When I finished my undergraduate degree, I was already teaching, but I switched to being a salaried, official teacher iin December, as opposed to a long-term sub/student teacher. Since Dave had supported me through basically all of my UM time for that degree, I always told him that I would get him a graduation present. With my first check, I bought him a PS2, with all the accessories. (I actually had my kids help me pick out what to get, which they thought was SO cool.) But, my degree(s) have involved a lot of sacrifice on Dave’s part, with the crossed fingers that it will all pay out in the end. Of course, this time his big prize wasn’t nearly as cool as a PS2, but instead a new carseat for his car, as Ingrid is outgrowing the bucket and he’s doing daycare dropoffs.
I’m fantasizing a bit, too, about getting a paycheck. One of the first things I want to do is re-subscribe to People. It is my guilty pleasure, my not-so-secret shame, and it was soooo cool to get it for 6 months as a baby gift, you have no idea. So, there’s that, I think for my wholly unnecessary splurge. I mean, the addition of my income is tempered by the cost of daycare, but it will still be profitable after that, and those profits will pretty much go to savings, or, savings with a purpose. We need a new oil tank this spring, I need new glasses, I want/need a new car eventually, as well as house stuff: windows, siding, roof…
I also want to warm up my office/cube a little bit, but I have no idea how. What do you have in your office? Any suggestions for me? I have windows, one cube wall, and one cube wall with the overhead shelves with the metal doors that lift up, and lights underneath. Blank slate. Anyone?
Congrats on the job, the first paycheck is always sweet! Hows about a low maintenence plant like a cactus, am sure you will put up a pic of Ingrid…maybe neon post it’s? No cube wall would be complete without the tropical desert island photo. Oh my friend got a poster of Johnny Depp topless and managed to design a calendar on his bare chest..it was fun putting in notes, childish but fun 🙂
Oh god, want to see one of my silliest stories ever? It was an online-only column, thank christ: http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/16/pf/goodlife_fortune_032006/index.htm
So. Stupid.
I always get the new Linnea Travel Calendar every year for Christmas. You put the posters in a frame each month and it’s very pretty: http://www.linneadesigns.com/HannahCalendars/
In my cubicle I just tried to pin things up in an organized way, and once I had an office with solid walls I hung real art, in frames. I always tried to have fresh flowers, and since you have a window you could get a nice plant. Try a pot of daffodils or something right now for the jolly springtime feel?
It isn’t as crucial, since you have a window, but go to Target and get a cool lamp. Then when you are there and need light (grungy weather, winter) you can have a warm glowy light instead of the overheads.
BTW I had that same cube design with the overhead lifty things and they were actually quite handy!
My coworker has all kinds of magnets on her bins and it makes it look cooler. You could even make some magnets with pictures of Ingrid, like Fluffy suggested.
And, I second the plant idea. There are some pretty low maintenance plants you can get that would make your cube seem nicer.
Congrats on the job.