Creating Space

Side Note: This month, the blog is turning into some sort of writer's tutorial. Unintentional. But since I'm spending a lot of time writing, then it makes sense that all of my energies are going in that direction.


I'm at Starbucks right now. In Pasadena.

I live in Burbank, which is about 11 miles away. This is a part of my ritual. Especially on a day like today, when I got a late start. The boyfriend just got back from Palm Springs and I got trapped in the love wrap. We call it Pretzel Time. It just feels so good and I haven't seen him in a few days. So I needed my Pretzel Time.

We had lunch together, but then I had to get started with the writing today. So I got in the car and started heading on the 134 to Pasadena. This is what I call creating space. I'm separating myself from the earlier part of my day. This is the equivalent of putting my "thinking cap" on. I'm getting into my Writer Zone. It's the same thing I do when I go on the 5 1/2 hour drive to Santa Clara to teach or to work on projects. I don't talk to anyone. It's my Transition Time.

Isn't it funny how we have to section off time and name it something? This is another way of creating space. Okay, now I'm going to go from this activity to this activity. But it's a great way of honoring ourselves. I'm writing now. I'm in the Writer Zone. I'm at work now. It's my way of Clocking In.

I got to Starbucks and immediately staked my claim on a spot. I plugged in my computer. There were many loud conversations going on. Some people treating this like it's social hour. Some people treating this like their living room or their car: they are on the phone. So I get my iPod out and plug in. Creating more space because people keep wanting to come into my personal space.

Then I get my tea. I sit back down. I look at the computer. I have 40 pages. I have to figure out how to get out of this scene. I write for about 10 minutes. Then I get to the end of the scene. One page later. My eyelids are heavy. But I can't leave. I created this space! I need to stay in it for a bit longer.

I could go on Facebook right now. Or Perez Hilton. Or Entertainment Weekly. Those are my go-to sites. But I open up my blog. And I start blogging. I start warming up my fingers. Then I blog about warming up my fingers.

Okay, that blog is done. I can still hear voices. I turn the volume up on my iPod.

Then I start another blog. Called "Creating Space." And here we are. Continuing to create space and keep all of the Space Invaders away. Kids on Spring Break unsupervised by parents. Annoying suburbanites. Other people who are using this as their office so they don't have to rent office space. Gosh, I hope this isn't the Starbucks in the area that's test marketing alcohol. The last thing I need are Drunk Space Invaders orbiting around me as I'm just trying to get some honest work done.

(sigh)

(Typetypetypetypetypetypetypetypetype.)