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For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been in a bit of a slump, professionally speaking. I’ve been overcome by that rainy day feeling of wanting to curl up under the covers with a book. Except it hasn’t been raining much, and there is plenty of work to be done.

I’m an author/writer, so most of my work time is spent bonding with my laptop. I’m quite used to resisting the temptations of cyberspace on a daily basis, and I know I’m perfectly capable of putting aside all the email, blog and social networking-related glee in order to buckle down to the project at hand. But I’ve not been getting much done.

Finally, I decided to let go of the tasks before me, and relax. I figured I needed to get out of my apartment, of my head, and into the city. Out among the crowds I tend to find inspiration. So, trusty notebook in hand, I rode the city buses aimlessly for a while.

Normally when I’m out in the city, I’m trying to get somewhere. It was tremendous fun to just be a wanderer among many purposeful travelers. I didn’t talk to anyone, just observed. I saw giggling girls in school uniforms drinking frappucino. A teenage couple sharing iPod headphones with their heads close together. Mothers with babies. Nannies with toddlers. Tiny old women with thin, veiny skin. A cellist. A man in a cape. And, my personal favorite: a woman with an honest-to-god live parrot on her shoulder.

I love being surrounded by the strange and everyday people that make up my city. The ride picked up my spirits quite a bit, and helped me make some notes for my book. I’m not sure if it’s the return of chilly weather that has me in a temporary funk, or my election-related anxiety, or the economic uncertainty, or if I’m simply feeling professionally stalled. Whatever it is, I’m busy trying to shake it off and find my way back to the bliss I know is possible when I’m pursuing my passion.

What helps you to recharge, personally and/or professionally, when your batteries are low?