I like the flexibility of my job.  Sometimes, it can be challenging (lack of routine, lack of built-in accountability) -- but mostly, I consider it to be a blessing.  My "office" is everywhere.  Meetings and conversations can take place in cafes and restaurants and homes.  Computer work can take place in cafes and libraries and other public spaces (thanks to the miracles of laptop technology).  But I have learned, over time, that some spaces are better than others for working.  Noise, light, cost, accessibility, electrical and internet access -- all of these factors affect the working environment.  So I thought it might be interesting, and maybe even a bit instructive, to share some of my favorite "offices" around the city of Amsterdam, along with a few of their advantages and disadvantages.  Here are my top five:

1) The Stadsdeelkantoor (City Hall) for Amsterdam Oost - Watergraafsmeer.  A spacious, ultra-modern building only a couple of blocks from my house.  It has about a dozen private vergaderruimtes (meeting rooms) with a small desk space, comfortable seating, good lighting, relative quiet, and easy access to electrical power outlets.  It's also cheap (free).  Theoretically, a person could get kicked out of the space by someone with a reservation -- but this has never happened to me, and most of the time all of the rooms are completely empty.  There's no open access to wireless internet -- which can be both an advantage and a disadvantage.  In almost every way, it is a superior workspace.  I'd only say that the lack of internet access can be troublesome at times, and the hours of operation are limited (purely 9:00ish to 17:00ish).

2)  Koffie in Oost - A pleasant cafe with great coffee, a great view out over the Ringvaart canal, and a very friendly and personable staff.  It's also quite close to my house, and they genuinely don't seem to mind if I sit there and work for hours at a time.  Wireless internet is available -- and of course, (pretty tasty) food and beverage service is also available.  Disadvantages are that the place can get pretty busy (and thus noisy) at times, the menu is a bit pricey, and they've got a couple of pesky cats that are always trying to jump up on the customers' laps.

3)  The Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis (Hospital) - Definitely some disadvantages here:  no internet, no available desk space, and the admitted weirdness of working in a hospital.  But it's also very close to my house, it doesn't cost anything to sit in there, and it's a beautiful building with great natural light and a hushed sense of anonymity.  Thus, it can be a nice space for catching up on some reading (out in one of the many waiting areas) or some quiet time of reflection (in the beautiful, white-stoned chapel).  I also like the fact that it's a place where you can palpably feel the connection to the rhythms of life, similar to the Stadsdeelkantoor.  I feel a kind of creative energy that comes from working in spaces like that.

4)  The H88 (our church's ministry center / a.k.a. my "official work space") - The H88 has some nice amenities -- with some of the comforts, familiarity, and privacy of home, while still being someplace separate and out of the flow of regular life.  The rent for the space is paid regardless (no extra money out of my pocket).  Wireless internet is readily available.  It's a natural meeting point for other ministry contacts.  However, one of the main disadvantages to the H88 is that it's got this rare dynamic of being either "too full" or "too empty."  If other people from the church are there, I have a hard time getting any administrative / computer work done; but if no one else is there, the place feels very hollow and cold (and it's also, literally, kept at very cool temperatures throughout the week!).  Some days the distance factor (a 15 minute bike ride from my house) is an advantage -- giving me some exercise and transition time.  Other days, the distance is annoying (especially if there's inclement weather).  It's a good place to have as a part of the mix, but I'm glad that it doesn't have to be my full-time office.

5) Home - Clearly:  comfortable, convenient, and close.  I have all the tools I need to work.  For meetings, there's definitely something nice about the hospitality factor.  And of course, working at home allows Marci some extra flexibility for running errands while kids are napping or that sort of thing.  But working at home can also be very distracting -- particularly with three small children running around the place, and it can also become harder to "leave things at the office," when it comes time to transition out of work mode and into family mode.  Again, I'm glad that I have the flexibility to work from home sometimes -- but I'm also glad that I don't have to do it all of the time!

So those are my top five "offices" here in Amsterdam.  Hopefully it was interesting in that it gives a little glimpse into my life -- and instructive in that it might provide some ideas for other Amsterdammers looking for work space (or for people living in other cities to consider similar venues).  My second five might include:  the central Openbare Bibliotheek Amsterdam (Public Library), the Coffee Company on the Middenweg, the Coffee Company on the Van Woustraat, the Cafe Winkel on the Noordermarkt, and the Koffie Salon on the Utrechtsestraat.  Would anyone else have any other good tips for work spaces around the city?  As you might be able to tell, I always like to collect information about little spots like these.