Writing Space

This is my desk.  Today, my husband is using it because he's working from home.  It's really quite tidy at the moment.  I love it because it looks out over our back garden, and I can watch the scrub jays hiding acorns, the hummingbirds visiting the feeder and the dog in his favorite sunny spot.

I also love it because it's close to my wall poster featuring the lineage of the British monarchy from William the Conqueror.

 And I can easily reach my glass jar full of chocolate-covered espresso beans.  Which is empty at the moment.  (see note about husband using desk space).

But it's not always comfortable.  A couple of years ago, I had a terrible time with carpal tunnel syndrome.  Last year at about this time, my rotator cuff began giving me fits, and when I stopped moving it (because it hurt!) I got adhesions between bone and tendon and ended up with a frozen shoulder.  All because of the way I sit at the computer.  After nine months of physical therapy, I can finally get my arm up over my head again, with only a minimal amount of pain.  But I needed to change the way I sit and write.

So I got another desk.  I switch back and forth, moving and taking breaks in between.

This desk is smaller, has a smaller and lighter chair and is arranged at just the right height for my short stature.  It gets great light from two windows and I can keep an eye on the neighborhood cats from here.  Notice that I have moved both of my storyboards to sit next to it.  Also notice the LEGO on the floor.  

But neither desk has a lot of elbow room.  Sometimes, I need to spread out.  I need to get out all my research books, my book bible that includes timelines, character studies, editorial notes and photographs.  I have my printed and bound copy of Book 3 to revise by hand and a pad of paper on which I scrawl everything from word count to kissing scenes.  Plus index cards.  I never go anywhere without my index cards.

When I'm really working, I tend to take over the entire house.  I've been known to work at my kids' desks, too.  I'm thinking about getting one of those standing desks for the kitchen.  Or maybe a treadmill desk.  Or maybe both.  All I have to do is move aside some of the LEGO, right?