Moving day is quickly approaching. Only a couple of weeks until the big day. Like many people, I’m not looking forward to the actual move. All the disruption, decisions, questions, and mess associated will go on for weeks, I’m sure. It’s the endgame that I’m looking forward to most. In particular, the fact that I’ll have my own office for the first time in 17 years.
For the last 14 years, I’ve done my writing on a laptop, either on my lap (which ended up being a very bad idea, by the way) or in the configuration in the picture. For at least seven of those years, I worked either at the desk in the family room which my husband eventually commandeered to do the finances or at an office when working full-time as a technical editor/writer for SAIC in support of NASA’s Space Launch System Program Office in Huntsville, Alabama. I resigned from SAIC in 2013 and returned to working from home.
I bought the laptop desk after years of using my laptop on my legs, looking down, which caused severe neck and shoulder pain my chiropractor has corrected for me. The wireless keyboard sits on my lap, my wireless mouse and pad on the arm of the recliner. It’s been fairly comfortable, although recently my upper arm has started to rebel against the height of the mouse. I imagine after we move, I’ll still write in a similar position most of the time, but I’ll also have an actual office with a door and a window I can retreat to when necessary.
In reality, the room is a bedroom and apparently was used by a little girl. Or at least someone very fond of pink. I’m not fond of pink. Especially Pepto-Bismol pink. So when we have the entire interior of the house painted by a professional before we move in, the color will change in my new office. He’s going to paint everything, too, including the ceilings and closets and trim. I’ve chosen Solaria, which is a pale yellow with gold tones. A cheery, warm color to surround me with to write and edit, research, transcribe. Whatever I need to do. I’ll need to find some pretty curtains, hopefully in navy, gold, with a splash of red? I’ll see what I can find that appeals to me after we move in. That’s one decision that doesn’t have to be made right away.
Why am I so excited about having an office? I’ll have space to spread out reference materials, or manuscript pages as I revise and edit. I’ll be able to more easily transcribe my father’s correspondence in a place where the piles and stacks won’t interfere with other family activities. I may even set up my keyboard to play while I let my imagination play with a scene or two. Keep in mind I haven’t had access to my keyboard because it’s been set aside to make room for the exercise equipment in the room it used to be in. So pulling it out again is another positive I’m seeing in this move. Decluttering is another!
I’ll share pictures of my new office once I get it arranged and workable. With luck, my vision will come to be. I want a place that inspires and comforts. Only after everything is transported and set up will I know for certain. Either way, I’ll have my own space and my husband will have his own office next door. Our living room will be used for relaxing and not work for a change. I like that, too!
Do you have an area or space all your own? Or if you could have one, what would it look like? What would you be sure to have in it?
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts and opinions!
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Betty Bolte's Musings 