Sunday, June 29, 2008

we got mail

Like a lot of people, we had our mail "organized" on a flat surface. It just gathered and gathered and overflowed. It just looked a mess. On one of our days out we came across this little item. It's a magazine organizer. We decided to use it as a mail organizer. It has seven slots and a small pocket. We have three slots each and one outgoing slot. The small pocket is used to hold a mail opener. We decided to place it in my "work area". My walls are concrete, so I decided to use Command adhesive utility hooks to hang the slots. So far, so good. They haven't fallen, yet. The mail/magazine organizer is made by Reisenthel. We picked it up at the Container Store for $15. Not bad. It comes in three color variations. Brown/tan, green/gray, and orange/red. We decided to go with the orange/ red so we could add a little color to the area. It's been a great purchase for us. It has really helped us organize and keep our mail from adding to the clutter. And, that's extremely important in a studio. Every inch makes a difference.

Sunday, June 15, 2008

FINALLY!!

YES!! I finally got a new laptop! My last laptop lasted me almost seven years. I didn't do too much heavy work at home, so the power wasn't so important. But, when I couldn't upgrade to the latest OS because my processor was too slow, I decided that it was time to upgrade. Of course, I picked up the most powerful laptop available. And, yes, this will probably last me another seven years. So, this is my setup. There are three new items in this picture. There is the laptop stand by Griffin that holds the laptop up to meet my inclined drawing board. Then, there is the wireless keyboard by Apple. You wouldn't think so, but reaching out to type on a keyboard for an extended period of time does strain your shoulders. So, I use the wireless keyboard with my Wacom. It's works out great. I had some doubts, but I've really enjoyed the function. So, now, I have to say bye to the Titanium. It's kind of sad. It's been with me for a while. Through relationships, pursuit of relationships, travels around the world, helped me built portfolios, helped me through countless projects, and tons more. It's been with me for seven years. But, all good things must come to and end. But, at least its followed by a laptop that is in the same family.

trashy

This is my new trash can that I picked up for my place. The old one I had was okay, but a little too large and open. What's wrong with that, you ask? Too large makes it hard to fit shopping or take out bags into. Open basket leaves trash open to spread smells. Not that we left all kinds of nasty trash in the bin, but any smell is not good. Especially, when city roaches have an amazing ability to track smells. Yah, the big bad ones, not those small ones you see in restaurants. So, that is why I decided to go with this smaller bin with a lid. This one is by Simple Human. The bin comes with a removable bucket that you can place your bag into. And, the bucket has a hole to tuck the loose bag into. So, you lock the bag into the bucket and place it into the bin. Once the lid closes, you don't see any extra bag. This makes for a cleaner outer appearance. Sometimes the bags do peek out. But, for this picture, its totally clean. I like the stainless steel-ness of the can. :)

Posture-Pedic?

Nope, its a Tempur-Pedic. That's a little joke between my girlfriend and I. She likes to call it a posture-pedic. Anyway, I had been sleeping on a futon for... too long. So, I finally took the next step and bought a grown up bed. Even in a grown up size. Yup, queen sized! And, with the mattress I picked up a tatami platform frame. I chose this frame for its low profile and its simple clean lines. The frame itself does not require screws, but it does require screws to keep the slates in place. The tatami mats do have a bit of a funny(not funny bad, just funny unexpected) smell when you first open the box, but it does go away after about a week. The Tempur-Pedic also has a smell when it is first delivered. But, both of these smells are expected. The bed was a bit on the pricey side. But, I figured it would be worth it since it is used every night. And, hopefully, will be used for a long time. Plus, its worth it if it helps my back feel better. Can't clearly say that its done that, but the bed is much better than my futon. One step closer to being a grown up. Now, I just need a larger place...

scootin along

Whew, its been busy and I haven't been keepin up with my space blog. I have a few items to post, so here we go. This is my new scooter. Its a Xootr. I went with the original with the wooden plank as the base. The wooden base is supposed to have a little give for a smoother ride. I don't know about that, but the Xootr has a pretty nice ride on its own. It's smooth and fast. Great way to get around town. Plus, folding is quite fast and easy. So, getting onto a subway or a bus would be quite easy... maybe not at rush hour. But, when is it ever easy to get on public transportation at rush hour? So, other than rush hour, its all good. And, unlike folding bikes like to claim, its small enough when its folded up to get around in stores and restaurants. So, I would highly recommend the Xootr to those that want to get around town or just scoot around for fun.