The Office

Last Friday at our faculty meeting we finally got the keys to our offices.  While this may not seem like an exciting part of the journey to some, it was certainly something I had been looking forward to.  There is just something about trying to work in the same little room that you live in that just doesn't do it for me.  While working on a paper or trying to prep a Calculus lesson...having a bed not two feet from where you are at is certainly not the way to increase productivity!  I'm really not sure how those artists in those little studios in New York do it...I've taken more 'naps' in the last two weeks than I have in the last 20 years combined. 

So after the Holiday weekend I was excited to get into my office this Tuesday and start to really 'work'.  I'll be sharing my office with the other math professor here Rob and we get along great so I certainly can't complain about that.  Also, my office is actually in the same building that I live.  A far enough walk away that I'm not tempted to 'nap' but close enough to run back to my room and grab lunch.  Here is a picture of Rob's desk in the office.

Even though I needed to prep a Calc III lecture I decided my first order of business was to make my office 'livable'.  Which for me in the office pretty much means that my desk allows me to face the door when I'm sitting in it (and thus my computer faces away from the students), I can plug my computer/laptop in...and I have a fan.  The fan is probably the most important part.  Those of you that have worked with me know that my fan is essential to my productivity.  Not only does it help counterbalance the fact that I am perpetually 10 degrees hotter than the normal person, but it also drowns out all the other 'noise' of the office that could potentially distract me.

So after an initial browse of the office I knew right away a run to the Central Business District (CBD) was going to be necessary.  Sidenote:  My students told me that they call the little shops right behind my office building CBD...it is kind of like a joke because they are just little shops, but really they have quite a bit of stuff!  At CBD I found an adaptor for my computer that also doubles as a power strip to allow me to plug all my 'essentials' into.  The same store had a pretty decent looking little fan...so I completed my little trip in about 4 minutes total...score!

After a little rearranging I found only one ethernet cable, but a quick run up to my room allowed me to steal the one that initially came with my room (I ended up buying about a 15 foot replacement so I could take my computer anywhere in my room...this allowed the 5 foot original to be dispensable).  I also discovered an old printer/copier that the old office occupant left and tried it out (slightly works...that is what can be said about many things here...they 'work' but not really the way you would hope they do).  All in all I finished it off with a nice little UCD banner to remind everyone that we really work for UCD (I think some people here forget...and it reminds me a bit of home). 

Here is a picture of the finished product for my little 'area' (note the computer is up...currently with this Blog that I am writing!)

Now, I know what many of you are thinking (he blogs at work!!).  Well, not really...I don't teach today or have students...so if I come into the office today it is to work on what I want to...although I did spend a few hours prepping this morning and will work on some other work stuff for the rest of the afternoon.  Now I know what the REST of you are thinking.  How can this be Gary's office with no access to coffee?????

Well, I've pondered this same question myself.  I had decided earlier that upon my move to China I wouldn't drink coffee because they just really don't drink it here (and so far I haven't).  But, what is that you are saying?  It will increase my productivity by ten fold...yes that is true.  What?  It will also make me happier and more pleasant to be around...probably also true.  You think my students would appreciate it if I bought a coffee maker and coffee from the international section of the Merry Mart and kept it in the office.  I think you might be right.  Well, by golly I think for the students....I better get myself a coffee maker.  Maybe...I just might make a little trip to the Merry Mart today.

That is all for now...I need to do some actual work.

Zaijian,
Gary