It’s so dang elusive and yet undeniably important–we want cool ambience on date, during a concert, sometimes while eating dinner or watching a movie. I need a certain kind of atmosphere while grading and writing. Don’t know why this is, but the elements must be perfect; otherwise, my brain goes flitting off in a million different directions.
For example, I often write at home, in my ice-cream cone jammies, hunched over my computer like Quasimodo (how’s that for an image?). The lighting has to be a soft glow and one of three custom playlists are blaring from my windows media center. Music includes anything from Tom Petty’s “Don’t Come Around Here No More,” to some ditties from the Glenn Miller Orchestra, to the ambient sounds of Enya or Enigma. Throw in a little Bush and Radiohead just to add a bit of edge and voilà, I’ve got the perfect setting to forget my world and dive into a medieval village, or imagine Denver 40 years in future rivaling New York with its terrible towers.
When I grade, it’s completely different–I need people around. Lots of ‘em, so to a coffee shop I go. There needs to be a low level buzz, with the music playing just slightly louder so I can’t hear what the next table is talking about. Oddly enough, this all helps keep my focus on on the mounds (which often turn into small mountains) of essays I have to tunnel through (and read).
So, what about you? Anyway else need a certain ambience in order to be creative or get their work done, or am I just a strange little writer gal with odd quirks?
