My Work Center

My Work Center on April 19, 2010

"The happiest of all lives is a busy solitude." - Voltaire

In an earlier post there is a picture of a woman alone in a darkish room, writing at her desk.  At first glance that scene seems to illustrate the above quote.  However, after looking at the picture more carefully it seems that the woman is not actually a person who yearns for solitude, though she's smart enough to realize she needs an iota of it in order to write a thoughtful note.  One also realizes that the area in which she's writing is not the kind of space (as it is furnished and apparently cared for) that a person who thrives in solitude would be comfortable in.
 
I offer here a view of my own "inner sanctum."  This is the center of my life, actually.  Although I do a lot of outside (physical) work, it's here where I plan that work, and do a lot of other planning as well.  It's also where I download all the pictures I take with my camera (usually several to dozens every day) and delete/edit/disseminate them according to how "good" (my judgment) and how useful they are or might be for various purposes.

It's also where I keep up with my website and another blog besides this one, besides the online "shops" where some of my drawings are (very seldom) sold on mugs and stationery and where I put up new designs from time to time. It's here where I do most of my reading (from the computer and from books), and type up notes and prepare my blog posts, and it's from here that I order my books (and other items, but mostly books) as well as try to keep up with news and new articles and videos on all the subjects that interest me, and it's here that I plan my days, my weeks, and even - roughly - the whole year ahead (in December) and work on various projects.  Also, this is where I write and receive several emails every day.  And this is where I write down my thoughts, ideas, memories, quotes I come across, etc. that I may (and often do) find useful in the future.
 
It's also (mostly) here that I draw.  Note the little clipboard behind the computer keyboard -- That has been my "drawing table" for many, many years.  Just the other day I received a sketch board that I ordered which I intend to use now for drawing, though I haven't had time to use it yet.  Although small for a sketch board (18-1/2" x 19-1/2"), it's much larger than the clipboard yet won't be too large to see over and use comfortably while sitting in a chair.
 
The next time I take a picture of my "work center" the details will be a little different, depending on what I'm working on at the time.  I also hope to add some more shelves somewhere, perhaps on the wall if I'm lucky, so that I can see what I have - get more things up off the floor and out of boxes; that's probably just a dream, though.  For the most part it will still probably look pretty much as it does in the picture.  It suits me.  It's comfortable.  I don't worry about how it looks unless I think that someone might come by.  Luckily, usually people don't come by as I communicate mostly via email.

I think you will agree that although at first glance it may appear that I am a recluse who has no interest in people, the truth is that I am a communicator.  People are very important in my life.  It's just that my methods of communication are different than those of more extrovertish people due to my need to be for the most part alone in order to do be comfortable and do my best.