home office

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Tax Man Poster

February 12, 2012 | No comments

So after doing my taxes, I made this poster. Here’s the lyrics… the short of it is that we pay way too many taxes.

Writer: HARRISON, GEORGE

Let me tell you how it will be
There’s one for you, nineteen for me
‘Cause I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman

Should five per cent appear too small
Be thankful I don’t take it all
‘Cause I’m the taxman, yeah I’m the taxman

If you drive a car, I’ll tax the street,
If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat.
If you get too cold I’ll tax the heat,
If you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet.

Don’t ask me what I want it for
If you don’t want to pay some more
‘Cause I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman

Now my advice for those who die
Declare the pennies on your eyes
‘Cause I’m the taxman, yeah, I’m the taxman
And you’re working for no one but me.

Action: The cure for being overwhelmed

September 28, 2011 | Permalink

Do something. Do it quickly. Do it now.

Did you say, “Duh” when you read that? Well, it is pretty obvious, but we fall into the overwhelmed trap all the time. For some reason, when our plate gets too full we shut down. We start thinking of EVERYTHING that we have to do and don’t know where to start. It seems like an insurmountable task (or pile of tasks)… The answer I’ve found is very simple: Action

Do something

The cure for being overwhelmed is to get rid of the feeling that you’re not accomplishing anything while there’s so much to do and replace that feeling with doing something about it. As soon as you knock something off your list, two things happen:

You’ve accomplished something, giving you momentum
Your list is smaller

Do it quickly

Do it quickly refers to two things:

Choose something that you can get done fast (if you have a huge pressing deadline that will take you a while, make that the second thing you do)
Start quickly: see the next point, “Do it now.”

It doesn’t matter if you start with the easiest thing or the quickest thing or the thing with the most pressing deadline, it only matters that you start on something that you can finish soon and finish it. Knock it off your list. Get some traction on your day. Make a move. Take action.

Do it now

Don’t wait. Don’t try to convince yourself or muster up the whatever to get started, just get started. Do it now. Remember that action is the answer. Worrying does nothing. Once you realize that you’re overwhelmed, you need to stop thinking about being overwhelmed and do something about it. You’ll find pretty quickly that life is a lot easier when you’re doing something rather than worrying about doing something.

Do something. Do it quickly. Do it now.

Lynda.com, the best videos on the interwebs

September 20, 2011 | No comments

Lynda.com might be the best $25 a month you ever spend. Lynda is basically a series of very well thought out tutorials for how to do just about anything on almost all of the major software platforms. You want to get better at photoshop or learn photography or teach yourself CSS? Lynda has hours of video to help you sharpen your skills.

They also have an iPhone app that streams all of the content to wherever you are. So instead of your normal commute nap to work, you can learn how to apply a mask in illustrator cs5. Fair warning, these are videos about software… so if you’re in a warm room and didn’t get a full night’s sleep, they may put you to sleep.

I’m becoming obsessed with desks…

September 18, 2011 | No comments

So I’ve come across this site full of really cool minimalistic office furniture. If course, I was drawn to the desks with my current search for a small midcentury piece. This site seems to be about ten times more expensive than I’d ever pay, but they have some cool stuff.

http://www.dwr.com/category/workspace/desks-worktables.do?sortby=ourPicks

Desk Design

September 18, 2011 | No comments

So, I like the tilting ability of drafting tables but not the “table” aspect. So I drew up a tilting writing desk. I may build this, or I may not. If course, if I do, I’ll post pictures… In the mean time, here’s the sketch.

Furniture for tight spaces: Shoe Box Dwelling

September 16, 2011 | No comments

Shoe Box Dwelling
Ok, so this is a site full of,”wow, that’s crazy simple!” Basically, it’s a site dedicated to space saving furniture designs. Pretty cool stuff.

Minimalist Writing Desk

September 13, 2011 | No comments

I really want this desk. I’m going to add this desk to my midcentury modern home office. I just have to decide whether I’m going to build it or buy this one for $100.

Midcentury Mad Men Offic, AKA What I’m going to do soon

September 12, 2011 | No comments

So I’ve been dreaming up ways to make my home office more creative. Mainly, I’ve been trying to come up with ways that don’t cost a bajillion dollars to make my office more creative. Then lo and behold, Whorange.net

Whorange is a blog that makes me want to jump back in time several decades and enjoy Midcentury extravagance. Basically, what I’ve got right now is an unfinished basement with concrete walls and a concrete floor. I’m thinking that I’m thousands of dollars away from finishing it until I see this rope wall office.

Now, you’ve got your concrete unfinished… but painted and with the extra added bonus of a swinging rope wall. Granted, its a beaded curtain and a few red light bulbs away from a brothel, but this is a way cool set up. Here’s a few more shots.