Computer Desk at Home - 50with50 No. 28 and 29 / Make Work Fun

Stuff Everywhere

A view of my computer desk at home is the latest entry in the 50with50 series. And all of the stuff there on the desk helps to make work fun.

As many have done all across the country and around the world, I moved to working from home back in March. So I have seen quite a bit of this computer desk for the last few months. It hasn’t been a bad place to work at all.

You might look at this and see a messy desk. But when I look at it, I see… a messy desk, too. I do know where everything is on the desk, so that is my system of organization, but it is not exactly organized. All of the stuff is useful in one way or another.

The desktop photos on the monitors are photos that have been presented here at the Burnsland website in the past. And actually, those photos change every hour. While I am working, those are usually covered up with work stuff on the screens, but it is sometimes fun to take a break and see what photos are there behind what I am working on.

The microphone that I use for the Burnsland Podcast recordings is at the left. The Mickey phone at the right is actually not plugged into a phone line anymore, but I still like having it there. You can probably see an overall theme that extends beyond the desk to the pictures on the wall, and even to the wall itself. And yes, there are plenty of toys there, too.

Make Work Fun

Here are some of the guys who hang around while I am working. And I probably could have arranged them better for the photo. Maui from Moana is mostly hidden behind Indiana Jones. And Nick Fury is actually up on the next level, outside of this photo.

And all of the figures and such that you can see in these photos are just a small part of my collection. There are many more back at my work office. I keep wondering if I should bring them home here, just so they won’t be lonely.

Yes, having all of these toys around probably does not increase the quality or quantity of my work. But I don’t think that they decrease either aspect, either. They are just part of who I am, a reflection of my personality. It helps to be reminded of that sometimes when work gets a little frustrating. In those difficult moments, I can look around and think, “Hey, Captain America Snowman’s head is bobbling as I shake the desk!” Or, “I should probably rearrange things so that Lego Indiana Jones is being chased by the bad guy like in the movie instead of Indy chasing the bad guy.” And then sometimes, “What if Maui kicked Indiana Jones out of his jeep and took it for a spin around the desk?” Or whatever other thoughts I might have.

Let’s face it - work is work. Otherwise, they wouldn’t call it work. They would call it fun. Or play time. Maybe recess. Or something like that. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.

Sometimes, it helps to do things to make work fun. For you, that might be listening to music that you enjoy, or taking a break to talk to a friend. It might be wearing your favorite shirt that you know someone will make a comment about. Or it might be surrounding yourself with an odd assortment of things that make you smile. Perhaps it is even all of the above, which is the category I usually find myself in.

Maybe what works for me does not work for you. So come up with your own plan to make work fun in your own way. Don’t annoy any coworkers that you might have, of course, but do what you can for you.

Work is necessary, because I like to eat and have a place to live. But I can do what I can to make it more fun!

Bible Verse

Whoever works his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows worthless pursuits lacks sense. - Proverbs 12:11

About the Photos

Once again, I used a 50mm prime lens for these photos, as is necessary for their inclusion in the 50with50 project. Actually, I have not taken that lens off of my camera in a few months now. For photos around the house, which of course is where I have spent most of the last three months, the 50mm is my go-to lens.

The only issue with the lens, of course, is not being able to zoom. I had to move back pretty far to get the overall desk photo like I wanted it. And I had to move a few things out of the way, such as the desk chair. A lens with a wider angle might have been nice, but I was happy with what I got with the prime lens once I had moved back enough.

And one of the features of a prime lens that most everyone loves is the depth of field, which I used in the second photo. While in some ways it might have been nice to have everyone in focus, I like the tight focus here, which is the kind of look that I prefer at this moment. That will change sooner or later, but I like it right now.

Photo: Each photo is a single Raw exposure, processed in Aurora HDR. Read more about photography tips, photo software, camera gear, and more at Steve’s Photography Tips.
Camera: Sony Alpha A7 II
Lens: Sony FE 50mm f/1.8
Date: June 16, 2020
Location: Home, Williston, Tennessee