1. Today, I’m sitting in an empty NJ house while my wife’s at a conference. My allies: laptop, sketchbook, and a big ass cup of hot coffee.

2. To be specific, I’m spending the day not only in the town where I grew up but also the house. 1st rule: Thou shalt not get nostalgic.

3. Any day I get to be both creative and undisturbed by anyone during the work week is a good day. Too bad it happens like 4 times in a year.

4. Dear interior design help show, I nominate my parents. They need help bad. Hey, just being honest. I do it out of love. *taps chest* Love.

5. Damn, I’ve had this Dunkin Donuts coffee sitting out for 40 minutes and it’s still too hot. Do they brew this stuff in a molten lava pit?

6. Harnessing creativity while in a strange place can bring unexpected results. Or it could just be the hallucinogenic hash browns talking.

7. Anytime you put creativity in a corporate environment though, any singular vision will always get convoluted by too many opinions.

8. Somfucius say: man who spend too much time relaxing will learn hard way that Father Time never relaxes and carries many cans of whoop ass.

9. This AM’s SomBlock is sponsored by the friendly folks that make money off of their dreams while you’re at a dead end job. Are you awake yet?

*** Every weekday from 8-9am while traveling from Stamford to Manhattan, Mark Sahm writes a block of thoughts on his Twitter account (@Somrod) via his iPhone.***