Barnes&Noble Writing
Here I am sipping a perfectly lovely cappucino at Barnes & Noble, where I've settled in as part of my continuing quest for that perfect writing space, the one that will inspire me to finish the short story I've been working on. I hope to perfect my "show, don't tell" technique and produce a literary work that also appeals to the masses. Not that the masses read short stories. Do they? Who exactly are the masses anyway? Karl Marx said religion is the opium of the masses. Does that mean my exercise instructor is part of the masses (see previous post)?
But back to writing. Originally I planned to go hang out at our newly renovated public library, which lacks a cappucino maker but more than adequately compensates with its comfortable writing space and free internet access. Not wireless, mind you, but I recognize that it will not kill me to walk ten feet to one of their computers. I only nixed the library idea because I have to get my writing done AND all my grocery shopping in the a.m. But since the library and the grocery store are about 15 miles apart, with home being smack in between, the library didn't make logistical sense. With the SUV as my sole mode of transportation and gasoline hovering at $2.50 a gallon, it made fiscal and environmental sense to somehow combine the two tasks. So I headed north toward the grocery store where there was sure to be a Starbucks nearby. In my wallet sits a partially used Starbucks gift card so I wouldn't be spending anything more than I would have at the library and I've found I can write at Starbucks, as long as the door doesn't keep opening and closing and blowing cold air on me. So if I could just find a Starbucks, I could nourish my craving to write as well as satisfy my yen for caffeine.
I began to think as I proceeded north, hmmm, where exactly is there a Starbucks in the vicinity of the grocery store? I may have passed one on the way but the only one I could think of was way over on 228. I didn't feel like fighting traffic. That's when I saw Barnes & Noble, and I remembered how good their cappucino is, and thought about how I could browse in the bargain book section, where I usually have luck finding some nugget of literature I've been meaning to read. Found a great parking spot (it's early in the day so the shoppers have not yet turned out in force) and went in. Immediately found a book that looks promising--something called "The Wife" by Meg Wolitzer (described as "a rolicking, perfectly pitched triumph..." by the L.A. Times...I can read it at the gym)--for a mere $4.98. Used fortitude to stop myself from also picking up "World War I Poems" and "Pere Goriot". They'd look good on my bookshelf but it's already brimming over with classics I've picked up here and there with only the best intentions of improving my mind but haven't gotten around to actually opening.
So anyway, I proceeded to the cafe and ordered my cappucino (it is damn good by the way! Hot and frothy and so perfect with 1 1/2 packets of sugar in the raw) I must say I am very comfortable writing here at my table for four. Only drawback is the man at the next table who seems to be conducting his whole business day from his cell phone, quite loudly. When he really gets going he wanders around the room as he talks. Does he really want all the strangers sitting here in Barnes & Noble to know all about his business dealings? Too bad it's not a video conference. At least then he might look good as he yammers on. Instead he's wearing a ball cap, a gray NFL licensed sweatshirt, baggy jeans and leather shoes of some kind. It's actually rather surprising that he's not wearing sneakers with this ensemble. Maybe he figured since it's a work day he'd dress it up a little. Very little.
Hey there's a hiatus in his calling at this moment. Maybe he finished plowing through his rolodex. I can't complain too much though. It's a public place and not a library so I guess he can blab on as long and as loud as he likes. I just can't figure out why he'd want to. Would his clients/associates/bosses want him to be broadcasting business that way? I doubt it.
Does this count as writing writing? It's amazing the word count I can produce when I'm annoyed about something. Now if I can just apply that principle to my fiction....
But back to writing. Originally I planned to go hang out at our newly renovated public library, which lacks a cappucino maker but more than adequately compensates with its comfortable writing space and free internet access. Not wireless, mind you, but I recognize that it will not kill me to walk ten feet to one of their computers. I only nixed the library idea because I have to get my writing done AND all my grocery shopping in the a.m. But since the library and the grocery store are about 15 miles apart, with home being smack in between, the library didn't make logistical sense. With the SUV as my sole mode of transportation and gasoline hovering at $2.50 a gallon, it made fiscal and environmental sense to somehow combine the two tasks. So I headed north toward the grocery store where there was sure to be a Starbucks nearby. In my wallet sits a partially used Starbucks gift card so I wouldn't be spending anything more than I would have at the library and I've found I can write at Starbucks, as long as the door doesn't keep opening and closing and blowing cold air on me. So if I could just find a Starbucks, I could nourish my craving to write as well as satisfy my yen for caffeine.
I began to think as I proceeded north, hmmm, where exactly is there a Starbucks in the vicinity of the grocery store? I may have passed one on the way but the only one I could think of was way over on 228. I didn't feel like fighting traffic. That's when I saw Barnes & Noble, and I remembered how good their cappucino is, and thought about how I could browse in the bargain book section, where I usually have luck finding some nugget of literature I've been meaning to read. Found a great parking spot (it's early in the day so the shoppers have not yet turned out in force) and went in. Immediately found a book that looks promising--something called "The Wife" by Meg Wolitzer (described as "a rolicking, perfectly pitched triumph..." by the L.A. Times...I can read it at the gym)--for a mere $4.98. Used fortitude to stop myself from also picking up "World War I Poems" and "Pere Goriot". They'd look good on my bookshelf but it's already brimming over with classics I've picked up here and there with only the best intentions of improving my mind but haven't gotten around to actually opening.
So anyway, I proceeded to the cafe and ordered my cappucino (it is damn good by the way! Hot and frothy and so perfect with 1 1/2 packets of sugar in the raw) I must say I am very comfortable writing here at my table for four. Only drawback is the man at the next table who seems to be conducting his whole business day from his cell phone, quite loudly. When he really gets going he wanders around the room as he talks. Does he really want all the strangers sitting here in Barnes & Noble to know all about his business dealings? Too bad it's not a video conference. At least then he might look good as he yammers on. Instead he's wearing a ball cap, a gray NFL licensed sweatshirt, baggy jeans and leather shoes of some kind. It's actually rather surprising that he's not wearing sneakers with this ensemble. Maybe he figured since it's a work day he'd dress it up a little. Very little.
Hey there's a hiatus in his calling at this moment. Maybe he finished plowing through his rolodex. I can't complain too much though. It's a public place and not a library so I guess he can blab on as long and as loud as he likes. I just can't figure out why he'd want to. Would his clients/associates/bosses want him to be broadcasting business that way? I doubt it.
Does this count as writing writing? It's amazing the word count I can produce when I'm annoyed about something. Now if I can just apply that principle to my fiction....
posted by calabresewoman | 10:09 AM
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