As much as I pride myself on having a lovely (and tidy!) home, I've decided to post some photos that reveal the nightmare that is my current life. Today (and several days in the past few weeks) I've spent the entire day in the basement, where it is cold and dark and virtually windowless. The reason....I am a student again. I have papers to write, research to do, and...um...I am so busy at the office that I don't have time to do my homework there. Darn.
As I mentioned, I'm taking a management course, which has me hitting the books...hard. I often take evening classes, but they're usually fun stuff like photography, pottery or creative writing. I try to avoid professional development (ugh) but once a year or so, I drag myself to a formal class. This one, however, has an insane workload, with about 8h reading per week and mid-terms and essays and the dreaded...group assignment. My team of 5 has to submit a paper in less than 2 weeks and I seem to be the one with all the initiative. 
So I spent the entire day in the freezing cold basement next to the freezer (I swear it's 12°C down here, or approx 55°F) since my upstairs OFFICE does not yet exist. Well, that isn't entirely true - the room has been painted since June (a gorgeous Pottery Barn blue) and the curtains and rod are bought (and are still sitting on the chair 5 months later).But I'm still hacking in the basement on my ANCIENT computer, which is just how we dumped everything the day we moved in 11 months ago. The PLAN was to buy a new iMac and get the office upstairs all organized in time for some summer photography. Well, as you can see, I haven't bought my iMac. In fact, the computer in the photos is 7 years old. Note the hideous old mouse without a rollerball (my favorite invention ever!!!)...not having a roller ball drives me mad, but a new cool mouse won't work because I can't install the right drivers!. 
I had to bring my laptop home from the office so I could use my drafting software to make a flowchart. I did my drafting on the laptop and then hooked it up to the internet and emailed it to myself so I could open it on my old clunker PC (which I re-connected to the internet so I could open the email) so that I could insert it into my document and use the BIG keyboard (typing on the laptop all day makes my shoulders ache). How technologically advanced, switching cables from one machine to the other all day! Most people have a wireless network. I have a sea of cables and one jack in the whole house with internet on it. 
So I decided to show you the chaos instead of pretty Christmas pictures like everyone is posting. I know after reading this no one will ever come back and read my blog. Oh well, it was nice knowing you. I don't have time for you anyway. Clearly.
I hope, eventually, to buy my iMac and move upstairs. I still don't have a new desk as there have been other priorities, so I'm planning to sand and re-paint the country table I'm now using (and hate!). And also install a keyboard tray. Right, like that will happen. Ikea, here I come.
I wonder....when do people find the time to be fabulous?
Oh well, at least I loved my cat today and cleaned my kitchen this morning (we had dinner guests last night, at least that was an accomplishment!) and wrote a whole 2000 words on the topic of pesticides and why they should be banned and talked to my Mom about Dad's health and talked to David's Mom about Christmas gifts for him (I gave her all my ideas) and made steel cut oats and watched an episode of "This Old House" and wrote this post. What a day...
All photos courtesy Terri's basement
You certainly do have your hand full. And I wonder the same thing, where DO they find the time to be so fabulous? I could have written something very similar. My life is crazy too and I don't know how people get so much done. If you find out, be sure to let me know!
ReplyDeleteyou really should see my office/scrapbook/craft room. mine is the warmest room in the house. It is also the drop off room at the present time, because of the bedrooms being done. Wait, I meant, re-done. If I have your email, I just may send you pix. I'm way too embarrassed to send them out in the open. Your office, though cold, is very tidy. Cords and all.
ReplyDeleteNope, you can't chase me away that easily!
ReplyDeleteYou poor thing...studying in that cold basement with all those cords lying all about; it's enough to make a gal wonder what she might do to some professor's neck or the cads who don't pull their own.
Take care!
I feel for you! There is nothing like being a student again. To this day, some 14 yrs after I got my degree, I still wake up in a cold sweat after dreaming that I didn't actually complete my degree...that I missed a vital course and I have to start all over again from year one! So, I figure you need to take a sabbatical from being fabulous...even though you naturally are as evidenced by throwing a dinner party and making steel cut oats...however you do THAT!!
ReplyDeleteCome up from the basement and make yourself a cup of tea!!
Linda
HA! If you could see me now! My office is a PIT and I look like a wreck! I don't have time to be fabulous either! In fact, I am posting about SHOES and whether you should remove them or not when you go to someone's house! That is how lame I am today. And that comes second only to the other not so pretty post in the last week, the one on RATS!
ReplyDeleteAnyone who is constantly posting about their fabulousness, well, I won't say. Constantly posting at all is ridiculous, who has time? I love your posts, and this one ROCKS!
My computer has a wireless network but it still has cords EVERYWHERE to all sorts of gadgets and machines. They just don't look like they do in magazines.
I won't post a picture of my desk, however, because it would costs me jobs, I am sure of it!
xo,
Melissa
Terri,
ReplyDeleteAlthough it might be a bit chilly, your basement is impeccable when compared to mine. There is no comparison. But just remind yourself of something whenever you see a little mess at the house: "dull women have immaculate homes!" lol... take care and God Bless...
P.S. I see where you're from Calgary. I was watching the Stamps- Riders game this past weekend. I am a mild Flames fan as well. (More of a Wings fan) I live about a 35 minute drive from Windsor, ON. Which is still a long way from Jackson, but she is still so worth the trip :)
Don't dismay...everything has it's own timing. Think forward to a year from now and imagine everything like you want it to be...You have a lot on your plate right now.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your class. I feel better about my own office chaos by looking at other artist's desks. See On My Desk
ReplyDeleteI thought it was pretty cool of your cat to accompany you in the basement and sit in that chair while you do your thing.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteFunny, i look at the wire in all those pictures and say " thank God i have wireless!" HEHE my office looked similar but not as messy...sorry....I go nuts if my office is dirty or messy, im just quirky that way. But you may be VERY VERY busy...who knows. You need a little mini heater in the meanwhile... :)
ReplyDeleteJen Ramos
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