Sanctuary

Even though it’s been dedicated to be my workspace once the home-based business ball gets rolling, it’s a little slice of Heaven right in my own home.

And here it is:

It may not be much to look at but it’s where I plan to spend my time when proofreading documents for clients. I did just that over the last few nights as I proofed a 25-page document for my former boss, and it was great to be making a little extra cash, be comfortable while doing it, and not have to worry about El Jefe sneaking up from behind and demanding more from me.

Dogs and cats sneaking up from behind, however, will always be welcomed.

As you can tell by the photo, this little workspace isn’t exactly a desk. It’s more of a bookcase with removable wood shelves that’s been built into the wall of furthest corner of our den. It had been unused for at least a few years and was a serious waste of space so I decided to move in and it make it my work center. There were no objections.

And despite not having any views of the outside world, it’s fantastic because this small corner also doubles as my sanctuary. Hell, if I could put up a small wall to the left of me just for more privacy, I’d do it in a heartbeat.

With the rest of the den in darkness, the LED strip lights affixed to the underside of the top shelf provide my corner with illumination in a cool blue hue. I bought these lights on clearance a few years ago for, if I recall, $1.50 per strip and despite not knowing when I’d ever need them, I thought they were cool and took them home. They are designed to be placed under kids’ beds so those who believe that The Boogeyman or El Cucuy will come crawling out from underneath can sleep easier at night knowing that the light will scare those two monsters away. The lights also came with five plastic filters that can be placed inside to change the color of the illumination but I’m perfectly happy with them as they are.

Also on the shelf are all of the grammar and English books I bought at the thrift shop, plus a few I already had from my college years. Chances are I can look up anything else I need by going online.

And while I thought my little place was pretty cozy as it was, today I decided to make a few more additions to it:

I went ahead and added a second LED light strip, my Super Mario Bros. banks in the right corner, the Loteria placemats to cover up the ugly wood shelf, a pen holder (which is a can cozy that Anthony made for me this Father’s Day), and I bought a wireless mouse at Best Buy today. It was quite the steal: regular $29.99, it was $12.99 on sale and I had a $10 RewardZone certificate so I only spent $3.27 for the thing. Go me!

I am networked wirelessly to the rest of the PCs in the house but I do no streaming of media while here because this is where I work. Heck, I don’t even have speakers here and aside from the pre-installed media, I have no music or videos on my laptop.

You will also notice the Logitech Rock Band mic on the left side for whenever I’m a guest on another podcast. (Thanks to my neighbor Tony for giving me the mic stand and windscreen!) I also had Anthony draw a few pictures for me and hung them up right above the laptop screen. That’s about the only thing about my sanctuary that looks even close to a standard office cubicle, which is what I’m trying so desperately to avoid.

So this is where I spent a little over 5 hours yesterday and today, immersed in 25 pages of documentation that I was marking up like mad in Word (with Track Changes on). I was left alone to work as I relaxed and listened to one of my many White Noise apps on my iPod. In this case, White Noise Storm since it is currently raining here and I wanted to enhance the mood a little bit.

And it was perfect: no boss, no pressure, no stupid company rules or regulations to follow when it comes to proofreading. Complete freedom. Awesome.

I’m totally digging my little corner of the house because it’s mine. That means that if the weather outside is frightful and I want a fan blowing in my face without the fear of people looking at me like I’m insane, I can do it. Now that I think of it, I need to go find my small desk fan…

All things considered, I can see myself doing this kind of job more frequently—and quite honestly, for good.