Tag Archives: bookshelves

Creative Space

By lytspeed Posted in General Leave a reply

Today I worked on populating the bookshelves, a full-day job. A number of books that were downstairs had to come upstairs, and vice versa. For the first time in my life, I have more bookshelf space than books to fill it, and I find this creates a sense of silly urgency in me. My wife stripped wallpaper in our bedroom and prepped those walls for paint.

It was nice to be able to sit in the office in the evening, feel the rain-scented evening breeze blow in through the window, and look at a finished room, with everything I want at my fingertips or across the room. This should be a good creative space.

Frankenbookshelf

By lytspeed Posted in General Leave a reply

It worked! My wife and I cut the bookshelves in half, and we now have six merely huge shelves. We were even able to save the backing on three of them, so it only took me $20 to buy sheets of 1/8″ hardboard to use as backing for the other three. I have three standing next to each other along one wall of the office and a fourth at a right angle to the others. My computer desk and servers are along the wall opposite the three shelves, and the center of the room is clear except for an exercise bike. It’s all set up!

I guess there is some creativity involved in all of this house working; it may not be writing or music, but it certainly requires creativity to overcome some of the obstacles in building or repairing things. It’s not over yet, either. We still have four complete rooms to paint, some wallpaper to hang, and some wainscoting to tack up in the next week or two.

“Johnson, you saw like an old lady!”

By lytspeed Posted in General, Writing Leave a reply

I had to stay at work late again tonight, this time in Ft. Collins, so I didn’t get much done at home again. There is really no time for writing in all of this; hopefully when I get the office all done I will be able to settle into a morning writing/exercise routine. I have a great assignment for my next class with Melanie Tem; it’s intimidating, which is good.

Speaking of intimidation, I’ve got the saw for cutting the bookshelves tomorrow. I’m intimidated by that prospect, because I’m afraid I will wind up with two useless pieces of gargantuan firewood. I kid you not; these bookshelves are BIG: 6′ 9″ x 3′ x 2′, double-sided. If it works, I’ll have six useable bookshelves that are only one foot deep. When it comes to woodworking, I’m not that great. I vividly remember my 8th grade Shop teacher walking up and telling me, “Johnson, you saw like an old lady.” Maybe that’s feeding into my intimidation here, even though I’ll be using a circular saw. Also, my father cut off his left hand pinky with a circular saw, so I’m sure that has something to do with it.

Merely Huge Bookshelves

By lytspeed Posted in General, Reading Leave a reply

I didn’t have to stay at work as late tonight, so I was able to get more done on the office. The big plan for the weekend is to borrow a co-worker’s circular saw (mine tends to bind during long cuts) and cut my three gargantuan double bookshelves in half to make six merely huge bookshelves.