

I know of one good place, but I'm not sure how to pull off sitting there for any length of time. I miss living in Europe sitting in the plazas watching people. Nothing like that here in the U.S. 

Not really sure how people meet here. My town is so full of military men and mostly the women who go after them. I lived in a big city years ago, but I was too ****ing stupid not to try something like this. I tried different restaurants, but with my anxiety, I often would eat my meal in 15 minutes and be needing to go home to decompress. 

Wish I could feel energized going out.


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*January 9, 2013* - Indian diner

I picked out this place at random while I was running an errand. I thought it was going to be a formal sit down style restaurant, but it was more casual (you order and pay at the cash register and then they bring out your food). It was busy but still plenty of open spots. I noticed there were a bunch of pairs and groups of women of various ages, then a mere handful of couples and other single guys. I wondered what's up with that.

Not much to say, it was pretty good service and I think it was a good find.


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*January 10, 2013* - South side Coffee Bean #1

Stopped by this place real quick while I was running some errands. For some reason they were running some kind of sale and the drink I wanted was only 50 cents, instead of paying 4 bucks for it. Not much else to say. I didn't have time to finish it because I was in a rush. Still counting this, though.


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*January 11, 2013* - South side indie coffee shop

Posting this on my phone. It's a little hard to manage the form input, but I'll deal. I installed a private browsing app so I can visit sites like SAS without everyone who ever borrows my phone knowing about it.


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## Zeeshan (Sep 4, 2011)

Tapatalk bro 

Good job!


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*January 14, 2013* - Mexican diner

There's a place by the highway near where I live, in kind of a strip mall area. This was another "order at the counter" place, not fast food, but not very formal either.

It was not too busy, most of the customers were people with kids (sigh). Food was not great. I don't see myself ever going back there to eat, but they advertised a pretty good happy hour special, so who knows.

Nothing too exciting today. Just another step on the road.


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## tk123 (Jun 27, 2012)

Good job buddy, I like your style. I think exposure is the only effective therapy, everything else is indirect nonsense. Keep up the good work!


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*January 16, 2013* - Starbucks #4

You got it, another Starbucks. This was pretty busy for being 9:30 at night, I couldn't get a good place to sit and had to take a stool. Not a bad place to relax, otherwise.


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

tk123 said:


> Good job buddy, I like your style. I think exposure is the only effective therapy, everything else is indirect nonsense. Keep up the good work!


Thanks, friend.


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## yellowpop (Jan 16, 2013)

damn goodluck man!!!!!!!!


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

I don't have any updates this weekend. I am going to try to get back on track this week.


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## litare (Oct 22, 2012)

This is so awesome. You may have just inspired me to do the same with just coffee shops. I wish I could work up the nerve to go to more bars/see more music. I've been living here for years but have never really been to many of them.


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*Wednesday, January 23, 2013* - Sushi joint

I met up with someone IRL tonight. We were going to go to a Thai restaurant but the building was closed for repairs. So we ended up going with plan B. It was a sushi & noodles place, kind of like fast food, but a lot fancier than Panda Express. I'm not used to that style of food but it was quite good, I might go back on my own.


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## ryobi (Jan 13, 2009)

tk123 said:


> Good job buddy, I like your style. I think exposure is the only effective therapy, everything else is indirect nonsense. Keep up the good work!


Good Point. I agree.


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*Monday, January 28, 2013* - Sushi joint #2

The place I went to last week has another location closer to my apartment. I really needed to get back in my rhythm, so I just went there. This store was smaller and more cramped, but still not a lot of people so I didn't have to worry about sitting near anyone. I picked a different dish that seemed to have no taste whatsoever...but it was probably really low fat.

I'm at a coffee shop now, it feels nice to get out for a while...


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

Some things are going on and I'm going to be really tight on time and money for the next month or so. Nothing really bad, it's just going to take a little while to get through. So I'm probably going to put this thread on a freeze for February...but I might end up doing a couple things anyway and posting updates. We'll see.


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*February 3, 2013* - Mall Starbucks

I had to make a trip to the mall and I saw a Starbucks...so I decided to strike another off my list.

Not very interesting, there were some couples, some high school kids, and a mother with a little kid who kept jumping around and yelling in the store. Why??

I just passed the time reading stuff on facebook with my phone.


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## Cileroot (Mar 6, 2012)

Been following your progress, now I'm wondering, when are you going to make a summary of your progress so far? 

How much has project 300 already helped you? Does it feel natural to go to a coffee shop, sit there, minding your own business? Or do you still get tensed up over going? And how much do you have to convince yourself to not quit (if at all)?


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## starburst (Feb 5, 2013)

Its definitely good to get out and about. I think sitting at home can be very unhealthy especially for someone with SAD, or someone living alone.

In some ways being alone is better than group activities because you are the one in charge and decide what you will do, and see the world through your own eyes. It can be more lonely being in the company of others than being on your own, depending on what wavelength you and they are on.

As for me I can go out for a drink alone, but restaurants I could not touch, unless very quiet (though I am not an alki, only a fairly light drinker).

I find I am happier when more active, and I am almost starting to dislike being at home at times.

Especially when you are young you definitely need to be getting out quite frequently -its a waste of your life not to.

Keep up the good work - bravo!


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## SandyInfinity (Feb 7, 2013)

uhm i went to the beach and was so sad there all i did was look at the water and 
then recently i went to the zoo, it was fun but at the exit i became kinda sad


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

Cileroot said:


> Been following your progress, now I'm wondering, when are you going to make a summary of your progress so far?
> 
> How much has project 300 already helped you? Does it feel natural to go to a coffee shop, sit there, minding your own business? Or do you still get tensed up over going? And how much do you have to convince yourself to not quit (if at all)?


Thanks for following.

I feel like I've barely started. Going to coffee shops does not push my comfort zone very much, but it's a way to disrupt my routine. It's better than doing nothing.

It's a double edged emotional sword. Sometimes I enjoy people watching; sometimes it just gets me down and feeling bad about my own situation. That can make me really feel like staying home. I thought I'd have made more progress by now.

The reason I don't quit is that I never gave myself a deadline. I'll keep posting in this thread for a couple years if I have to. Sometimes I'm really just too busy, but I think I can make bursts of progress now and then. I can also forget about this for a few days, when I need to.


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## mountain5 (May 22, 2008)

*February 13, 2013* - Chinese buffet #2

I've tried to go to a couple different places but I backed out. So I took a softball just to break my routine. I really thought this was an American style diner like Old Country Buffet, but it's an Asian joint. The servers were friendly but the food was average at best and it took forever to get my check. Not much else to say about this one.

I might lay low for a few more days until all the Valentine's stuff blows over...


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