katmburke's Profile

I work for a very busy, under-staffed non-profit. I have some original art work I made about a year ago hanging on one wall and some family photos on top of my bookshelf. While my office is open on the first floor, everyone who enters has to cut through it... it still feels like my distinctive space. I can also bring my dog to work so her bed and a single toy sit behind my desk. I also have a fancy glass pump-bottle of lotion and a candle. All of these things make it easier to do the job of 3 people.

I consider having a work environment that is comfortable a perk and necessity to doing good work, but I think this is also something that is very personal and depends on the worker's personality.

I also love that our office is located in a historic home from the 1800's original hard-wood and everything.

Thank you for posting about this. My parents just announced their impending divorce about a month and half ago. This is the first year I'll be dealing with this particular problem and to make it more difficult I'm a young recently-in-my-first-full-time-job professional that lives literally on the other side of the country from my parents (them-CA, me-KY)... It's been really difficult to figure it out since can only take so many days off work and I had already made plans to spend Thanksgiving with friends and extended family on the east coast. (I can't afford to fly home for both holidays anyway... and I don't get enough time off to even think about driving). Unfortunately my mom has moved up to Northern CA and my dad is sticking to Southern CA so I won't be able to see both over Christmas... It's just a head ache. BUT as you state in the post, it could be worse, at least I have lots of folks that love me and want to see me during the Holidays.

Can you explain exactly what "to-the-trade" is? I gather from the article that it has something to do with hiring a professional designer to facilitate custom furniture, home furnishings, etc. But beyond that I'm not exactly sure what it means. I do not mean to sound like an ignoramus. I simply haven't interacted with or been in a position to pursue custom furnishings beyond my own DIY projects and so have not encountered this concept before.

Can you explain exactly what "to-the-trade" is? I gather from the article that it has something to do with hiring a professional designer to facilitate custom furniture, home furnishings, etc. But beyond that I'm not exactly sure what it means. I do not mean to sound like an ignoramus. I simply haven't interacted with or been in a position to pursue custom furnishings beyond my own DIY projects and so have not encountered this concept before.

I often tell myself that I am going to dress nice when I get off of work only to find myself in yoga pants, a sports bra, and an over-sized shirt within seconds of coming home... It's a ritual I seem to go through without consciously noticing it.. kind of like locking the door behind me or randomly checking my phone. The most important parts of my attire are my Chinese silk house slippers.

I live close enough to work that I can go home on my lunch break and cook a light meal before heading back. On days when I'm dressed particularly nice for a conference or meeting I'll change into my after work attire to protect it from unexpected lunch messes.

I constantly lock myself out. After doing so multiple times on a particularly stressful day last year I developed a play similar to DRAGYNPHYRE. I've had several spares made and I keep 1 in my purse, 1 in my car, 1 with my neighbor, 1 in my laptop bag, and 1 more in my gym bag. These are all in addition to the one on my actual key chain.

I used to have a spare taped to the inside of my storm door, but my roommate moved out recently and now that I'm living alone I feel much safer at night knowing that there aren't any keys to my place up for grabs outside. If someone wants to break in they'll at least have to make a little noise.

I always wear my house slippers when I'm in my apartment, regardless of whether or not I'm hosting a party. I have never had any guests feel the need to remove their shoes simply because I'm not wearing any. But then again, my slippers are not particularly fuzzy or slipper-like, and my apartment floors are all hardwood or brick, which does not exactly invite people to go shoeless... Part of the reason I love to host so much is that I get to wear my slippers.

1. Grocery Store
2. Work (This is really important. Walking wakes me up in the morning and puts me in a goodish mood to deal with the day ahead. Both things are necessary to be successfully functional at work, for me at least.)
3. Coffee Shop/Good Neighborhood Bar
4. YMCA
5. Something green, preferably with a few trees.