New Digs...
The third-floor apartment (with five flights of stairs) is spacious for a one-bedroom, and located in a gentrified/gentrifying area. The deck faces south-southwest, and looks over the green tree tops of neighborhoods while providing a beautiful view of the Front Range (Rocky Mountains). The summer thunderstorms put on spectacular lightning shows in the evenings.
It was a bear to move-in, what with five flights of stairs and all—my calves took four days or so to recover from the torturous stairmaster experience. But the views are sooooo worth it!
My campus office is nice too. It’s the rare corner office on campus. Apparently it was created a decade ago for a Department Chair, so I have this terrific 180-degree west-and-north view. Although the architecture (both inside and out) leaves something to be desired, the location is sweeeet.
It took a lot of cleaning-out and rearranging to get the office looking spatially appealing. But once I add a map cabinet and small storage locker for my field equipment, I’ll be set. Of course, since it was designed to be a Chair’s office, I lack the requisite interior laboratory space with gas and water hook-ups and a sink. I discovered this past week, however, that there are several laboratory spaces I can usurp as needed.
While I do enjoy playing scientist in the lab—with microscopes, burners, and other science-y stuff—my main “laboratory” has always been outside. And besides, by having an office without the laboratory accoutrements, I avoid the risk of smelly things emanating from my office.
Mostly. (Although I do have two windows that open).
