My little Corner in this Big World

I am the type of person that finds it easy to work wherever I am. From theatres to campsites, I allow my environment to inspire me. All of this came to a stop once the pandemic hit. I never realised how difficult working from home was for me. Understand that this is strange coming from someone working in the creative industries. My workspace just did not work as well as places outside my home. I decided to explore how to make my workspace as functional as possible. I am proud to say that the transformation has been successful, and now my workplace is the one spot I work best.

Desk Workspace (Left)

I have decided to split my workspace into six sectors for me to show you. It is not much, but for me, it is everything I need to function correctly. To make things easier, the workspace will be split into a left and right. Each side is very different from the other. The left side of the workspace is very decorative and eye-catching. In the corner of the desk is my Newtons Cradle that I got during a visit to the National Theatre. It is strange that when I bought it, I was living in the North of England and dreaming of once living in London. A couple of years later, I am looking at it while writing this blog in my London Apartment.

Next to the wall is a Venetian glass quill and ink. When my friends, my partner and I travelled through Europe after our first year of university, we spent a day in Venice. We explored the infamous landmarks, crossed hundreds of bridges and rode a gondola through the canals. My partner and I took a detour to a small shop that sells quills that she visited the last time she visited Venice. After looking around the store for a while, we found the perfect quill that she then bought for me. I felt like I was in a European romance film being wooed of my feet. It made from It was definitely a highlight of my trip, and I cannot wait until I visit again. Until then, I have my quill and memories to keep me company.

Closest to me is my calendar diary and work schedule. As the pandemic halted all my theatre work, I have been focusing my energy for online work. I tend to have multiple projects, so sometimes, this corner can become cluttered over time. I have been using the Vocal Blog schedule the most as it really has been my escape pod during this pandemic. There are going to be some updates on how People! Just Say Something will be operated in 2021, so do stay tuned on @PeopleJSS!

When I travel, I make sure to find a little something to remember the place for. The two hanging pictures are of Chełmno, where I grew up in Poland; and a framed picture of The Kiss, a Gustav Klimt painting, that I got at the Belvedere Museum in Vienna. There are only a couple of places on Earth that I count as home and Chełmno is the first in my timeline. It holds some of the only memories I have of Poland so seeing it on my wall reminds me where I come from and that I should be proud of it. Spending time in Vienna with my family and partner are the memories I hold the closest. My two worlds coming together, surrounded by art and the beauty of Vienna, I could not ask for more. Also, who does not love hanging photos?

The final piece for this section is my Polish Eagle emblem. Hanging above everything else, it was bought in one of my favourite places in Poland, Zakopane. My friends know that I do not come across as ‘visibly proud’ of their heritage. It is not really something that often comes into conversation as many traditions that people in Poland celebrate, I have either adapted them to something new or forgotten them altogether. On the one hand, it is quite sad that I am not that in touch with my history, however on the other hands it is excellent that I am making my own traditions for my future family and me. Either way, this emblem reminds me of Poland. Also, the white eagle emblem is one of the coolest emblems out there for sure. It is so well designed.

Desk Workspace (Right)

The most essential tool in my workspace is my coffee machine. I have to be honest, before the pandemic, I would continuously buy coffee when on the go and the coffee machine would gather dust, stored away and forgotten about. Now, however, things have changed. I set the device to brew a full pot of coffee 15 minutes before I start my work. There is also a function that keeps the coffee hot until I finish my tasks for the day. I could never imagine how useful a coffee machine would be and how much money I would save from using it! I highly suggest that anyone that spends a lot of time working from home to invest in a coffee machine. You do not have to break concentration from your work; it is ready for you before you begin your work, and the coffee tastes great!

The basics are in the centre. My lamp, which has a South Africa wristband that my partner gave me in university. Yes, she enjoys marking what is hers. Sitting on a case of drawing pencils is a black pencil holder with all tools I need to create plus a bottle opener for emergencies. Next to it is my green box for more quirky items. There is a silver spoon from the Katten Kabinet in Amsterdam, a Sipsmith's gin stirrer; various colours and sizes of post-it notes; some poker dice and Greek Basil seeds which I will plant once it is warmer. This is possibly the most cramped area of the desk but trust me when I say that everything is in its correct place ready to be used.

When I really let myself go while working, my thoughts can go a thousand miles an hour and before I know it, that idea that I had a couple of minutes ago that would make a fantastic project is gone, and I am left empty-handed. This is why I always have a notepad close to me for anything that I think of. This is all perfectly designed so that I can write something down without looking at the paper. I am right-handed and tend to write without looking at the page. You can imagine what my handwriting must be like. Not pretty, but it does the job! I tend to go through a couple of note pads every month. After every work session, I analyse what I have written and transport the most critical information to another archive for me to revisit another day. No idea is a bad idea, so all notebooks are kept. I find it fun to see what past me was working on and how much I have progressed since then.

Under the Desk

Sometimes, I really do not feel like working with earbuds in my ears. They can become uncomfortable and prevent me from focusing on the task at hand. This is the time that my vinyl player comes to the rescue. I was very fortunate that a teacher was getting rid of many books and vinyl CDs at my old university campus. I now have an extensive collection of some of the most unique sounds you can imagine. From hard rock to voodoo tribal music, listening to music has never been the same since. I plan on downsizing this collection in the future, but that is a task I indeed do not look forward to.

No coffee machine is ready without the products near hand. I have a jar of coffee and sugar underneath my desk, so it is away from sight and near the coffee machine when it needs to be refilled. I like to try new coffee types once the previous is finished. My favourite coffee is Arabic coffee, the mint-like taste is really refreshing, and a classic Italian hot roast, you really cannot beat a classic. If you have any suggestions on coffee types that I should try, please get in touch! I am very new to this home brewing method and excited to learn more.

Last but not least, I have my little archive of notebooks. I keep both finished and empty books together so that I can mistakenly pick up a filled book and read it. It keeps the ideas fresh and allows me to add anything that would come to mind after having a break—also it is fun to see what I was thinking back then and how I’ve developed.

Mantelpiece Corner

Separating my workspace and my partners is a gas chimney and a mantelpiece. Whatever space the coffee machine takes on the right-hand side of my workspace is saved by the extra, elevated mantelpiece. Just like the left-hand side, the mantelpiece is in my view and thus has to look good. The closest to me is Dracaena Sanderiana. I only recently decided to buy the little guy to add more greenery to my space. The greener the better and once in a larger pot, my Dracaena will grow twice its height. I am a proud plant dad.

Guarding the Dracaena is a busk of William Shakespeare from Shakespeare’s Globe. I admit that I am not the biggest fan of his work, but I respect what he has done for the arts. Who knows, maybe someday I will put on a Shakespearean play in the future with a little contemporary twist.

For those of you who do not know, I studied Contemporary Theatre and University, meaning I am entirely on the opposite side of the spectrum regarding classical theatre and Shakespeare

Hidden away and awaiting commands is Alexa. She supports my work every day and speeds up specific functions. From being a timer to providing quick facts for my research, Alexa has become my little assistant for quite some time. Now that I have her connected to my Fire TV, I never have to move press a button for the rest of my life! We all should aim to archive history, and what better way to do that than a Gameboy Colour mounted on a mantelpiece. I am a nerd at heart. 70% of my childhood consisting of Pokémon games and the Gameboy provided some of my fondest memories. I see the Gameboy as a steppingstone in gaming history with how much the gaming industry has progressed. Gameboy, we salute you.

Notice Board

It is essential that my notice board stays clean, organised and not too cluttered. I have a right balance between work-related notes surrounded by memorabilia and quirky little touches. I will not get in-depth for each of my new year's goals, as they seem quite explanatory. I will, however, make blogs later on in the year on my progress. There is also a ‘To do Today’ section on the board for daily tasks for me to do that day. It is great to have a reminder there whenever I need it.

I love to take Polaroids to capture special moments with my friends and family. I have decided to choose four out of hundreds to keep in my sight to remind me how grateful I am of the people around me. The pink photo is my partner and my friend Gabi at our old university dorm in a very colourful, arty polaroid. The top right is my partner and me in the Axis Arts Centre, where we would study and create theatre. The bottom left is me and my best friend Dev on my 21st birthday. And finally, the bottom right is me being all artsy in my university dorm. Every time I look at these, they make me smile, so they are not going anywhere anytime soon. Also, above the Polaroid’s is my universities emblem as a badge. I think it’s cute.

Have you ever visited a place that somehow, you just knew you were home deep inside? Like an instinct? Well, Amsterdam is that place for me. I have a coaster from the Bulldog coffee shop and a postcard I bought from the city market on my notice board. There is something about that city that speaks to me, and I cannot wait to visit again. My dream is to live in Amsterdam with my partner as this strange feeling is mutual for both of us. It is where I know I would be settled on this planet.

I remember my partner setting the coffee machine to brew early in the morning to have a cup before work. I watched as she pours teaspoon after teaspoon of coffee into the machine. I told her that she would have an extremely strong cup of coffee in the morning to which she said that she likes it like that. Later the following morning, I found a full cup of coffee and this letter. It was a great morning.

Finally, in the top left corner is my The Prodigy Ant badge. The Prodigy is my favourite band that I have loved for years. I am thrilled that I have seen them live twice, once in Porto, Portugal and the other in Bridlington, England before Keith committing suicide. The world lost a genius that day. Rest in peace, Keith!

I hope you enjoyed having an inside look at my little corner in this big world. It is not much, but it is the perfect amount for me. Over time I am sure that my layout will change, and I hope you will tune in next time to see the differences.

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog today, have a great day!

- David