My school field trip day extended and I decided that I wanted to recreate school story hour too. It was another jump into the car because I have some new goals for 2025. One goal is to read and finish the piles of paper bound books I have stacked up at home. The second was to find a cozy reading corner.
So, I braved the forecast of snow and set out to Barnes & Noble again. Yesterday, I didn’t have time to try the cafe inside. This one looked more spacious than some other ones I’ve seen around me. The lighting wasn’t florescent either but did it pass the sound test?
I’ve tried working and studying in different spots around the Twin Cities but sometimes the whistling of the coffee maker, the high hum of the coolers, and the too close tables of chatter made it the worst place to focus on reading or writing. I’m not one of those who thrived in too much noise when I wanted to get something done.
Why not give it a try? One coffee order later and I sat down to open my book without the headphones. Not too close to other conversations and close enough to one of the soft yellow lamps on the wall. I heard conversations on the other side of the cafe area but it wasn’t too loud. Was I able to concentrate for a while?
The coffee grinder was far enough away. The empty tables closest to me helped and my eyes didn’t wander too many times from the pages when people walked past. Most of the sound drowned out while I read the new book from the other day, Yeonnam-Dong’s Smiley Laundromat.
Maybe being surrounded by books and coffee returned me to that happy place long enough to help me tolerate distractions. I managed to get through over a hundred pages in a limited amount of time.
I don’t know if this will become my regular spot but I gave it a try. Try is all I can do. I don’t want to turn into a complete hermit. Is it wrong to dream of a place that’s not too noisy, filled with books, and treats?
Honestly, I feel like a restless cat. Yes, sometimes go out to people watching or eavesdrop for writing prompts. Other times, I want quiet. Is it wrong to want a place outside of home where I can read, write, or draw without getting distracted by grinding appliances, or people telling each other things I might not want to hear?
Some days I want to go out in my creative bubble, be surrounded by other living beings, but be left alone at the same time. Does that make sense?
Well, the adventures here will continue as I search around the Twin Cities. Let me know if can relate or have any good suggestions. Let’s hope goal meter continues to move.
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