Thursday, October 23, 2008

workspace

I'm looking forward to catching a glimpse of some other bloggers' workspaces.

Quite ready to admit to being a nosey parker.



Its so funny to think that some of you know what the contents of my cupboards look like - without necessarily knowing anything much else about me.

the strange world of blogging...


Anyway, I posted some pics a while back of the view from my computer desk... this sort of a view:









I've been getting quite a bit of entertainment lately from watching the little teeny tiny mice outside this window, hiding from the neighbourhood cats and nibbling on the bird seed which I've spilled while filling the bird-feeders.

I will get a photo of them if I can.

oh, oh and I just remembered, oh this is another thing I have been watching from my computer desk lately:



Unlike the unfortunate spiders who build their beautiful webs across the front door, this spider seems to have picked a pretty feasible and sustainable location and I hope this web lasts and lasts.

And, no doubt, i will take photos and more photos...



and here is my main workspace itself.




Items of note: most importantly, cup of tea. Also, card-reader, iPod cable, scribbled note about things not to forget to do today, box of tissues, spare pens and clangers.

When I moved desks and computers a month or so ago, I wasn't sure how I would cope with such a small desk space.

Well..... I am tending to spread onto the floor




Though I write etc. mostly at the computer, I still need space for books and papers...

... but this is in a more controlled way than previously.

Compare the floor space near my desk and bureau, as it has been in the past (fairly habitually):




and as it is now.






Congrats to me, n'est ces pas?

(note my camera, at the ready for photos of spiders, mice....)



The bureau itself is another story...



I do most of my work at the computer now, hence the spilling over onto the floor phenomenon.

But there are some things I still sit and do the old fashioned way - and the only space I (potentially) have is at the bureau.

I was at my sister's house last weekend, and she too (recently) has taken possession of a family bureau.

And the front flap/desk-bit shuts!
And when you open it, there is space!

empty space

its an inspiration!

As is my niece, A., (known to some one of you as S.A.) who told me how she'd enjoyed sitting at the bureau and writing a Jane-Austen-style letter to a friend. A friend who she sees regularly. But she just wanted to write a hand-written letter.

Isn't that great?

Particularly in the light of recent hand-written correspondence from friends which encourages me (as does my niece) to spend time writing, as well as all the time at the computer, I plan a purge of this bureau.

In about 4 weeks, which is when my current workload should decline somewhat, I will sort and file and destroy and consign to garbage/recycling, and be ruthless .... and I will endeavour to clear the bureau so that it can be shut.

And opened again.

and sat at.

and used for writing....

and not just checking bank statements, but writing letters, and cards, and postcards... and Jane-Austen-style stuff



so Look Out


and


SO now you know about my cupboards, and about my workspace


how WEIRD is that?

22 comments:

Dumdad said...

Your computer workspace isn't entirely dissimilar to mine (double negatives: why didn't I just write "your workspace is quite similar to mine"?)

To the right of my desk there is indeed a door: in my case, it opens on to steps that lead up to our tiny front garden. I might even photograph it one of these days and post it; except my digital camera is playing up.

Anyway, thanks for a peek into the working world of Lettuce.

Lynne said...

ah, I see that apple logo, you can't hide it from me. Another Mac person, yeah! :) Your work space looks out onto a lovely view. Mine I just stare at the furniture behind the computer. Although I can turn around and gaze out the window at the bird feeding area. Sometime I see birds; sometimes I see the family of six turkeys that visit; and once in a while I might see a bear.

My space is strewn with papers and scribblings; printed out recipes, and assorted camera lenses and such. I'll try for a pic in a day or two and post it so you can see for yourself.

I too have a Jane Austen style bureau, although it's more of what we would call a secretary. It's only use at the moment is in the front hallway holding phone books in its drawers and gloves and mittens in its close/open bit. Maybe I should put it to better use?

P.S. If you send me your address I'll write a real letter to you!

mouse (aka kimy) said...

I LOVE this post.... oh my a viewing spot to watch mice! how divine is that. I confess I 'tidied' up the surface which the (main) computer is on in advance of the photo I posted - now I realize that was kind of cheating. I should of snapped my pic totally as is.... although the surrounding piles do shift and change constantly - and every so often it is neat.

I find piles very comforting.

and what wonderful outdoor space you have! my workspace face the street (with a patch of green) I catch quite a bit of human action from my workspace perches....and of course the ever present squirrel and bird activities

thanks xxx you 'sister nosey parker'!

ramblingwoman said...

Intrigued to look at your bureau contents further I clicked on the photo and was able to read that person's essay and their mark!!!!!










Not really - only joking - did you panic then a bit Lettie??

Hee hee

lettuce said...

ha! now dumdad, that sentence is not unlike that which i might also find myself writing...
do photograph it, do. peeks for noseyparkers.

lynne, yes Macs Rule! If you can turn and gaze, can you rearrange your desk for a view? and yes please, i love letters and will reciprocate.

oooh kimy, naughty cheat! i was impressed by your tidyness. i find the piles comforting too, actually - and can usually locate what i need.

RW you are also naughty! No, i only almost-but-not-quite panicked. Its not an essay on the bureau anyway (nyah nyah) its a list of student names and numbers and i'd already checked its not legible.

(its not is it?)
(off to check again...)

tut-tut said...

Nice space, Lettie! we had a spider over the slider to the deck. D moved her, but she came right back. Then she was gone . . .

I like these themes. They (usually) make me get up and try to comply.

Akelamalu said...

In MWM's words - "It may be messy, but it's organised messy!" LOL

goatman said...

I've often thought that it would be neat to go around to businesses and offices photographing the desks of the people working there. Not after they've straightened up and gone home but in the heat of combat during the day. Include some notables such as Prince Charles, Mick Jagger (does he have a desk?), or Henry Kissinger, and sell it as a coffee-table book for Christmas.
You could even include definitive research on arrangements and the personalities which produced the stuff on the desks and surrounds.

Not my desk though: I have secret stuff that must remain unseen!!

Barbara said...

Your space feels very welcome and lived in. I can almost smell the cup of tea as it sits there. I love the fact that you have so much nature to see just out your work window. Definitely signs of organized progress here!

Unknown said...

LOL, wonderful post, Lettuce. My workspace is cluttered with books, unopened letters, printers, scanner, speakers, photos, books, pens, files, knickknacks, books, ... You get the general idea, right. And since I seen to have a bit more space than, I've just "spread" all over the place! I think a purge is an inspired idea and I will definitely join you!
xx

Pod said...

you will of course need several frilly petticoats to sit and write at the bureau
(nice to see where you 'see' us from)

joyce said...

I love the looks of your place. Can I come over for a cuppa?

Crafty Green Poet said...

your workspace looks nice, and the photo of the spider is wonderful

Queenie said...

At the moment I'm having to be semi- laid out whilst blogging, so any photos of my view would bore you silly. When I'm up and about,I'll send you some. Your space has great views, and great wildlife....

Pecos Blue said...

I love your view!

Chick said...

Love the big window you work near...that would inspire me.

(& seriously...to have a MAC is to know computer love).

herhimnbryn said...

How do you get any work done with such a view through the window?

lettuce said...

Tut, spiders can be amazingly persistant, can't they? mine is not to be seen at the moment, but her web is still there

precisely, lamalu

goatman, that could be fun and interesting. and revealing, maybe...?
hmmmm, secret stuff.....?

barbara I really like it, i'm so pleased i moved from my previous work not-much-space. maybe i'll post a pic of that too

'nil, go on go on, post a pic for us, nosey parkers like peeking

of

course, pod, frilly petticoats can be taken for granted

joyce, that would make my day. week. month. please any time!!!

cgp, thanks! and hello again! :-)

queenie, that must be wearing... i'm glad you're still managing to get around blogwise and visit

me too pecos blue!
(rhyme!)

tis true chick. Was through Macs that i learned to love computers. (well, macs and blogging)

hhb, i like my view but would have thought it a bit mundane & cluttered - but all the comments here have made me appreciate it much more. And its true, i often sit and gaze

R.L. Bourges said...

yes, well, thank goodness for floors is all I can say. I've managed to keep a path leading to and from the different zones in my main workspace - a small snowplow may come in handy at some point :-)

Lovely shot of the spider - here's wishing her a long and fly-filled existence.

Gary said...

My workspace is only ever messy when I am writing a paper. It is then that books and papers surround me in an incredibly precise fashion but would seem like chaos to an outside observer. I am a neat freak. My brothers used to call me Felix (from The Odd Couple) but it is my nature.

How wonderful that your load will lighten (somewhat) in 4 weeks time. Then perhaps we'll see more pics?

Steve Reed said...

Oh, I'm so behind on your blog. How did that happen??

It's nice to see the source of my recent mail. (Thanks, by the way -- TERRIFIC! I will respond with something handwritten myself. :) )

Your place looks very cozy. But I might buy you a shredder. :)

ArtSparker said...

I like the world outside your window, a world within a world, sort of the whole point of cities existing, to preserve these bits of wild, do you know about the pocket gardens of New York City?