Morning Coffee and Isolation

I'm having some morning coffee is my favorite local place, Webster's Cafe. Using their Wi-Fi to read my morning news. My news isn't like other peoples. I check the Yahoo Headlines and Featured links, but then I quickly head to my favorite Google Application "Reader" which monitors all my favorite peoples blogs from all the different blog sites on the internet. I have everyone from multiply, a bunch from Live Journal, a bunch from Blogger, and by far the most I have belong to other potters, probably about 60 at this point and from all over the world. So every morning I get my coffee and see what's happening in my world. This morning there are quite a few entries, a potters rant about how badly we need healthcare reform, a nice posting about a new restaurant that came to town, a summarization of someones week at a clay oriented workshop. All kinds of fun stuff! These blogs are keeping me professionally connected. It's like a daily dose of Ceramics Monthly (pottery trade journal that potters crave like crack)

I realized last week why I was having so much trouble staying focused on the work. First..it's not desperate...I have a lot of stock out there, but my goal is to stay ahead. So what gives?

I'm lonely! Isolated.

I used to work in The Creative Oasis all day between customers, but then I moved my studio home and I had Ro in and out all day. Now Ro is spending a lot of time at The Oasis and I am alone most of the day..

I also used to go to a lot of events to sell and I would see my fellow vendor friends and meet customers who often become friends. I don't go out nearly as often. *sigh*

People on Facebook have been asking how I get any work done because I post stuff all day...I do it in between things, often with one finger that I have wiped clean.. it's been my link to people. I like people. I rarely see people now..unless I come to Webster's, or on Wednesdays to teach my class. Now for some people that would be fine...but not for me..wow. I want, I crave that contact.

The internet has me connected to the outside world, fortunately to people I know...this isn't some sordid anonymous chat room pick up :) This is real people..who are also trapped in an office, or at home.

Is that sad? or is it a fantastic solution for a little social contact while working alone?