Seattle Public Library

I got out of the office for a while today and took a notebook (pad of paper, not a computer) to the downtown library. I thought I would find the space inspiring.

I wanted to go up as high as I could. Almost there.



And a quick look behind.



I chose a seat, much like the ones in this picture, and quickly got irritated and took this photo. I didn't want to sit in the sea of work desks, so I sat here. But this sucks. A stream of tourists, like these two, kept parading right by me. The seats you see here would have been even worse, I think. Who would want to sit there, seriously? Could the placement of these chairs be any more exposed and discomfiting?



And here's the seat that I had been sitting in. (There were already two people sitting in the prime-location chairs to the right, just out of view.) People kept walking right behind me, and I felt like they were reading my papers. And I was right next to a garbage can, which isn't super-pleasant. Nice lounging area, Rem. How much did we pay you for this shit? Perhaps I could recommend a book or two on usability. Jesus.



Forget it. I'm outta here.