So do you have a place where you can escape? We’ve been in our house for over 30 years and during that time some rooms have changed what their purpose has been. The room I currently use as a studio/office was originally the “library” since it was the size of a bedroom, but didn’t have a closet. The “guest bedroom” morphed into Sue’s office/craftroom, except that since it has three outside walls it gets either too hot, or too cold, so the dining room is her actual office. Both rooms at one point were TV rooms, but neither have had the purpose of being bedrooms. I tell people being introverts, we have never thought of the house as a place for guests. We’ve had people stay, but usually for very short periods and only as a last resort. It’s not you… it’s me, being honest.
So here is what I like to call the Upper Lair. The house doesn’t really have hallways it’s a great room with other rooms stuck around it. If the front door was 12:00, the door to the room would be about 1:00. To properly cast ritual spells the room does have five walls so a pentangle can be drawn in goats blood on the floor when needed. When I first took over the room I covered the walls with prints and artwork. a few years ago we put in new floors and repainted. I took that opportunity to reduce the wall clutter allowing me to rotate works when I remember to, which isn’t that often. You might recognize some of the artwork on the walls from the blogpost I did on hoarding.
- A – My Rocketeer Collection. This includes the pre-release poster which Sue had framed for me as an anniversary gift, and all my Dave Stevens books. I’m working on how to properly display artwork as I collect more original art from various artists.
- B – The Comfy Chair. This was originally meant for this room, but has spent most of its life in the great room. It gives me a nice place to sit and read. You might notice the white elephant next to it with a can of Diet Dr. Pepper… I’d say I got it as a gag gift at a party, but I’d be lying.
- C – The Great Outdoors. Yes, I have a window that allows me to see what the weather is like as I hide away from the world. On the window sill is a silhouette of a raven… because I happen to like ravens.
- D – My Grandfather’s Bookcase. When my grandmother was downsizing I happened upon this bookcase in a storage room off her basement. I asked about it and she basically said, my grandfather had made it and I could have it if I wanted. So, I took it home with a number of old books still inside it. Right now, it contains some of my favorite books. I also contains a few things I have collected over the years: A tin plane commemorating Doug Corrigan’s flight across the Atlantic, a limited edition MINI Cooper from MINI Takes The States 2008- #37, A automaton of a bird from my grandmother, and frankly just a lot of weird sentimental stuff, and lots of purple crayons.
- E – My 2019 District Teacher of the Year Award – as the story goes after being named Teacher of the Year for my school district I realized something… I could apply to be State Teacher of the Year, but I wouldn’t get it. The current State Teacher of the Year was a high school STEM Teacher from my district. I did apply but was not shocked when I was not named a top ten finalist, or when the Teacher of the Year came from a more rural district and was an elementary art teacher. Pretty much politics, making sure that the honor is spread between disciplines, and districts across the state. Which was fine, because the last thing I wanted was to be State Teacher of the Year- as a introvert… being district teacher of the year was anxiety enough.
- F – My Antique Drafting Table. I found this in a knick-knack shop in Fountain Square and knew I had to have it. The mechanism has the name “Donald C Ridge” engraved on it. I don’t know who Donal was, or where it actually came from, but it is AWESOME!
- G – Various Hats. When growing up I had a collection of hats, I have continued to pick them up during some adventures. The ones currently on the wall from left to right: a Viking Helm worn during “Going Caching” in 2023, along with a sword and a large version of the dragon charm from the event. A “Police Box Fez” from Fez-O-Rama because fezzes are cool, there are goggles hanging from it. A leather pirate hat I picked up at Gen Con after my robotics team had made it to the World Championship, the medal from the event hangs from it. A Driving Helmet I picked up while attending Phil Wicks MINI Driving School, hanging from that is an “I am here” marker from the first MINI Together. Below those are a German Alpine Oktoberfest hat, I bought at the City of Lawrence Oktoberfest celebration. Finally, my Tilly. This is my second Tilly. The first I picked up in Charleston, SC and wore on many an adventure around the world until I misplaced it. While in Wales (Hay-on-Wye) I found a duplicate to replace it. It is my “go to hat” when I need one.
- H – Van Gogh’s Starry Night LEGO Ideas Set 21333.
- I – Important Stuff. Since I do have to deal with finances these shelves tend to be the catch all for mail, and bills. Above you will find my infamous Kindergarten Report Card (See Below). It is also a Cecil storage area, and I have a large wooden mini fig. Next to the important stuff is a place of either cat to sleep while waiting for treats.
- J – The Box of Perpetual… The boys spend a lot of time in here and therefore this box is always needing emptying.
- K – Bailey’s Bed. While Bailey has been known to pick almost anywhere to crash, this is one on his favorite places outside of the Comfy Chair and Cat Cave.
- L – Shelves of Stuff (1). These shelves contain various things including: a number of graphic novels and books about various artists. A black statuette of a bird carved from the stuff dreams are made of… My Star Trek stuff- not everything, but most things. My role playing game books and dice. The top of the shelf has my first computer, an original Macintosh purchased in 1984 as a graduation gift.
- M – Shelves of Stuff (2). These shelves contain books about drawing. Some other weird things like Pinky & the Brain, Doctor Who and Batman collectibles, and more graphic novels. There are also two notebooks, one containing geocaching trackable and the other holding the pins I have collected over the years… not all, some are lurking somewhere in “the pit of despair.”
The view from my desk. You might notice some things like the moose head above the door. This moose head was given to me one Christmas when I was in middle school or just starting high school. It has always been in my room since then. It had a place of honor in my classroom for 35 years. Funny thing, I never named him, but he is the last thing I take down before I leave a place
A closer look at the “Cat Cave” on my desk and the mess that my desk usually is. The framed letter is a copy of my kindergarten report card which states: “His temper has been better controlled for one thing. He has only displayed anger to any significant degree once since Christmas (the report is dated January 25). He is a little too independent at times still but on the whole much more agreeable.” Everything is spot on except the “much more agreeable” comment.
Usually this is where I will be hanging out at home, unless I’m toiling away in the Lower Lair also known as “The Pit of Despair” which is still needing a lot of work… A lot of work. 30 years in a house and lot of stuff ends up in the basement… at least there aren’t stacks of National Geographic Magazines holding the house up. I’m in the process of culling comics, and other items down there, it does look a lot better, just still not ready for the general public.
Around the walls you’ll see mostly finished LEGO Sets, and my LEGO Town taking up a large portion of the middle. When we had the first floor floors redone (the original carpet replaced with wood flooring) a lot of things ended up here. When I retired another round of things ended up here from my classroom. It is going to take some time, but fortunately I’m only attached to about 89.3% of the things down here so in a decade or so I should have made a decision to keep most items.