It’s almost impossible for me to feel stressed out in a coffee shop. I’m not saying other people don’t. And I’m certainly not saying people working in a coffee shop don’t. I’m just saying I don’t. Except maybe Starbucks. It really doesn’t have the best atmosphere. It’s kind of cold and business-y which lends itself to being more stress-y. I’m not sure why all the people love it so much. I mean, I don’t hate it. Just not my first choice. And basically my last choice if I am looking for somewhere to sit for a while and read or write or talk or think or do anything coffee shop-ish.
I’m sitting in Amelie’s in the Park Road shopping center and that’s what’s got me falling in love again with a coffee shop. Ultimately, I wanted to go to the Caribou, but it closes at 4 (like so many other coffee shops!). I don’t know if it’s a post-covid thing or what but I swear it used to be open much later. But it is so cozy in here, very chill, and tons of room and places to be without people being on top of each other. You could spend the day in here.
I have a couple of hours. It’s another night of dropping off teenagers at a show and wanting to just stay in the area until it’s time to pick them up. Home is like 30-40 min away and not worth driving back just to turn around not long after. Waste of gas (and time). Besides, these smaller shows seem to have varying lengths and the kids don’t always want to stay the whole time, so I’d rather be in the area so they can play things by ear.
I was yawning on the way here, kind of beat from the day as I have gotten in the awful and boring habit of being tired after work, even though I work from home. It feels good to have to be out right now. It feels good to have to drive in Charlotte again. To have to find a place to spend a few hours.
We have eaten out too much lately, so I packed the chicken alfredo I made for dinner and ate it in the parking lot before I came in here though. It felt good to pack my lunch bag with something. Am I ready to work outside the home again? Am I missing it? It’s made this particular job tolerable (who knows how long I would have stayed if 2020 hadn’t changed the whole world) and I feel like it’s benefited the kids. But also, I wonder sometimes if they wouldn’t benefit a little more from quality instead of quantity of mom-time. (And maybe even vice versa?)
Alex graduated Elementary school today. He’ll be a middle schooler next year. He won’t get off the bus till almost 5pm. Natalie has her own car and will drive to school next year. It’s a transition summer. Maybe I am ready to transition too.
Maybe. At least to more readily consider. It would mean changing jobs. Changing companies. Changing industries? Changing routines. Changing responsibilities. Changing finances? Definitely ready to have that go in the upswing.
But I can’t feel stressed here. There’s too much life, too much going on. My perspective shifts. People meeting, working, studying, dating, eating, drinking. Life just going on and on. I’m not spinning by myself trying to hold the whole world up. The world is full of movement and opportunities and people breathing their own personal magic all around them.
My chai keeps dripping because I spilled it a little in the saucer when I was walking to my little booth and table holding the full mug. I keep wiping it up with my cardigan sleeve. French music is playing. Maybe I will smell like chai now.
The world looks better in person.
