Small Projects

One of the more random and delightful stores in Cincinnati is located in a former Kmart and carries stylish, fun, and abstract junk. The Home Emporium also features an extensive collection of butcher-block counter-tops from a variety of wood sources. I'm partial to Acacia.

2026 will bring a large house project where I will be completely and utterly geeking out over a new home office. I spend most of my day in the office, and while my current setup is nice, it blurs the edges of normal living and work-living too much. As Renee likes to say, "You are drawn to the office when you should be on family time." The new office will be in the basement. It has its own external door facing the woods and the valley. My intent is to walk out the front door, around the corner, and into the basement office. A mental and clear separation of roles.

I am a pacer and hate sitting at a desk. Indeed, when I left the classroom (where I ran laps constantly), I felt like shit after a day of work. I immediately jury-rigged a standing desk to feel somewhat better. Some years later, I added a treadmill (I've burned through two already - which means my next one will be a mechanical treadmill with no motor).

I am tall. Add a treadmill, and I discovered that raised desks don't reach the required height of a proper typing angle. I've tried different solutions over the years - usually around a raised keyboard and raised monitors. This holiday break, I made a fun run to Home Emporium to grab a nice slab of Acacia wood. The measurements are unconventional, but I raised the desktop by 12 inches, polished it with Tung Oil, and wheeled it back into the office. I love the results.

I consider this a warm-up project to the year. It was also a reminder of the joy I get from woodworking (and I will add to "retirement habits").