Moving in

New job= new office= moving in= I don't have a clue and need help.

It doesn't help that my first day in my new office is the first time I ever even saw the office. And I had students waiting outside my door for me to help them change their schedules around. So I turned on my laptop and went to work. Whenever I had a couple of minutes I would try to put stuff away, but first I had to go through what was there- which wasn't much.

No master calendar. No files of stuff to do or teach. Just student files with not much in them and some stuff from about 5 years ago that no one needs anymore.

So I put some of my stuff out and did an assessment of what I still need. But I am not sure about what all I still need to make this a nice, safe, comfortable place for students.

Ideas are welcome. Please? I am begging for ideas and help here.

So let's take a tour:

Video shot entering the office door taking a few steps in and turning around

Its not very big

Storage space is minimal at best

Now let's break it down step by step

Standing in the doorway

My desk is to the right

Students sit on the chairs

Ethan putting a table/cart together for me

Standing in the doorway looking at my desk

I am getting 2 bookcases to go behind my desk

and the metal chairs will go outside my office for waiting students

Standing in the doorway looking behind my desk

The printer is sitting on the cart Ethan put together

It used to be on my desk but was bulky

The cart also gives me 2 shelves to store paper and stuff

Sitting at my desk looking at student chairs.

This wall is shared with the library next door.

The librarian tells me that there are times

she can hear what is going on in my office.

Not me yet, but in past years she could hear, so

she suggested I put something to absorb sound

on that wall.

I went to Hobby Lobby.

I have a zebra lampshade on a small lamp on the credenza

(you can just barely see it in the second picture)

so I thought maybe one or both of these?

But I don't want it to look like a safari either so maybe this one?

Or this one. Remembering that I have to look at it

whenever I look up from working or am talking with a parent or student

This one would make me relax and wish I was on the bench

I also have these things in storage at home

There are 3 rugs-

black, cheetah, and zebra I could hang on the wall

The leaf I thought about putting on the credenza as soon as the papers

find their home in the trays I will be putting on top of the filing cabinet.

Don't know if I will use the giraffe or elephant or the boxes

But since we are the Maeser Lions

He will definately be going in the office.

But seriously, I have no idea what else to do in there.  I would like some kind of vinyl lettering with a wise counselor saying somewhere. And next to my desk on the wall that would be to my left as I sit, I am going to put a magnet board, but there will still be a big blank space.  In the video you can see the papers I have thumbtacked to the wall where I want the magnet board to go. 

Ethan is sitting on a turquoise colored footstool/cube that opens so I can put some things in there.

Suggestions? Ideas?  I want this to be a cozy place that I enjoy being in and that students feel comfortable in as well.

I was really wishing it would be big enough for a small table that I could have a scrabble game or puzzle set up so students could just pop in during class change and make a move or fit a piece. Maybe another office another day.

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Indeed

Home Makeover

I spent the morning mucking out the downstairs. I took a break about noon. That break is lasting until another day because it is a bit overwhelming to me. I have no idea how one grown marine could have so much stuff and how he could spread it through so many rooms. I love my child, but I really need him to get an apartment soon.

As I was cleaning I was thinking that I would love to just take everything out of every room and start over.

My desk in my office is old. It was old when it was given to me 26 years ago. I spent last summer trying to figure out what I want this desk to look like. When I found this picture I knew it was what I wanted.  I can hardly wait to finish mucking out and rearranging where furniture is in the house and then get started with the redoing of my desk.

I really hate my family room. It is long and narrow and dark. It feels like a dungeon down there. But if it looked like one of these that would be awesome

 And the cool thing about these rooms is they are decorated using only stuff from Wal-mart.

The reason that is so cool is when I do get a contract, that is the only thing I am going

to be able to afford.

Especially if I am lucky enough to find a house I can afford

I absolutely love this sofa. Donovan and Kristina have one kind of like it

and I love it. Next year it may be my one big purchase

after I get me a new bed.

Speaking of beds, this is the one I want

Totally afforable from Ikea

Now that my kids are older, I think I want to do a white bedroom

Like this one

or this one from ©Janet Brown Interiors, Eric Roth Photography

Or this one from here

I will just have to take my cue from wherever I end up living

Speaking of moving, I graduate in 12 weeks!! The time has gone by so fast I can barely remember when it felt so overwhelmingly long. Now the job search feels overwhelming. With the educational budget cuts prospects are not plentiful and somewhat bleak. I want to be angry about the budget cuts, except I understand that if there is no money to spend, then it can't be spent and the only way to balance a budget is to cut out something somewhere. But I am still praying that there will be a job somewhere for me. If you want to pray for that too, I would appreciate it.

Speaking of jobs and redecorating, have you seen that little dresser at Hobby Lobby with the zebra print? I love it. If I do get a counseling job I think I may get it for my office if there is room. It would make a great filing cabinet or the perfect place to hold my group counseling items. But again, it will depend on my office.   And did you hear? They are opening a Hobby Lobby in A.F.  Two Hobby Lobbies within 10 miles of me! How did I get to be so lucky?

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Indeed.