"The Art of Being" in Okemos, MI

My go-to blogging style is usually some kind of list, which allows me to write random, unrelated thoughts and still get away with it.  The underlying theme of these type of posts is usually "Janie's recent thoughts", or something like that.

But I'd like to do a different type of writing.  Something a little more focused and a little more challenging.  So, with the inspiration of Anne Lamott's "Bird by Bird" introduction freshly read and digested, as well as my newly acquired Bachelor's of Social Work under my belt (WHOOO), I'd like to try something new.

I'm sitting at Panera now for the second time today.  The first time was around 11am.  I rolled in after throwing on an interesting combination of clothes, which begged me to internally ask myself what kind of "look" I was trying to achieve. :)  But, whatever; I came for myself.  For writing and music and my devotional time with God.  I sat in a direct line of eye contact with several young moms and their animated, squirmy kids, who munched away at their pastries and slurped their tiny glasses of water.  I let myself eavesdrop and smile at them for awhile (subtlety, of course), but then I popped in my headphones and focused on the words of my life; the ones ringing in my ears from the music, and the ones of my heart.  

And now I'm back here at 6pm!  Ah, the joys of my in-between undergrad and grad school life to enjoy this kind of luxury.  I ordered one of those power green smoothies... as well as a bear claw pastry. YUM.  My boyfriend is here in Okemos, sitting with his computer, just like me, working on his online class.  (So, I guess not just like me.)  :) Several people have come to eat dinner and already left, creating this constant people watching entertainment for me.  But we're still here!  Enjoying another summer evening in mid-Michigan together.  And now I will close this computer and continue to read.... and smile at the cute toddler sitting near us.