A couple of days ago, I found an old computer table in my basement and brought it upstairs to my room. The desk is made of cheap steel and particleboard. The paint has peeled off of it. I have borrowed a hideous table lamp from my parents’ bedroom and a small clay pot one of my younger sisters made in ceramics class. I moved the cracked Ansel Adams print that used to rest in a chair to the other corner of the room. That chair was taken from my neighbor’s porch a few years ago after they moved their ailing parents to Chicago and left it behind. I put the chair in front of my new desk.
I hung up cheap corkboard and a dry erase board. I stole the speakers from on top of our piano and plugged them into the laptop I got off of Craigslist for 40 dollars.
I now have a home office in my little bedroom.
I have spent all of this week in front of this computer—applying for jobs, practicing Hindi and sight-reading music, reading blog posts about being self-employed, drinking wine with friends and sleeping in-between.
I finally finished my insurance course today. I voxered my bosses and they both expressed happiness. My test is scheduled for next Wednesday. If I pass the test, I can start writing business and making money that weekend. Meanwhile, I need to pray to Jehovah and post some more ads on Craigslist so I can pay for deodorant, vegetables, gasoline, a decent pair of pants, an oil change, a pair of ballet flats, hair conditioner and tickets to Mayer Hawthorne’s show in a couple of weeks.
I have been working on different projects this week. One of them is fitness, which is why I’ve been posting so much fitspiration stuff. I’m tired of the gym, to the point where I’m thinking of cancelling my membership and just doing what I have been doing— soccer when there’s a game, working out at home when there’s not.
The other thing I’ve been working on is discovering music that is new to me. I’m working on 5 bands a day. My new favourite bands are Braid, Fleet Foxes, Best Coast, Spiritualized, Say Anything, Sunny Day Real Estate, Fitz & The Tantrums, The Buzzcocks, Stiff Little Fingers, Drive Like Jehu and LIGHTS. I’m adding at least two new playlists to Spotify every day. It’s a joy.
It’s helping to abate the loneliness of working at home.
Not like I’m any stranger to loneliness; it just wears on me sometimes, being holed up and living a different lifestyle than many of my friends. It doesn’t help that I’m naturally an owl either. I don’t miss early mornings, but I do miss having conversations over coffee and eggs with others.
I think I’m spending too much time alone. I’m hoping to spend some time out on the town this week, starting with M83’s concert Saturday night.
