The Public Library Is Stinky

In an attempt to get out of my apartment (and you know bathe and get dressed) and take a break from my new obsessive news watching, I am blogging from the Chicago Public Library. Usually I go to various coffee shops. I have quite the knowledge of which ones have free wifi and which ones are loud, which ones quiet and who plays the best music. But in an attempt to be economical (because let's be honest, it's never FREE. I feel obligated to order a coffee or buy a bottle of water or a sandwich and before I know it, it's been a $14 dollar afternoon) I am trying out the public library. This is what I've observed so far:

• It stinks. Kind of like a mix of B.O., new car smell and stale air.
• There are a lot of people in here on a Monday afternoon. Recessionistas? Daycrawlers who work from home? Retirees? Who knows...
• The seats by the window go fast.
• It's a wackadoodle trip down memory lane sitting in a study carrel. I keep expecting to see Greek letters carved into the wood. Or graffiti referring to my sorority (or one of the others) as slutty.
  
• I type REALLY loud.
• Turning the page of a newspaper is a distracting sound.
• People need to turn off their ringers. (and what is great is that if you don't, the sweet Asian lady librarian will come over and passive aggressively request that you kindly turn if off)
  
• The guy sitting one study carrol over from me needs a cough drop.
• I need to be able to gaze out a window and think for like hours when I'm attempting to write brilliant things.
• Next time, come early and snag a window seat. (and bring a cough drop for throat clearer sitting next to you)