Coffee Shop Chaos—D.M.K. Ruby
I can picture you in your kitchen so clearly, a hot drink or a glass of wine near at hand, the quiet hum of the refrigerator providing white noise as you generate yet another fascinating story. Alas, if left alone in my kitchen, I am rummaging in the snack drawer, or distracted by the dishes, or suddenly realizing I must use up the sad carrots in the fridge and launch into making a carrot lentil soup.
In the coffee shop, there is nowhere to go and nothing else to do but write. The background noise blankets the chaos of my mind and lets me focus on the writing. I put on my headphones and press play on one of several records that always trigger my brain to start writing (I’ll put the list in another blog), set my timer for 25 minutes and I’m off. I also find the coffee shop a great place to hear conversations (why is “eavesdrop” filled with such negative connotations??? You’re talking loudly in a public space, how am I meant to resist listening? Thank you for coming to my TED Talk). Where else would I learn that not every college student believes in hand towels or facecloths – yes, I once heard one arguing that you only need one towel for everything. No kitchen towel to dry your dishes? No problem, use the bath towel. Need to dry your hands after using the toilet? That’s what the bath towel is for - it took almost my ENTIRE frontal lobe to not turn around and argue with them. You know that character is going to make an appearance in a story somewhere down the line!
During the pandemic, I was in the lucky position of having space for a home office and after innumerable Zoom meetings, I was starting to associate the space with work rather than creativity. I want to be the person who can write consistently in my home office, but there are so many distractions, my puzzle table, online banking, YouTube videos, the list is endless. Since MG Sondraal has been hosting morning writing sessions on Zoom, I have joined in sometimes, if possible before work, and somehow, during these sessions I can work on stories, but I think it helps that there are time constraints. In the evening, I feel like I have several hours so I might as well finish listening to a podcast while working on a puzzle before I start writing. Or call the friend I’ve been meaning to connect with for months for a few minutes. Suddenly, it’s 11pm and time to brush my teeth and go to bed.
During the pandemic, I couldn’t concentrate enough to finish my NaNoWriMo attempt in 2020 and there were no coffee shops open to write in really until 2022. I made do by going to the dining table, away from the office, and writing with my back to the kitchen. I learned that I CAN write for long periods at home. But I would rather be at a coffee shop. The small city I live in has a paucity of coffee shops open in the evening so when I’m retired, I’m looking forward to writing at a time when my favourite writing environment is open and available. Did I mention I love writing with others, which I’m now recognizing is a form of parallel play in the ADHD parlance? MGS knows that I love writing in her living room with her there writing on the opposite couch, the burning wood crackling in her fireplace. So, if invited, I might just show up at your kitchen table to write in the same room as you. Kidding! Or not.
D.M.K. Ruby