Since I’m doing a lot more work from home these days, we remodeled the bonus room into a new office for me. Mostly doing some built-ins with the help of a friend from church (he did mot of the work), some decorating touches from my wife and a couple of things here and there.
I made a tough decision to abandon my old desk – a huge 3 sided monstrosity of pressboard and veneer that I’ve been pounding on for at least 10 years now. It was a great friend, but just a bit out of place in the new surroundings. We actually have adult furniture now, so it was time to get with the program.
I bought a beautiful oak and leather standalone desk to fill the space that I’m just in awe of. It’s perfect in every respect. Well, except one.
The keyboard drawer is too small to accommodate my old Microsoft Natural Keyboard.
Your average everyday computer user just really doesn’t understand this, but keyboards are critical. For most of my life I’ve written code. Pages and pages of it. Hour after hour, work and hobby. You develop a familiarity and a friendship with a keyboard when you spend that much time on it. The plastic is worn away to just fit your fingers. You know exactly how quickly the keys respond. It’s a lot like a familiar guitar neck or the like – it just grows to fit your style, your physique and your temperament. It took 6 years to replace the keyboard before this (an old Northgate clacky model), which I only did because I was pushing up against carpal tunnel and needed the split keyboard to take pressure off my wrists. This one’s been with me even longer, and to add insult to injury, I had to grab one out of my box of parts and it’s a spongy, LED-lit little toy that’s just distasteful.
I tried typing on top of the desk. I considered taking a saw to it. But my love for the aesthetics of the thing won out over practicality. I guess the geek in me is gradually wearing out.
Yes, it seems petty. And more than a little geeky. But it’s no less painful. 
