Monday, November 12, 2012

A Room Of One's Own

Hello, writer friends! Sorry again for the infrequent posting--the past month has been on the far side of busy, and in these times, blogging is always the first casualty. Things are slowing down a bit now, and last weekend I got to hang out with some of my very favorite writer friends on a little road trip that I will tell you more about another time. This week doesn't look too crazy yet, so I might finally manage to post a saved-up book recommendation, or force another Classical Thursday upon you all.

Last week my husband, who NEVER gets sick, caught a bad enough stomach bug that he had to stay home Monday-Thursday. I myself was fighting a sinus infection for a couple of those days, so we sat indoors and enjoyed each other's company in a soggy, hazy sort of way. By Thursday we were well enough to take a long walk, and somehow we ended up in an Apple store, where my sneaky husband set about fulfilling his dream of setting me up with my own home office. One of our rooms is already a dedicated office, but he wanted me to have my own space to spread out and make my crazy messes. Actually, the major motivating factor here was that he hates seeing me write on the couch, with my feet up and my legs wrapped in blankets and cats, when all the world knows that People Work At Desks, and when my husband gets an idea lodged in his head, woe to those who would try to reason with him.

So, here I am today, with my own monitor at my own desk (aka our former Ikea dining table) in our guest room, the guest bed covered in blankets and knitting patterns and double-pointed needles, the bay window stacked full of books, my sketchpad and colored pencils resting on the dresser. He even gifted me with an office plant, a massive box of orchids that I think qualifies as a piece of furniture. Unfortunately the orchids are too much fun for small cats to resist, so my kitten is yowling out in the hallway where I had to shut him out. A solution will have to be found. I was perfectly fine writing in the office or on the couch, and I'll have to pack up and move out whenever we have guests, but I have to admit that it's nice to build my own Rachel Space, free of scattered bits of electronics and photos of Falcon rockets plastering the walls.

Do you have a space in your home that's all your own? What does your dream writer space look like?

The orchid jungle

11 comments:

  1. Lovely orchid. :) I used to write on the couch, too, but my chiropractor says that's bad for your back. Also, he says your brain is more alert when you're sitting upright at a desk or table.

    So, now I have a roll-top desk in the front room. It's not ideal. It's not my own office where I can shut the door. But, it'll work. I still have a view of the Puget Sound from the front room. And during the day when the house is quiet, I have no reason to shut any doors. ;)

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    1. Oooh, a view of the Puget Sound must be fantastic! Sounds so peaceful :)

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  2. Verity is guarding your orchid! ;) I can't wait to hear the inevitable tale of how Jack found his way inside your office and has claimed the space. ;)

    I have one of those "chaises" (those long chairs) in my living room where I write. But before we got that, I would write on the couch or in my bedroom. :)

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    1. Yeah, I've probably written on every available seat on the house at some point, and I'll probably still sneak down to the couch when I need a change in perspective and my husband isn't around to catch me ;) And Jack is stretched out by the books napping. The orchid is in the closet for now :(

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  3. I work best on my bed or the couch in our living room. OR I go to Panera and write. :) It's weird because I HAVE A DESK but it is just littered with other things and I can never write there Siiiigh. Love your new space, though!

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    1. Thanks! I've never been a desk writer either so I'm kind of curious to see how this new setup will work out...

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  4. Wait! Did you get any Apple goodies? I have my Jeremy space, but at times I am forced to meet deadlines, thus wherever I can crank up the lappy becomes my secondary space.

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    1. Ha, yes, we went a little nuts at the Apple store and had to take a taxi to get our loot home. The thing that touched this all off (more than the couch writing) was the fact that I hated my Samsung laptop with a fiery passion. So now I'm getting acquainted with my new MacBook Air! Lightweight and sturdy, all the better for meeting deadlines in strange places ;)

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  5. Aw! That's so nice he set you up with a new office spread! I love my MacBook Air--you won't believe the difference when you're traveling. So nice! Enjoy!

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  6. Don't worry about it when blogging slips. Everyone understands, I'm sure. I totally get it, though. I sometimes feel guilty when I neglect my own blog.

    Sorry you and your hubby were sick, but congrats on the office space! I have a desk of my own (well, most of it is mine) in our den. My husband and kids (now teens) are super respectful of my space and my writing time. Thus, I don't really need anything fancier. A maid would be nice, though. ;)

    Happy Thanksgiving!

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  7. Aww, sorry that you guys were sick! But what a sweet husband to get your office set up like that! You'll have to let us know how it helps being able to spread out and do your work in your own little space. I had a space for a brief period of time, but it didn't last long and is now my son's room. My "space" is our kitchen table in the corner of the breakfast room with about a thousand other things on it, haha.

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