Into the Coffee House

So I had an inspiring moment the other day which resulted in five pages of good writing (at least I think so because the story moved in the direction I needed it to). Anyway, this moment came over a beer (or 3) at a local bar. And yes I regularly take my laptop to bars and write. Its just one of the things I do. Anyway, at that time the words flowed easily. I didn’t have to force anything or even try to think as paragraphs formed at my fingertips. It was one of those perfect writing moments. The only thing which could’ve made it better would be the lack of Karoke singing in my ears.

(Why do people who can’t sing feel the need to express their lack of talent in public? – well, that’s another blog entry.)

The following morning, however, I try to recapture that moment, that ease of which my fingers danced across the keyboard, but I had no such look. In fact, I could only stare at the ending of the previous night’s paragraph dumbfounded. This is not to say it wasn’t good, but rather my thoughts couldn’t pick up where I’d left off. So after five minutes of trying to regain the moment and failing miserably, I decided to check my email, facebook, yahoo, and the half-dozen other sites I regularly venture too.

Now, a couple hours later, I realize my mistake. No beer…. and maybe no coffee either. I’m a two cup of joe a day type of guy. One right when I get up and another about two hours later. In fact, if I forget my coffee for some unseen reason, a headache ensues around 10am. Yes, I’m addicted and I know it, but I don’t care.

Now back to the point. Coffee (or beer) makes me comfortable. It’s like mom’s cooking. It’s familiar. It sets me at ease. It somehow brings the world into alignment. Most of all, it’s relaxing and provides a sense of security. I realize I need this to write. This is not to say I need peace and quiet, but rather a feeling of ease. Without it, without coffee or beer handy, my writing seems forced. It doesn’t flow. It’s abrupt.

So with me, it’s not the comfort of a location I need in order to write, but rather the feeling of comfort no matter the setting.

One other thing. Because I tend to write in what people consider to be odd locations like an airport or bar or as a passenger in a car, you should know I can be interrupted, but please only do so when I look up from the keyboard. This usually happens when I need another Grande Skinny Hazelnut No-Foam Latte. Now be a gem and bring me one, here’s my card.