One of my favorite things to do is write. That can't be done in a group setting, with children running wildly screaming behind me. Hard to do outdoors with the rain and wind attacking my laptop. After all, I live in Seattle.
After hours of writing, editing and reading all things about the world on the Internet, I stop and check for signs of life around me.
I'm single. Kids have grown up and moved on. The characters of the story are safely tucked into their filing beds. The cat has grown used to my sudden interactions and has learned to sleep most of the day.
I am all alone. At the end of the day, my neighbors want their privacy. A pet or the TV just isn't enough for me. An hour long phone call to a friend or family member only does so much for me.
Writing is a great job for people who prefer to work entirely by themselves. Or if you just have an obsession with creating a book.
What if you are a people person, or you just have to be around another human?
Well, if you're anything like me, you can find comfort at a coffee shop.
I like to head out to the local Starbucks, take a book, and watch the people come and go. After reading all day, I may not even read more than a few pages.
Sometimes I stop at my grocery store's bistro setting, a food court popular among locals and spot someone I haven't seen in awhile. Anywhere there is people traffic and the aroma of roasted coffee beans.
And I am not the only one. People watching at the local coffee shop while attempting to read the newspaper, study, take a break from long distance driving, avoiding work or family or any other excuse to head over to Starbucks is the American answer to the outdoor Paris cafe.
Unlike the local bar where a single woman may be looked at as a potential conquest, the coffee shop has an air of business and professionalism that makes it a safe place to be while fulfilling the need to be close to other humans when your friends and family members aren't available.
Who knows, maybe I will meet another lonely writer and we can share notes.
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