Would this inspire?

Across this bridge lies one of my favorite spots in the Twin Cities. The streets are still cobblestone and there’s lots of restaurants with decks and patios. On most nights, spring to fall, there’s a lot of motion. Runners, cyclists, Segway tours, dog walking, and more. My two favorites are the horse drawn carriages and the obvious lovers walking with a great deal of comfort and contentment. It’s a beautiful spot.

This view is from the Mill City Neighborhood/District on the west side of the Guthrie’s grounds, near the Gold Medal Flour Mill. I’ve never really stopped to look at it from this angle, I’m usually on my way to work, I only stopped because they’d just finished putting back up the “Pillsbury’s Best Flour” sign. From here you can see cars, walkers, runners, cyclists, maybe some lovers leaving Sea Change after a few post play cocktails.

I believe there used to be commercial ships visible from this vantage point, and a few paddle boats still ferry tourists around this stretch of the river. But since the lock & dam closed earlier this year due to invasive carp, there’s not much chance of that happening anymore.

I like the view.

As I turned around to continue my walk to work, I looked up. I’m always looking up for shadows, reflections, whatever. And I saw a desk against a window that would offer this view. I got jealous. I wanted to know what it was like sitting at that desk, having all this stimulus being within a grasp. I made a note to find out how much lofts in the building were, specifically ones on the riverside.

Then I thought about it. I’m trying to create fiction. If I had a view like this, where I could watch life and not have to rely on my imagination to make things happen, I might not be able to do what I’m trying to do.

So below is my view. I’m okay with that. It’s my development set up for doing code, where I research recipes, where I write. If I need to imagine something I can look into the corner. Left to right: Travail calendar, menus, twitter, main screen, inspiration corner, celebratory desk bottle of rye whiskey, various folders and notes. On the table to my right is a stack of cookbooks, a soldering iron, and lots of electronic components for something I invented, or rather, made more useful in a different form factor, on the table behind me is a Mac Mini, a Windows Tablet, and a 3D printer that I’m eagerly awaiting my new one to arrive so I can replace it.

A lot of creation happens with this view. Sun, trees, people, and the flowing river? I’d get nothing done.