Tag: going outside

Summer sun…?

Jon ChaissonLeave a comment

It’s been a rather gloomy and overcast summer here in San Francisco, more so than usual. Our summers are usually cool, but at the same time we’re never this fogged in. Unfortunately this also makes A and I feel rather listless and sleepy most of the time, so we make sure we go for a walk every now and again, just to move around.

I have heard that it’s supposed to be much warmer this weekend, so I am dearly hoping that is true. I’ll be doing my usual Friday-Saturday opening shifts, but hopefully by the time Saturday afternoon rolls around it’ll be a lovely day.

This weekend also starts the first of three major concerts going on in Golden Gate Park, which we now live much closer to. This weekend is an anniversary show for Dead & Company (featuring former members of the Grateful Dead), next weekend is Outside Lands, and the weekend after that is a post-OL show of Zach Bryan and Kings of Leon. We’re not going to any of these, but chances are very high that we’ll be able to hear most of it just by opening the living room window. All I ask is that no one parks in front of our garage!

That, and maybe some blue sky. Blue sky would be nice again!

Going outside now and again

Jon ChaissonLeave a comment

It’s just about springtime here in the Bay Area, which means new plants will be blooming, the days will get brighter and longer, temperatures will rise, and the winter rains will be winding down. This means that we’ll have run out of decent excuses not to go out for a neighborhood walk after A gets off work and I happen to be at home. This also means that I really should start walking to and from work more often instead of taking the car.

As much as I love clocking in and getting a sizeable chunk of ‘remastering’ work done on A Division of Souls, sometimes I forget that I really should head outside and get some fresh air. I mean, sure, we own a treadmill now so we can always use that for exercise, but that’s no excuse when we’ve got an extremely walkable and visually interesting neighborhood. And besides, it’s a great way to clear our heads! It gives A a chance to not think about her inbox, and gives me a chance to step away from whatever I’m working on, providing us both with a bit of calm and clarity.

As an added bonus, it keeps me from doomscrolling, but that’s another post altogether. The point here is that I sometimes need to remind myself that the process of writing also includes not writing. This is the part I always forget: there’s a big ol’ world out there with several different kinds and flavors of experiences and sometimes it’s good just to witness it instead of reading about it. It’s a good habit, and it’s also far healthier.

Outside

Jon ChaissonLeave a comment

I think it’s safe to say that the cold rainy season here in the Bay Area has finally come to a close (I hope), which means that I’ll be able to return to something I’ve been wanting — and needing — to do at work for a while now. And that’s go outside during my breaks.

I was doing it for a while there, heading up to the roof parking deck for my ten minute breaks and the back half of my lunches. For a while there I was just heading to our small break room and slumping into one of the chairs and, well…maybe not doomscrolling, but passively reading news sites and social media again. At least I’m not getting myself worked up like I used to, so there’s that.

Anyway, I think heading up to the roof, or even out to the side parking lot for a few minutes can’t be all bad, especially since I have a small notebook in my inside jacket pocket that’s been itching to be used for quite some time now. I’ve been using it to work out a few vague ideas for Theadia, but I think it’s time I start using it more often like I used to in the Yankee Candle days: working out what I want to write for the current chapter, that way I’m not wracking my brain at the start of my writing sessions.

As long as the weather is with me, I think this is a fine idea!

[On a side note, I can safely say I don’t need to head outside to do any exercise, as this day job keeps me on my toes and I can easily rack up a few miles’ worth of steps on my fitness app. I’ve joked with one of the bakery workers that any of the cake slices I buy from them get worked off by the end of the day, considering how much I flit around the store!]