Can I get that novel with soy milk?

I love to write and edit at Starbucks. I know it's a waste of money. I know I should prefer my local independent artisanal hipster fair trade coffee shop, man, but that's a fifteen minute drive and has questionable WiFi. There are few things I enjoy more than pulling out the laptop or tablet at the closest Starbucks, setting it up next to a caffeine and sugar delivery system, and getting down to work. So why do I love it so much?

1) I have a terrible sweet tooth

I love sugar. I love carbs. By a stroke of genetic luck, I'm still skinny. Of course, I also have Lupus, so maybe that wasn't really a winning ticket in the genetic lottery after all. Anyway, I try not to go too overboard (only two pumps of sweetener, please), but I do love a scone or chocolate croissant to go with my creativity. I had a green smoothie for breakfast, so it's cool, right?

2) Home is too distracting. Starbucks is just distracting enough.

Starbucks may be bustling, but there's no laundry to do there. No dishwasher to empty. No dinner to prep. No bills to pay. No garbage cans to roll to the curb. No children's torn clothes to mend. No floor to sweep. There is just me, the computer, my characters, and a bunch of strangers who won't bother me. The music and people coming and going are just the right amount of background stimulation for me.

3) My local Starbucks is the best

No, for real. Starbucks #6532 is the best one I've ever been to, and it's less than half a mile from my house. The drinks are always perfect. The people are super nice, and they are really good at their jobs. The place is always clean, including the bathrooms. The music is never too loud. The parking lot isn't too crazy. The WiFi always works. They've never poisoned my dairy allergic child. Pretty much the perfect Starbucks experience every time.

4) Seeing/Spying on my fellow humans

Being a stay-at-home mom can be isolating. So can being a writer. Thus, I find being around other adults energizing even if we're not interacting all that much. Also, people do an interesting variety of things at Starbucks: dates, job interviews, meetings, catching up with friends, snacks with the kids, etc. It's kind of fun to see what other people are up to, and it's all grist for the inspiration mill.

I suppose I will continue being a cog in the corporate machine and do a fair bit of my creating at the neighborhood Starbucks. I don't drink, smoke, or do drugs, so I guess a frappuccino and a petite vanilla scone or three isn't the end of the world.

Read my novel, She Dies at the End, available for on Amazon Kindle.

Sick Day Reflections

Here are a few moments of gratitude resulting from my child's recent (minor) illness.

1) Thank goodness for my husband

My dear husband fetched Gatorade.  He got me two hours to myself outside the house when my cabin fever set in.  He got up at 2 am to dose the child.  He got me naps.  He entertained Mr. Cranky McFeverpants.  MVP right here.

2) Thank goodness for the DVR and YouTube and smartphones

Those screentime limits go out the window when the thermometer hits 103.  Yay for having hours of cartoons stored away and/or available on the internet.  Chromecast for the win.

3) Thank goodness for pharmaceuticals

Motrin and Tylenol: two great tastes that taste great together.

4) Thank goodness for plumbing and running water

Stomach bug.  Enough said.

5) Thank goodness for the Target dollar section

That last day, when they're mostly better but can't go to school yet, those cheap art projects and activity books are lifesavers.  Yay for stickers and coloring and card games.

6) Thank goodness for snuggles

Snuggles are the best medicine, for caregiver and sick one alike.

Of course, all of these things I'm grateful for have something in common: they rely on my husband's employment.  He has the kind of job that allows him to run by Rite Aid during lunch or go into work a little late without getting in trouble.  He has the kind of job where he makes enough money that I can run to get him from school the moment a virus rears its ugly head, stay home and snuggle with him as much as he wants, and keep him home as many days as necessary.  My husband makes enough money that I can grab some fun stuff from the store just because and not worry.  He has the kind of job that has good family health insurance.  And I am beyond grateful.

I am acutely aware of the fact that this is not most people's reality.  That's why we need things like paid sick days (shout out to my cousin at PathwaysPA), the Affordable Care Act, and a decent minimum wage.  Being able to care for your sick children shouldn't be a luxury of the few.