Missing Link

I love long weekends.  They provide an opportunity to rest and relax, while also getting a few things done around the house and yard.  Normal weekends do this as well, to a point.  There’s only so much you can get done in a two day period,  and in most cases it’s one or the other – not both.   When adding in a third day a world of possibility opens – you can have fun AND get things done!

This past weekend, along with Labor Day on monday, provided such an opportunity for me.  I spent time with family and Ann,  played some World of Warcraft, and got a few things done I had wanted to for a while.   The top thing on that list was cleaning my home office.   I spend such a vast amount of time in there working, reading, and playing that it’s distracting when it becomes cluttered and messy.   As much as I am not one known for being neat and tidy all the time,   I really do get a sense of calm and accomplishment when things are clean and orderly.

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So I’m a few days late in posting a new post for a new year.  I’d like to claim that I was simply too busy to have time to post anything, but you and I both know I’d be lying through my teeth, so why bother?  The simple fact is I just didn’t feel any motivation to write anything. All that came to mind were the same cliches that others the blogosphere over were already subjecting you to, and I didn’t particularly feel like jumping on that bandwagon. 

So, it’s a new year.  2009.  When I was a kid, I used to imagine that somehow by crossing over into a new year things were different.   As though somehow the fact that it was suddenly January 1st meant that some unseen factor had changed, that everything was suddenly different than it used to be.  I know now that nothing really changes, except I now have to start putting 09 instead of 08 when I sign dates.  For the next few weeks anything that has to be dated by me will have a crossed out 08 in front of a hastily written 09, and THAT is really all that has changed. 

I’m actually having a very good day today.  I got some time to play WoW this morning – a game I’ve fallen in love with for the fiftybillionth time, and play whenever I get the chance.   Afterwards I had lunch with Ann before we went to pick out the tuxes for the wedding.   Nothing real fancy there, though I’m sure I’ll look nice (along with all the guys who will be there to help me celebrate). 

We also got paint, which Ann used to paint the upstairs hallway while I worked on re-doing the wiring for my workstation in my home office.  I turned a horrible mess of wires that were visible into a horrible mess of wires that nobody could see.  That’s an improvement, I suppose.   

Those of you who read my super-secret personal blog know that when I went on my trip to the west coast back in November I bought a ridiculously expensive pen,  as well as a hand-stitched leather journal.  I am happy to report that I am thoroughly enjoying both.  I have a much greater sense of freedom about what I write when it’s in a journal that is just for me.  I can let out my feelings and thoughts in a raw, unfiltered fashion. While I *can* do that here, it’s probably not a good idea for me to do so.  Besides, there’s just something fun about writing in a journal with a fountain pen….. Bob Leeds (that pen guy from California) was right… fountain pens are better. 

I am extremely happy with my home office.   It’s not large, but I don’t need it to be.   My desk *is* large, though.   It’s 10 feet wide and is everything I had hoped it could be. It’s still not 100% finished,  but is very VERY close, and that’s exciting.   All in all the office is everything I had hoped and envisioned and then some – I don’t think I could make it any better if I tried. Of course,  any suggestions from fellow geeks are welcome. 

That’s all for now – I’ll try to write something witty and humorous soon.   I make no promises.

The title of this post is somewhat misleading – my home isn’t an unhappy one.  On the contrary,  it’s quite happy (most of the time).   

This weekend, however,  I got a step closer to having a home office.  On Saturday my Dad and I went to the storage garage to dig out some old cabinets and book shelves that used to be in his home office, and move them to the front of the garage so we could easily get at them to move.  It took us a couple of hours of unpacking nearly the whole garage and then re-packing it all back in.  It’s worth it, though, as now the only thing left is to move the cabinets and shelves home,   sand them and either stain or paint them.  Then it’s a matter of finding the actual desk surface to mount between the cabinets and making it happen.   I’m getting closer to my goal, and that makes me happy

 My dad came over to my house on Sunday and he and I spent the afternoon doing most of the painting in the office (which Ann finished off with edging and touchups).   The painting wasn’t as much of a pain this time as it was for the bedroom – mainly because we had a lot more room to work with.  I think it makes a significant difference in the room – and I like it, a lot. 

I’m now significantly closer to realizing my “dream” of having a home office – and once that’s complete…. I’ll be even happier than I am now.   And that, makes for a happier home.