Due to popular request...

Mirko... revelling in freshly washed and cleaned carpet! He was overwhelmed with delight to be able to re-enter the office. He really likes the new chair and ottoman.

Epilogue, Part II: Ok ok... TWO more pics!

Blogger is being a pain in the a**. This was one more picture that I wanted to share with you, but for some reason, couldn't upload it to that last posting with all of the "after" pics.

Click on the following pics for a larger view.

I thought that my neighbors across the street would find this particularly amusing.

And to rub it in... here is a view of my TV from the armchair. Perfect view for vegging out and watching World Cup.

TTFN
YB

Epilogue I: The Office

This "re-engineering" of my home office was a bizzare, yet purifying way for me to address those issues which we never consider in everyday life. So at least for now, my dear audience, I provide you with a list of things to think about. I'll re-address more of these in another posting, but in the meanwhile, I need to catch up on other stuff that I've put off (er...like work and studying) during (what I like to call) my office-obsessive-mania. At least this posting will provide for me a quick fix to tide me over until I have more time to really sit down and process what this whole ordeal has meant to me.

And so we begin with the random stream of consciousness questions:

• How many writing utensils does one person really need?
• What is the decision-making process when it comes to keeping/donating/trashing books?Do I really need my Physical Chemistry textbook from 1995... and who the f**k would WANT it?
• How many RCA, USB, coaxial cables do I really need?
• Why do I have so many power adapters and have absolutely no clue what they plug into...?
• Why do I have 3 pairs of headphones/earbuds?
• What does one do with this massive accumulation of copper, silicon chips, lead, and plastics?
• Do people really still use personal cassette and personal CD players?
• What is the protocol for weeding out "keepsakes?" -- personal cards, birthday cards, etc, and how does the the function of "the giver" factor into the decision making of keep/trash?
• What is the purpose of a shoebox full of pictures? Wouldn't it be easier to just scan every picture into a JPG and keep electronically?

Some random bizzare findings during my "purge session" this week that makes one go, "oh sh*t... I FORGOT about that!" :

• 3 knives (!) --- a scuba knife, a traditional filipino butterfly knife, and a swiss army knife
• 2 zippo lighters --- one of my roomies from college gave to me for undergrad graduation -- 10 years ago. Its engraved with a "no smoking" symbol; the other was a gift from my cousin for being in her wedding party (with my initial engraved)I found my old fraternity (Alpha Phi Omega) pledge class PADDLE and pledge book
• One whole entire tupperware bin of COMIC BOOKS kept in near-mint condition, still in their mylar wrapping
• 1 photo album from my summer abroad in France (1990)... I look anorexic
• my soccer ball from college and a basketball (my nephew really had fun with those as I toiled away)
• a copper engraving of a tall-ship that my mom made for me that I thought was lost to the ages
• and many many many more random things.
  

Its been quite an adventure and now I have to re-enter reality.

God, I love MONDAYS.

TTFN
YB

Project of the Week, Part IV: THE FINALE.

I don't know if "labor of love" is an accurate description of this past week, but I can definitely say that I finished my home office re-design as of this afternoon. There are still some more lil' things here and there that I need to touch up (re-mount pics, spackle, touch-ups with paint, etc), but for all intents and purposes, this job is done. UGH.

You may recall the before pics. I didn't have couch pics in my previous posting, but many of you may have seen my office or crashed on the fold-out sofabed:

This couch and too many components (AV system, a cabinet, and desk) took up alot of space. Since I spend so much time in this room, I found it to be cluttered and tight. I hated subjecting guests to the sofabed.

And of course, you may recall the "during" picture, when I tore the office apart. (You can see a pic of the disaster zone here from a previous posting.)

Anywhoie... here are the long awaited AFTER pics (you should be able to click on any of the following pics to get a full-sized picture):

Desk and storage (still looking a lil' cramped to some, but it works for me.) You get bonus points if you can spot Tintin, Snowy the dog, Nemo, and Dorrie. That "torso" you see in the desk area is my 2006 Robbie Williams calendar.

Armchair and Ottoman (traded the couch for something more compact and cushy.) Only $200 on CRAIGSLIST and its Storehouse! :-) I need to lower the pics a little bit, I think. They are still the original height pre-re-design... Someday I'll look into a new slipcover.

TV and AV System. Yes, that is a BEAR ottoman in the corner. You may have seen them in Caribou Coffee. My nephew likes it, so it stays. Its my hommage to "BEARS."

That's all for now! I have lots of reflections on this week which I will share in my next posting.

Ciao!
YodaBEESH