Comments on: A Desk is a Desk is a Desk

By: Jolana Malkston

Jolana Malkston — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 05:48:30 +0000

Maris, I am enjoying the Florida sunshine. I’m in the panhandle area, which is cooler than southern Florida but still warmer than Michigan. No snow, thank goodness. I’d love to see that picture of your workplace. Send it, please.

By: Jolana Malkston

Jolana Malkston — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 05:44:08 +0000

Lucy, I pinned that cushion to the board titled “I Tried Them and I Love Them” on my Pinterest page, pinterest.com/jolanamalkston/. Check there for the product details. 🙂

By: Jolana Malkston

Jolana Malkston — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 05:37:36 +0000

That used to be me, Margo. I was forced to learn to write directly on a typewriter when I landed my first job as a reporter. Until then, I wrote in longhand first and then transcribed it. I still write notes and scenes in longhand when I’m away from my MacBook. I always keep a pencil and pad handy. A pen will do in a pinch, but for some reason the words flow more easily when I use a pencil.

By: Jolana Malkston

Jolana Malkston — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 05:31:53 +0000

I suppose my setup has me spoiled, Paul. Being away from it for a couple of months makes me appreciate it that much more.

Typewriters and carbons and Wite Out, oh my! Years ago, I used one of those IBM Selectrics when I worked in an advertising agency that used dark tan stationery. No way to use Wite Out on dark tan paper. I didn’t relish retyping pages over and over every time I made an error. Being the evil genius that I am, I came up with a way to save myself all that extra work. I found chalk the same color as the stationery. I rubbed the chalk on a correction strip, placed it against the stationery over the error and typed the erroneous letter again. Voila! The chalk filled in the error and it “disappeared.” So, it was perfectly understandable that the first time I used a word processing application, I thought I’d died and gone to Heaven. 🙂

By: Jolana Malkston

Jolana Malkston — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 05:05:28 +0000

Amen to that, Diane!

By: Jolana Malkston

Jolana Malkston — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 05:04:20 +0000

Lighting is important, Patricia. The last thing a writer needs is eyestrain. Macho Guy came up with a terrific idea for my computer desk (in the first photo above). He installed a light fixture under the hutch bridge shelf that is above the computer station. There are times I believe the man is a genius. 🙂

By: Jolana Malkston

Jolana Malkston — Sat, 24 Jan 2015 04:56:32 +0000

I can relate to living room writing, Melissa. When Macho Guy whines about being deserted when I’m in my office, I sit with him in the living room and a lap desk with my MacBook Pro set on it becomes my workplace. Occasionally, you have to do whatever works at the time.

By: Maris

Maris — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 02:30:59 +0000

Lana, I’ll have to send you a picture of my work area here in Florida. (Actually my work area in Michigan isn’t much better.) I envy you both locations. A door blank that’s attached to the wall (and it’s not a wide door) is my “desk” top. I need more surface area. On the other hand, I sure love the sunshine here and that I can sit at my computer wearing shorts and a T-shirt. Hope you’re enjoying Florida.

By: Lucy Kubash

Lucy Kubash — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 02:24:28 +0000

Cute little desk for your home away from home, but the big one is glorious! I don’t blame you for loving it. I wonder if I can find that seat cushion online? I’ll have to do some Googling.

By: Margo Hoornstra

Margo Hoornstra — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 00:31:58 +0000

Beautiful desk, by the way. The at home one, I mean. Diane’s right. The important thing is to write. Until I read this, I bemoaned the fact I can only compose in longhand. No formal desk or chair required. Just me and my backside planted somewhere with a notebook in my lap and a pen in my hand.