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2/22/2010

Monday Meanders 2-22

I met up with Fred Saturday morning at a Howard Johnson's cafe on the Near North Side of Chicago. He and a boyhood friend of his were in Chicago for the weekend and we had a chance to sit for a while and get to know one another - IRL.
Fred (left) and me.  My, oh my, do I look fat!!

Today, it seems, Old Man Winter wants to come back for one last shot at having a party at our expense. But Hah! The snow blower sits at the ready and we all know that the Cubs are coming in a little over a month so try hard, Old Man - but your time is almost up!! And just knowing that is enough to get us through this.

For those of you who are reading Sarah - I had no idea Mackey was going to show up in Nevada. This is going to be interesting.

I may start splitting the weekend between Sarah and Gwalchmei. I think it's time to go back there, to Gwalchmei, but I don't want to slow down with Sarah. It just means that each episode will be twice as long as they tend to be now.

Not this coming weekend, though. I'm staying close to Sarah for at least this week - and probably next week, as well. As they say - we'll see.

Speaking of Sarah .... I am discovering the limits of acceptable environments in which to write. I wanted to get out of the house for a while on Friday, so I took my laptop and went to Barnes & Noble, where they have free WiFi. I sat in the cafe, put on my headphones and drank some hot chocolate while listening to music on my iPod Touch and working on the weekend episodes of Sarah. Too many chatty people make it very hard to maintain the mood. Too many chatty people destroy the chain of thought quicker than naked women walking by. Because if I'm focused, I might not SEE the naked women walking by - but with so many chatty people nearby, it's impossible to avoid all the noise. Of course, I would WANT to see the naked lady - and I would if I were having trouble establishing focus, but ... this is going nowhere quickly. Let it suffice to say - the next time I want to get out of hte house, I'll go to the library. No chatty people. Nor naked ladies, more's the pity.

Ndinombethe.

14 comments:

Zoeyjane said...

I think you need to start looking for a new library. I get some of my most productive work done at a coffeeshop with free wifi. There's always a bit of buzz, but not as much as at a bookstore, and without the third distraction (of music), I tend to be able to hyper-zoom into my task list. Just sayin - maybe try a quieter coffee place, and nix the music?

Jientje said...

You've met fred! How wonderful!
It 'll be interesting to see where you are going to take the Sarah story next. But you're going to have to recap the knights story a little for us I'm afraid, it's been a while.

Big Mark 243 said...

Interesting opinion on finding a space to write. Lately I have been struggling finding a proper venue to sit down and write. It is hard for me to concentrate at home when my SFC is home, even when she grants me my space.

But out in the world as it were, I can concentrate better even with the 'buzz' of the people going on around me. I am aware that some writers need to be completely isolated to write. For me, that kind of silence is hard to come by, creatively speaking.

I wonder if I was able to 'go in a cabin' and write, if I would bring back something more in line with 'Invisible Man' or the Unabomber's manifesto!

Nan Sheppard said...

I know that Mackey is Jake's friend, it was just... so surprising!

If you're doing anything at a cafe, you need to develop an unfriendly scowl. You just look too nice and approachable, that's all!

Love the T-Shirt, and perhaps we could lobby for naked ladies? Naked people in general? I'm all for nakedness, it makes less laundry.

moneythoughts said...

I know after this winter is over I need to get back on my bike and start getting myself back into shape. It is too easy to do nothing in the winter for me. Enjoyed meeting you and will send up another t-shirt when I get home.

Myst_72 said...

Love the photo Lou :)

G
xx

Miss Ash said...

Thank you for making me cackle out loud.

Maggie Moo said...

I don't think I've seen that many "naked ladies" in the same place ever! LOL!!!

tracey.becker1@gmail.com said...

Now, naked ladies in a library? I wonder if you could make Lou any happier than that??

Unknown said...

Zoeyjane: I always use music when I write - it's the people buzz that I find distracting.

Jientje: Oh, I will.

Big Mark 243: My vote is "Invisible Man".

Nan: Glad you like the T shirt.

Moneythoughts: Thank you, Fred. I enjoyed meeting you, as well.

Myst_72: Thank you, my lovely Gina.

Miss Ash: Cackle? You cackle? I thought, perhaps, a gentle titter. But cackle?

Mags: Where? Where?

Tracey: Well, yes .. but I can't discuss that here.

Nicole said...

I have some serious catching up to do on Sarah, but no prob :)
And I'm looking forward to read about that wonderful knight again :)

I would prefer the naked woman over chatty people too ;)

Unknown said...

You are so funny.

I just read that your city has free admission to all museums on monday and tuesday. How great is that?

Coal Miner's Granddaughter said...

Well, if you send me the address of the library, then maybe...

Oh, never mind. ;)

Holly said...

You are living my dream! Meeting someone IRL. Writing in a cafe while drinking hot chocolate. Ahhh....