I'm not one of those writers that writes well at home. I get too distracted by the dust bunnies--killer or not--the yard that needs to be mowed, and the flowers that need to be put to bed.As many loyal readers may have realized, my favorite place is my local B&N Cafe where the baristas know my order and call me by name.
A number of years ago, I loved the airport. I live just over the river and down a couple of roads from Portland International Airport (PDX)--see Mt. Hood in the distance?
Tuesday morning I took my daughter to the airport at 4 a.m. We had a quick coffee, croissant, and maple bar at the Beaverton Bakery and then she was ready to head to her gate.
I hate what the terrorists have done to our airport experience. Its bad enough that I can't stay with my daughter until she boards, but I can't watch her plane taxi off and take to the air.
I used to come to the airport to write. I loved the hubbub around me--excited faces of those leaving for vacation, the wearied relief of those returning home and the at-the-gate reunions. And after bidding Kristen adieu, I took a table in the almost vacant food court.
Pre 9-11, the food court tables overlooked the tarmac and a window seat was actually a window seat. I could watch the planes arrive and depart, running parallel with the Columbia River until the wings engaged and they took flight.
I imagined exotic locations, feeling alive with hope, wonder, and possibility.
Now, post 9-11, a window seat in the food courts looks over a breezway that borders the tarmac. And vaguely through the well-lit hall and low clouds--I am in Portland, after all--I can see the spector of a plane.
And you know what, it's just not the same.
PS--my parking bill for about two hours was nine bucks!! That's twice my bar bill at B&N.
ReplyDeleteMe favorite place to write has always been my home office. It's also the place I like to read. My second favorite place is a hotel room. Something about these rooms always make me want to break out the laptop.
ReplyDeleteI'm close to that, Shawn--my favorite place is the dining room downstairs in the hotel. In the morning before anyone else is up. The coffee's already done, the juice is out, but the only other people there are other women with laptops. Ahhh...
ReplyDeleteMy only place to writs is in my office, the living room. I can't imagine going anywhere else. Cool idea, though....
ReplyDeleteI can write at home - as long as bebe isn't around! I've been loving my mornings at McD's or Starbucks, tho...very productive!
ReplyDeleteI write better at home. I have a comfy chair, all the diet Coke I need and I can stretch when my neck starts to ache. It also helps when my husband takes my boys fishing for a few hours or something like that.
ReplyDeleteI have found that waiting for my son's practice or the twenty minutes or so between dropping my son off for school and when my part time job starts is a great time to go back over what I've written and edit/proofread.