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Morning Open Thread. Upgrading my work space. Out with the old, in with the new. [1]

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Date: 2022-07-09

“Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.” – Marilyn Monroe

Ever since I re-got a computer back in 2020 and re-hooked to the internet, I’ve been working in a cluttered and cramped corner space. It’s not the corner that’s the problem, it’s the way it’s set up. So, change time has come. Or so I’m wishing.

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Here’s where I’m at (was) right now. A card table for a computer work station, boo, hiss!

It’s not that this doesn’t work; obviously it does since I’ve been using it for over two years. It’s just that I don’t like it.

No, this is most definitely not the way to keep your printer:

I’ve already begun by ordering a moveable stand for my printer, which also gives me space for my new book copy-stand. But, I’m thinking of going above and beyond. I’ve narrowed my options down to “modest” and “oh heck yeah”.

The modest upgrade takes no more footprint in the corner than I’m already using. With the printer stand this would be an improvement for certain, and isn’t terribly expensive, but is it really what I want? One problem: this desk will move my keyboard two inches higher than how it sits on my present card table. Another problem: See the model computer tower at lower left? That’s where my tower would have to go and I don’t want it near the floor, because of dust accumulation. My tower is currently sitting on the card table top behind my monitor. Nicely out of the way and well up above the worst dust accumulation.

No, it’s not really what I want but what I do want is much bigger and will cost about five times as much. I haven’t been able to find any arrangement that I like that is a compromise between the two. Here’s the Oh Heck Yeah, That’s What I’m Talkin’ About option:

I previously had a corner work station very much like this one, the same size but without the two storage areas, many years ago. I was very happy with it. I really like this because it gives me all the handwriting space I need, it has a keyboard tray down at the level I like best, and my tower can go up on top, to the left, sitting sideways, with lots of room to spare for my printer.

Well, I don’t have to make a decision right away, so in the meantime I’ll just see how I like it with the printer stand improvement.

*****

It’s here, the printer stand. Hmmmm……..

How many empty jars of peanut butter is this going to take?

Peanut butter jars? ff, what are you talking about? This: TV Table Travail Tale Topped Off

Onward:

I’m ready *this* time!

Same damn annoying supervisor.

Piece of pie! At least that last page anyhow.

So far,

so...

good?

No, it’s not that good. It’s cramping me even more, but it’ll do for now. I think I’ll move the file cabinet to another part of the room and move the new printer stand into where the file cabinet was. That way I won’t be squeezing my chair in between the table and the printer stand.

Or, just go for the OH HECK YEAH! $500+. Ugh. Sigh. Hey, it’s only money and it’ll make me happier, right? A happier work space, right? I really gotta think about this some more, first.

[couple hours later]

No. Not the Heck Yeah. After rearranging, moving the file cabinet and putting the printer stand in where the file cabinet was, this is now what my corner looks like:

Opened the space nicely; half-round table can be moved closer when necessary. Note my new book holder stand on the half-round table. I have frequent occasion to type out material from books, and trying to keep a book open and situated without a device like that is a real PITA.

Decision, Final: the card table will be replaced with this model, but in brown instead of white:

Same footprint as the card table, and it’s got the keyboard shelf at the height I want. Just over $100. That’ll do.

Glad I got all that figgered out. Whew!

*****

It’s here! The new corner computer desk. Everything has to be disconnected and the corner entirely cleared out.

Time to check if the old vacuum cleaner even still works.

Flat-pack woes ahead?

Like the printer stand, so far...

… so ...

Good? One thing: my computer tower was too big for the lower shelf, as shown in the model photos, but it fit fine behind the monitor just as before, and I prefer it that way anyhow. Plus, my subwoofer is now off the floor, and facing out and with a hard surface under it for the best bass sound transmission.

Yes, it’s good, or it’s gonna have to be. It’s going to take a little getting used to. The mouse is no longer right next to my keyboard, so I’ve got to retrain muscle memory, and the monitor now sits higher to my eye level by a couple of inches but that’s no big deal, and I don’t have a ledge to rest the heels of my palms on, but it’s sure opened up the corner and LOOKS much nicer.

One last, for comparison, Before and After:

I’m calling it mission success. And more! New crockpot.

OUT WITH THE OLD!

(This belonged to Rick’s mom, and dates back to the 60’s. I’ve made dozens of meals in it over the past three years, but its time has come and gone. No telling how much Teflon we’ve been eating.)

AND IN WITH THE NEW!

Going to do my classic super-spaghetti for the first cook-up.

It’s the little things in life that truly count. And large pots of spaghetti.

[END]
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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/7/9/2105772/-Morning-Open-Thread-Upgrading-my-work-space-Out-with-the-old-in-with-the-new

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