Going mobile great, but nothing beats working in fuzzy slippers

There’s nothing like working from home. Most mornings I wake up and slide my toes into my fuzzy bumblebee slippers. I pull on a fluffy, pink robe and pour a cup of coffee. Then I schlep downstairs to my basement office and fire up the computer.

While my e-mail downloads, I may throw a load of clothes in the washer or check the freezer for dinner possibilities. Finally, I slip into my scuffed-up leather desk chair and get to work. At least that’s what’s supposed to happen – and nine months out of the year it does.

But everything changes in June. The tranquil routine is shattered when the schools release my children for summer break. My home office happens to be located in our family room. There’s not even a door to slam when I’m on deadline.

It’s daunting to interview a business owner while my teenagers are staging a “Halo 3” tournament three feet away. The need to go mobile was driven home during spring break. An editor happened to call at the exact moment my 8-year-old discovered one of his brothers had eaten the last chocolate chip cookie.

I thought maybe if I ignored the shrieks, thumps and crashes, my caller wouldn’t notice. No such luck. “What the hell is that?” he asked.

“That is my work environment,” I replied, and asked for a raise. He just laughed. Who says editors have no sense of humor?

I hung up while he was still laughing and immediately began to search the Internet for an affordable laptop computer. I had only two requirements: it must be lightweight and red.

This year when school let out, I was ready. Loathe as I was to leave my bumblebee slippers and fluffy robe, I knew if I was going to work and stay sane I needed to leave home for a couple of hours each day.

I packed up my slim, shiny red laptop and set out in search of a place to work. All I needed was a quiet space with free Wi-Fi. My first stop was the main branch of the city library. The libraries offer Internet access, and the main branch has a stunning view of the Falls. However, not all libraries are quiet. The smaller branches can actually seem noisy – especially when you’re concentrating on the proper use of a semicolon.

I fared better at the North County Library. The high-walled cubicles offered privacy without any gorgeous scenery to distract me. However, in order to preserve the quiet, I didn’t feel I should conduct phone interviews in my cubicle.

I moved on to check out the coffee shop scene. Many shops offer free Wi-Fi. These places make great temporary offices. You can chat on the phone and grab a tasty snack to go with your coffee.

However, it’s hard to top my preferred destination – the Davenport Hotel. On a hot June afternoon I found a marble-topped table beneath a leafy palm in the hotel’s spacious lobby. I grabbed a coffee from the Starbucks just steps from my table and set up shop.

Well, I tried to. I opened my laptop to get online, but I kept getting a scary error message. I thought I’d broken the Internet. I sat there perplexed, frowning at the screen. I looked up to see Tom McArthur, director of communications for the Davenport Hotel and Tower. I told him I was trying out spots for my mobile office, and while I loved the atmosphere at the hotel, I couldn’t seem to connect to the Internet. “Do you need tech support?” he asked. I thought he was kidding. “Right,” I said and rolled my eyes.

“Seriously,” McArthur replied. “We have an in-house geek squad. I’ll send someone right over.”

Within minutes, Phil Poindexter, IT director for the Davenport, was at my table. It was like I’d rubbed Aladdin’s magic lamp and a genie in a very nice suit appeared. He pushed a few buttons here, fiddled with a few things there and pr esto! Problem solved.

I’m thankful Spokane is blessed with a wide variety of venues for folks in need of a mobile office. But I really miss working in my fuzzy slippers.

You know, progressive, forward-thinking countries have year-round school. I think I’ll begin lobbying for that in our district. Until then you can find me beneath the palm fronds in the lobby of the Davenport or in my neighborhood coffee shop, working and dreaming of September.