Writing: - At the library, on my laptop. When I really need to focus, the library is the best place. My favourite is the Töölö library. It's far enough away from everything to be quiet during the days. There's always a seat available in the second floor, by the windows that open to an equally quiet park. There's a lot that goes into making it the perfect place, aside from availability, view, and lack of crowds: the desks are set far enough apart that you have privacy; your back is never facing a corridor where people move behind your back; the seat is neither uncomfortable nor so comfortable you'll get sleepy; the view from the checkout desk to your desk is blocked; it's not a "reading area" so nobody cares if you bring snacks; there's nothing so interesting outside that you'd feel like taking a break and going window-shopping, for example. It's perfect, and I only wish it was closer to where I live. They'll start renovating it next summer, so I'll have to find a new favourite, but the downstairs of the biology campus library does also have some quiet nooks, and I've managed to create a private bubble even inside the cavernous modern nonsense that is the university's central library. The trick is to treat the ridiculous flat sofa like a mattress: kick off your shoes, sit cross-legged, and balance the laptop on your calves like you would in your own bed. - In my own bed, cross-legged, like I am right now. - In the living room, on the sofa. - If I can't go to the library and really need to focus: kitchen table. The chair is uncomfortable enough to keep me alert when I'm not really feeling up to writing, but must. - If I'm really fired up: Everywhere I can get to a keyboard, including commute, coffee shops (which I usually judge too noisy), at work. - I use Scrivener to compose and store university-related texts, which I export and (depending on assignment) edit to look prettier on LibreOffice (or Word if I want headings that will translate to .doc, but then I need to use the uni PC lab). I have not made the transition to Scrivener when it comes to fiction, and still prefer to compose short stories on LibreOffice and then store them on Scrivener. This is the opposite of how you're supposed to use Scrivener, but it works for me. And Scivener is RIDICULOUSLY EXCELLENT for university notes and assignments, because there's a single search button for all your material, and you can switch between notes, compare, split screen - so good!
Drawing or crafting (sewing plushies or, as a new addition, knitting): - On the living room sofa, with a show in my ears via earbuds. I'm so hard of hearing that I need to watch the screen (to get the context or read lips/subtitles) unless I am wearing the earbuds. - Kitchen table - but this is only for crafting that requires a flat surface at that stage, or (traditional) painting. - I keep my needles and some other sewing necessities in a small cardboard box I can take with me on the commute, with a larger stay-at-home box which is ALWAYS in disarray, and a bag of scraps, and a pile of fabrics. Since knitting started to happen, I have a yarn basket. They're all stored on one shelf in the living room cupboard. There's another shelf for candle-making stuff, which is a new hobby shared with my partner. - I keep my "art stuff" - papers, pens, paints, etc. - on a smaller shelf in the living room bookcase cupboard. This is also where my partner's clay has ended up.
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Date: December 6th, 2013 09:12 am (UTC)- At the library, on my laptop. When I really need to focus, the library is the best place. My favourite is the Töölö library. It's far enough away from everything to be quiet during the days. There's always a seat available in the second floor, by the windows that open to an equally quiet park. There's a lot that goes into making it the perfect place, aside from availability, view, and lack of crowds: the desks are set far enough apart that you have privacy; your back is never facing a corridor where people move behind your back; the seat is neither uncomfortable nor so comfortable you'll get sleepy; the view from the checkout desk to your desk is blocked; it's not a "reading area" so nobody cares if you bring snacks; there's nothing so interesting outside that you'd feel like taking a break and going window-shopping, for example. It's perfect, and I only wish it was closer to where I live. They'll start renovating it next summer, so I'll have to find a new favourite, but the downstairs of the biology campus library does also have some quiet nooks, and I've managed to create a private bubble even inside the cavernous modern nonsense that is the university's central library. The trick is to treat the ridiculous flat sofa like a mattress: kick off your shoes, sit cross-legged, and balance the laptop on your calves like you would in your own bed.
- In my own bed, cross-legged, like I am right now.
- In the living room, on the sofa.
- If I can't go to the library and really need to focus: kitchen table. The chair is uncomfortable enough to keep me alert when I'm not really feeling up to writing, but must.
- If I'm really fired up: Everywhere I can get to a keyboard, including commute, coffee shops (which I usually judge too noisy), at work.
- I use Scrivener to compose and store university-related texts, which I export and (depending on assignment) edit to look prettier on LibreOffice (or Word if I want headings that will translate to .doc, but then I need to use the uni PC lab). I have not made the transition to Scrivener when it comes to fiction, and still prefer to compose short stories on LibreOffice and then store them on Scrivener. This is the opposite of how you're supposed to use Scrivener, but it works for me. And Scivener is RIDICULOUSLY EXCELLENT for university notes and assignments, because there's a single search button for all your material, and you can switch between notes, compare, split screen - so good!
Drawing or crafting (sewing plushies or, as a new addition, knitting):
- On the living room sofa, with a show in my ears via earbuds. I'm so hard of hearing that I need to watch the screen (to get the context or read lips/subtitles) unless I am wearing the earbuds.
- Kitchen table - but this is only for crafting that requires a flat surface at that stage, or (traditional) painting.
- I keep my needles and some other sewing necessities in a small cardboard box I can take with me on the commute, with a larger stay-at-home box which is ALWAYS in disarray, and a bag of scraps, and a pile of fabrics. Since knitting started to happen, I have a yarn basket. They're all stored on one shelf in the living room cupboard. There's another shelf for candle-making stuff, which is a new hobby shared with my partner.
- I keep my "art stuff" - papers, pens, paints, etc. - on a smaller shelf in the living room bookcase cupboard. This is also where my partner's clay has ended up.