Reorg

It suddenly dawned on me, due to a series of recent events that started to stir up my way of thinking on the subject, that my workspace needed an overhaul. It was not so much because it wasn't working just fine for me, as it has for, I don't know, 15 years, and not because I was desirous of replacing any of my utilitarian and inexpensive office furniture (though if HGTV wanted to come in and give me a complete redec of my office -- nay, of my entire house -- I would not turn them down). It could be considered, if one were not the frugal Yankee one is, to be TIME ALREADY for a freshen-up. 

My workspace was still set up for transcript production. I have only done one transcript in three years, and that was only because an attorney friend asked me to do a deposition about a year ago or so, and I said yes. I felt like a rusty iron fish out of water doing so, and I will not do it again unless I am forced to due to circumstances beyond my control. 

The work I do now does involve using my laptop and my steno machine, and rarely my printer, but for now and I hope into the foreseeable future, I no longer produce transcripts at all. So the bookshelves next to me with the reams of paper and tabbed dividers and transcript covers and medical and legal dictionaries and the unabridged (all of which are obsolete and redundant what with the internet at my fingertips) and the envelopes and the billing sheets, and all the rest of the freelance court reporting paraphernalia were doing nothing but taking up space and being not seen by me. 

Why not, I asked myself, pull my workspace into the now? Workspace for prepping for my classes, and Blogging Central -- knitting and gardening books next to me for inspiration, my cameras and cables, some yarn and some knitting supplies in case I decide to start a new red scarf as I'm waiting for something to download on the computer or I'm reading blogs or whatever.

This Dutch oil painting that I got off eBay several years ago was hung in a place in a different room that did it no justice. Now it is the focal point of my room, and what a difference it makes. 

I can see it now, and it never fails to make me smile. I bought it from a gallery in Holland, and it was supposed to have been done by a decent artist and appraised by a decent auction house (but I really know nothing about these things, so I had to take it on faith), and I bought it for well under the supposed expected selling price. I might have been the only bidder. I was worried it might not even arrive, but it did, and timely, and it was well-crated. The back has a piece of baling twine as its hanger, and I've left it that way, rather than put on a wire. To be perfectly honest, I have no idea if it's anything more than a paint-by-numbers dealio, but I love it. I love its subject, I love the story it tells. It's an old fisherman (how do we know it's a fisherman? I don't know....you can see the beach and ocean out the window, and the dealer said it was a fisherman -- I took it on faith again), perhaps in a lighthouse (so then why is he not simply the lighthouse keeper? I don't know) knitting a sock. 

Anyway, the painting charms me with his loaf of bread and jug of ale on the table, and his clock, and I guess that's a pipe on the wall, and his yarn is tensioned around the arm of the chair. And now it's here for me to see, every time I'm sitting at the computer. And it was a big "DOH!" moment, because I had no idea how incredibly well it would fit this space and fit with the colors of the room and over this little side bookcase on the end of my work table, over a pile of red yarn at the ready for red scarf knitting, and some other special yarns for my tactile and visual pleasure -- and maybe even some knitting inspiration, if we get lucky.

Here is a pulled-back shot of blogging central, showered in the full-spectrum (but blue by the camera's standards) light of the Ott-Lite over my workspace...

...which has already been slightly modified to even better use the space, adding more yarn, and a place for my camera cables to be tucked neatly beside the greeting cards. Here is a photo, with apologies for its fuzziness and glare:

 

Comments

[AnnaMarie]

Fantastic! I'm getting ready to completely redo the upstairs "guest" room into a functional sewing/crafts room. I have a lot more work to do but hopefully by next fall it will be ready and a good work space. You give me hope....

[sandy]

Lovely~! It is funny how that feeling just hits, isn't it?
Love the knitting seaman!

[Nora]

Love it!

There's nothing like a good re-do. Makes a new woman of you.

[Kym]

It feels so good after a re-org, doesn't it? Looks like you've created a wonderful work space that will give you energy and pleasure.

[gayle]

Love the redo.
Is he knitting a sock or a sleeve?

[Carole]

Excellent overhaul. The painting is wonderful and it really doesn't matter if it's monetarily valuable or not. It speaks to you and that's the value of it.

[margene]

You have great decorating skills when yarn is involved. Nice work!

[Mary K. in Rockport]

I love my chicken and egg tape measure, and the cats love it even more.

[Geri]

Fantastic picture! A redo always makes one feel refreshed. Enjoy!

[Joannah]

Nice redo.
I wonder whether it will inspire me to get back to working on my workspace? Love the red yarn.

[marianne]

Love your little knitting man! and your space looks great! Funny, I spent Friday tidying and changing my little cave around. Feels so much better now. Mmmm, all those yummy reds, and oh looky at the Noro! :^D

[Joansie]

Love, love, love the painting. A fresh new look is always pleasureable.

[marianne]

rats. meant to ask about that bit of fabric that's hanging in the painting, just on the left side. I also love how simple his furnishings are. aahhh.

[Jean E.]

Love the painting. And the silk garden.

[Vicki]

Wonderful!!
What is it about old men knitting? I treasure an old photo of same that I basically found in the trash. I'm not sure what my guy's story is, though... seems more of a landlubber.
; )

[Elaine]

Great use of space. Nice job. But....
That's not your entire yarn stash...... is it?

[LaurieM]

He looks like a hobbit, which is not at all to say that I don't like it, because I do. I think it's the vest.

[Doris]

Nice job Norma! I really need to do something about a few spaces in my house. Maybe you have inspired me. I redid my oldest son's room this summer, after he moved out of state. Turned it into a guest room in lovely soothing colors. Then my younger son moved back home and into that room. Now I have to do something with what was once his room ( a tiny tiny space). It seems to never end.

[Seanna Lea]

Very nice. I am still working with my laptop on my, well, lap in the living room. It's ackward even with a nice light laptop to work on a couch. I really should make myself a tiny setup.

[noonie]

I've spent the last few days clearing clutter... I put it down to finally feeling human after being ill since New Year's Eve, thank you Mr Doctor yes I did really need medicine!

It can't be spring cleaning not yet....

[Kristen]

Love the knitter, even if he does remind me of Santa Claus. ;)

[Cookie]

Love!

[elizabeth a airhart]

he has something on his mind does he not a memory i think as he knits in his room

cindy olsen norma needs you
james durie for your back yard
and john glidden for curb appeal

[Diane H.]

Ah, yes.... winter, the time of reorganization! Love the painting - those Dutch fisherman sure can knit a blue steek!

Is this the stash for public viewing? Norma, where is your ENTIRE stash and library?