My work space

I think I spend more hours in a week sitting in my work office than probably anyplace else. My job is pretty much a sit on your butt kind of thing. I work in a professional office, yet today as I was sitting at my desk, I realized that my space is full of items that some may not consider so professional. My boss doesn’t seem to care, in fact he seems to be amused by some of the items that I surround myself with. Maybe because these items often reflect some of my quirky-ness, which also seems to amuse him. I recently heard of a local employer that does not allow its employees to have ANY personal items in their work space. Apparently, this even includes putting personal pictures as the background on their computer monitors. I am SO thankful that isn’t policy at my office. I would have a hard time in an environment where personal expression was not allowed.


I am lucky to work in a rather large space with big windows. Out those windows I can look at the surrounding green hills. I can even look out in the distance to Bellingham Bay. On the wall above my desk hangs an artist’s depiction of the Italian coastline. My boss gave it to me as a present a few years back. The painting draws me in with its bright colors and sense of the warm sun smiling down on your face. I look at that picture and I can imagine myself there, listening to the sea water lapping at the shoreline, and the fishing boats bobbing up and down. I can almost smell the salty air.

I also have a collection of family photos. One collage is of the kids and different places we have been. I just realized today almost every pic in the collage involves sand and sun. Hmmmm, my happy place?? The kids most recent school pictures are displayed as well as a favorite shot of Dean, happily standing on the beach in Zihuatanejo, backpack slung over one shoulder. Next to that is a magnet with a cartoon of a mom and kids with the mom saying ‘who are these kids and why are they calling me mom?’. Another gift from my boss. There is also a pin given to me by a loved co-worker that states ‘I’m only doing it your way so I can blame you later’. This pin DEFINITELY memorialized how she and I felt many times as we worked together.

Hanging on my wall are two signs. One states ‘Fine Wines–Daily Wine Tasting’. Again, a reminder of things I love–although it is probably not very office appropriate. Someone drew a little alien cartoon on a post-it and stuck it on the sign–I never took that off, it makes me smile. Right next to my phone is a small black sign with white lettering reminding me to ‘Be Cheerful’. I bought that one for myself, as a reminder to always be cordial when I am on the phone, even when the person on the other end of the line is making my head hurt!

I also have the normal things you would find on a desk. The ruler, scissors, letter opener, pens (including one with a pig in a tutu) and pencils. Of course what desk would be complete without a miniature Mr. Potato Head, especially one that our computer IT guy likes to re-arrange when he comes in. Mugs, binder clips, adding machine, iHome, post-its–lots and lots of post-its, and of course stacks and stacks of files and papers. But the thing that I love the most about my space, are the 2 client chairs that I have. I like those chairs probably the most, because it encourages people to come in and sit and talk. Not necessarily about work, but about a whole host of things. That is what I love the most about my space and being in it. Being able to share it with others.