How I Work

I’m an old-fashioned girl in many ways, and writing is definitely one of them.  Throughout college and graduate school, my process was to write my papers long-hand in a notebook, and then revise and edit as I typed them into a document.  I wrote my thesis that way, too, and when I took my comprehensive exam for my Master’s degree, I was the only student in the entire room who requested a blue book instead of a computer.  I know that must sound crazy in this digital world, but it just works best for me, and I find that my ideas flow best when I can sit quietly with a pen and paper.

Now that I’m a mom, my little guys keep me busy all day long, and though I’m constantly thinking of ideas and inspirations, I don’t get to write until the afternoon or evening.  Sometimes, a topic hits me while I’m washing dishes or doing the laundry, and I will ponder it throughout the day.  Then, when I finally sit down to write, the words flow easily.  And lest you ask, no, I don’t write my posts on paper first, but I do keep a notebook by my computer, and I use this to organize my thoughts as I go.  I will also jot down ideas as they come to me, just so I don’t forget them later.  I never know when inspiration will strike, so I try to be prepared and plan ahead, because it’s easy to become forgetful with two little bodies to mind every day.

I thought it might be fun to share a glimpse of my “office” and what inspires me on a daily basis.

This is my view from the kitchen sink, with the windows across the room, and I absolutely love it.  I spend lots of time standing here after meals, and inspiration often strikes me.  It’s also a prime location for multitasking, since I can monitor the boys and clean at the same time.  We redid our kitchen last winter, changing the counters and backsplash and repainting the cabinets.  The effect is light and airy now, and I love being in this space, even if I don’t like cooking.  Most of my blog ideas are hatched here.

This is truly my work desk, to the right of the kitchen sink.  It’s where the dishes go to dry, where I do some cooking (the crock pot was preparing our dinner), and where I work while keeping an eye on the boys.

A glimpse of my work tools, with the crock pot, Ryan’s coffee machine (I’m not a coffee drinker, but I can operate it), and the edge of the stove.  I spend a lot of time here, too.

Command Central, where I keep my phone, the grocery list, and our family calendar.  I wish I could say I use those cookbooks daily, but that would be a lie.  Still, they are there for inspiration, along with my grandmother’s porcelain chickens and a handmade cow from James’ class.

My bosses.  I have to admit they’re pretty tough and work me really hard, but I think they are worth it.

The changing station, where I still spend a few moments of my day.  I’ve got just one in diapers now, so it’s not as much work as it used to be.

The laundry room, which was going full-force in this picture.  I was washing the boys’ clothing on the left and drying their bedding on the right.  If you look closely, you can catch a glimpse of James’ beloved Pink Owl getting tumbled.

My stockpile of rarely used craft supplies and often used cleaning and paper goods.  After a Costco trip, these shelves look like we are preparing to go underground in a bunker.

And finally, my true dashboard, where my writing takes place.  I used to have a laptop, but since I never used it for its intended purpose (I’m old-fashioned, remember?), Ryan built this desktop computer for me and I love the big screen.  This little guy couldn’t help but crash the picture.

How do you work and where do you find your inspiration?  I’d love to hear!

(Side note: Because I’m so old-fashioned, I’ve never joined Facebook.  I am, however, on Google+, and I recently created my own blog page on the site.  If you’re on Google+, you can follow me by clicking the link over on the right.  If you aren’t on Google+, I hope you’ll consider joining.  It’s easy to do and I love that you have so much privacy and control over your circles.  Sure, it’s quiet right now, but if more people join, it will be jumping soon.  Also, in my daily blog reading, I notice many bloggers still relying on Google Friend Connect to gain followers.  GFC was actually retired in March and only continues to work for Blogger blogs, so it’s becoming defunct.  If you want non-Blogger bloggers (like me!) to follow you, I highly recommend Google+ as an easy way to stay in touch, without the commitment of Facebook.)