So I learned a few things during our power outage on Tuesday, which by the way lasted until 3:30 that afternoon. Because of the experience, I’m amending my back-up plan in light of my latest discoveries.
Libraries are lacking two things: quiet and power outlets. My library is great. But there are exactly two outlets in the entire library sitting area. I had to share my outlet with a man who then handed me something to help me along my “walk with God.” Also, librarians are noisier than the patrons. Just try writing an article on sovereign wealth investments while the librarian is diretly behind you, reading a book jacket to a young patron or worse, carrying on a very loud conversation with one of the regulars. Can you shush a librarian? I mean really. But I did overhear a hilarious conversation in which the librarian was playing her own painful version of “who’s on first?” with a stubborn patron.
Not all locations with wi-fi have a clue. When I got tired of trying to think over the librarian, I went to Burger King to get some food and a free connection. Here’s the thing – shouldn’t someone there have some idea how that free connection works? I tried connecting to no avail. It wanted a password. Asking two employees – one the manager – how to connect got me this cryptic message: “It’s probably asking for a password because the power went out.” Uh, do you mean last night? Now? In a past life? Clue, please?
Laptops are a must for an everyday computer if your power goes out a lot. This isn’t the first time I’ve been without power. It’s one of the longer times in this suburban location, for sure. It’s starting to make much more sense to me to have a laptop as a main computer so I can unplug and go should I be left without a kilowatt. I was fortunate that I could remember a few critical email addresses in order to get back-up copies of projects. But seriously, how much easier to cope when your files are portable?
Work isn’t happening when you have to reshuffle your work location. Maybe if I worked remotely more often I’d be able to reorganize more quickly, but getting going once I connected at the library proved to be challenging. Again, this could be due to the Chatty Kathy librarian who was sitting, literally, just a few feet behind my left ear, facing me and talking. Or it could be that I had to check email much more often for the elusive files I needed to get going. Either way, it wasn’t a fast recovery.
Do you work remotely on occasion? When you do, how do you organize your time in order to be most efficient? What’s your prep before leaving the house? I know a few of you who do work remotely. Any words of advice?
I still don’t own a laptop, believe it or not, I keep borrowing them.
I work remotely A LOT. I have a writing bag that’s kept packed most of the time, and I pull projects that are in process out as I need them at home, then put them back in.
I live by my flash drive.
I’m always ready to switch to longhand.
Because libraries are so noisy, I’ll often go to the woods or on the beach (if it’s not too crowded).
I’ve written on trains, planes, in dressing rooms, pretty much anywhere.
I try to make sure I have information I need before I go to the remote location, so I don’t have to rely on wonky internet service.
I have a laptop that’s come in handy on a few ocassions. But the hinges have some how popped off (don’t ask…). So until I get it fixed, I’ve been doing a lot of what Devon mentioned – doing it old-school, long-hand style when I am forced to be out and about. Still, I prefer typing it all out on my laptop.
Lori, I have had the same problems trying to get connected at different locations. And there never seems to be anyone around who knows what to do about it.
I’ve gone remote before. When I think I might have to work from a remote location, I pack headphones and the mp3 player. Plus, I bring along an ethernet cable in case the wireless connection isn’t so great. The flash drive is a necessity too. Plus, I found a great tool for storing web pages and text from sites offline… It’s come in very handy already.
Lastly, look around your library and ask if they have private rooms. Some do and they are well worth asking about. When I worked from the library once I scoped the place till I found one. All they needed was my library card. Sometimes you only get an hour in the room but if no one else is on the list, you get it as long as you want!