The New Office

There has been a office shuffle at my office. A group has moved into another building as one department expands and takes on more offices in our building. As part of the move, our little department has shuffled some people about. The net result for me is a new office. Like the last one, it was probably--at one time--a bedroom in the old mansion where we work. In this instance, however, I don't have a fireplace. It is strange how I am vaguely disappointed by that. It isn't like the last one worked. In fact, the other office was probably colder, so a non-working fireplace was more of an irony than anything. Nevertheless, it is just kind of cool to have a fireplace in one's office. Especially for a colonist back in the old country.

The new office appears to have been a dumping ground for past publications, merchandise and office 'stuff.' I have a box of black bookmarks made from recycled tires with brightly coloured writing all over them. There are 4 computer keyboards in here--all slightly grimey. There's a safe that no one seems to know how to open. There is an ancient laptop computer that is locked to the desk with no key to unlock it (at least, I haven't found it yet). There are publications ranging from 2000 to last year, though the bulk of them appear to be a Spring 2003 newsletter to parents and families of students. Random.

Still, there is a very large desk and nice window that allows light to pour into the room. The window itself is a bit odd by Canadian standards. It has an after-market double glazing. To explain: there is the old loosely-fitted single pane window made up of two sections of six little panels. It sits as it has for probably the last 100 years. You can see that the frame has been painted dozens of times. The rope that works the mechanism for opening and closing the window appears worn and is caked in layers of old paint. Then, affixed to the inside of the window frame is... another window. It's kind of modern and of no particular quality. You might see one like it on an ATCO trailer or at your summer-only, 1970s-built cabin in Invemere. It is just two sheets of glass that can slide up and down in its little metal frame, which is mounted on the old wooden one. It is just odd. Mind you, it is perhaps no more odd than the fact that I just spent a paragraph describing it.

The view is largely of the car park, though if I stand right up against the window and crane my neck a little, I can see many of the spires of the Oxford churches. When the trees fill in, I will lose that view, but it will be very lush and green. It is all very pleasant. And quiet. In fact, I declare it a good place to work. And, should anyone want to know what was new in the spring of 2003 at Brookes, I have that knowledge at my fingertips.