Notes from a Seattle coffee shop

View of downtown from Queen Anne

Today I went to a coffee shop in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle. I had work to do and wanted a place with no distractions. It sounds counterintuitive, going to a noisy cafe, but there is something about being away from home. I find it easier to focus.

I worked, but I also listened. I know I am not supposed to eavesdrop, but I am new here, and I am curious.

El Diablo Coffee Co. on Queen Anne Ave.

I heard a lot in the space of an hour and a half - a conversation among three restauranteurs starting a new venture, an exchange between two gamers developing characters for a story, two men talking about a dance show they were producing, and software developers discussing an app they were designing for a staycations. So much creative energy in such a small space!

As I left the shop later that afternoon, I felt a mix of accomplishment and excitement.  Not only had I finished a big chunk of work; I had been part of something else.  It's hard to describe.  For lack of a better term, I'll call it creative flow.

Welcome to Seattle!