Office Space

Today is the fall equinox. 

It's time to align.
To coordinate.

I haven't published anything since the 4th of July.
I went all summer swinging from my hands beneath the tight rope, confusing it for a trapeze.
It's time to climb on top, position my feet, and walk to the other side.
Balance, balance, balance.

The tail end of my last writing cycle was explosive and motivating and since then everything in my brain has turned into murky waters. 
It's sort of the way I would see an old New Orleanian swamp: still mystic, still ready to cause some Creole voodoo, still dusted with very slow banjo music, still creeping with gators, but very hushed and on pause. Just cruising along in my little boat I suppose, checking out the water logged tombs, keeping quiet, sipping on my moonshine. 

We are currently in the dark of the moon which feels unsettlingly pacific considering this is the summer of the "Super Moon" and the last 3 months have been nothing but hype and over exposure. 

I'll tell ya, that last full moon was a doozy. It was the best I could do to try and get out of its way.

Lately, I've been finally piecing together the last of my home office. I knew I wanted it to be a place where I would feel comfortable and productive and above all else, inspired. What I ultimately envisioned was the Denver Planetarium but obviously, my one smallish room wasn't enough to hold the cosmic crown, so I had to make some alterations.

Originally, this area was the same crematorium grey as the rest of the house. I wanted an infinite blue color for the walls and in the end went with Regatta Bay #550F-6 by Behr. I will tell you, this particular project was the biggest bitch of our house. The HBIC, the loft, the hub of the top floor, the queen of interaction, the heart of connection. You can't get to any of the upstairs rooms without passing through her space which is kind of cool but essentially that just means painters-taping 6 doorways worth of trim and let me tell you, that sucks.

The ace, as always, is playing dress up. Starting a room out with a clean slate makes things much easier to envision and create. This particular territory had galactic gleam built right into it's walls. I could sense it. Kalynn has made me some pretty sweet lunar masterpieces over the last couple of years and they have been waiting patiently in my filing cabinet for their chance to go on stage.

Although I don't feel the need to document every sample of her budding artistic expression, I do want to get back in to my writing groove and the only thing I feel compelled to write about at the moment is where I've been spending the most time. It seems fitting to show some of the brush strokes that have spattered my proverbial canvas.

This little waxing crescent was cut from a paper plate and covered in tin foil. The stars are a yellow construction paper soaked in glitter glue and the blue ribbon was taken off an old piece of Cabbage Patch clothing. 

I was constructed my very own rocket ship this summer by my little aspiring astronaut. She says once she gets to the moon, she'll buy herself some space clothes so she fits in with the aliens. Space house slippers are on the top of her list. She says "there must be a store around there somewhere..."

Ok, so the desk.

This monumental piece of furniture where I sit and write stories, where I pay my bills, where I piece together home videos, where I edit all of your beautiful wedding clips, where I house my photography and craft ideas, the external hard drive of my brain, my desk! 

Oh, how I love the square chair shape of my ass after having been sitting for hours talking to you guys.

This tiny little corner of my house feels just like I'm a baby being swaddled in the literary cloth of modern technology. 

Yes. 

And as I sit and stare at my 4 computer screens, my framed family photos, and my adorable little mouse pad, I turn my head to the left and see one of my very favorite pieces of art of all time... a celestial bloom drawn by BJ. 

This world lost BJ on November 5th, 2010. It was a Friday. When I got the call, the sky was completely black. Kind of like it is right now. Not even a cheshire cat grin above us. I swear the illumination of the entire universe dimmed.

Of all the art I saved from him over the years, this is my absolute favorite.

Now.

However enchanting I believe my room to be in the evenings when the dimmer switch dips low, the sound of summer rain permeates the deafening air, and flickering candle light makes dancing shadows across floor, 

the ever alert sunshine comes barreling through morning after morning. 

My office stands tall, does an immediate and intense 'about-face' on its crisp black dress shoes, and selflessly makes way for Sponge-Bob Squarepants, over sized Legos and the daily My Little Pony parade. 

Thus, the circle of life is complete.

So this is where I've been lately. In case you were wondering.

I wish you all a smooth transition from Summer to Autumn. Try to remember during this time of acrobatic swaying, not to take anything too serious on one side or the other.
It's all about balance.

"I hope that the greens, purples, and oranges of your swirls stay bright and don’t ever get too sour. Such things ruin perfectly good paintings." - BJ Backman 1978-2010


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