closer to the end...THANK YOU JOSE'!

Big day today...a really big day for me. I took off from the office. I dropped Katie off at school and then took Kelsey to to Huddle House and split a breakfast platter with her. She's a wonderful little girl and like her big sister - loves clowning around with her silly daddy. I am blessed.

We then hooked up with Jose' who set aside his day to help me finish up my studio in the basement. We got a lot of work done and the basement is so close to finish. Thank you Jose' for giving me the best Christmas ever...and it isn't even Christmas. All the trim is hung and my studio is looking very handsome these days. I haven't had use of that room in almost three years. My nephew (via Gina's kin) helped with the electrical a few weeks ago. Still need to figure out the telephone lines. Almost there!!!!

Now that Jose' has finished up with the trim, I've got to get in there and set countless nails and puddy all the little holes. I'll then give the wood a final coat of sanding sealer. Gina is wanting to take the girls to some kind of holiday community event Saturday which will leave me home alone. Perfect time to focus on finishing up in the studio.

I can't tell you how excited I am. It's not just getting my studio back (after all this time) but having my dream studio. A few years ago I sold most of my old graphic design furniture. For years now I have been using a computer, aka desktop publishing applications, to do my design work. I didn't need the aircraft-carrier size steel drawing desk. I didn't need all the tools that I used from day to day, before everything went digital. I do 90% of my design on computer and what I do by hand, I end up scanning and sweetening in Photo Shop. I'm getting away from that industrial look, I'm getting my very own retr0-40's office thing going on!

Back in the late eighties, Brook and I were working together as Finlayson Design. We rented a little office up over Snellgrove Drugs. We had a nice little view of Broad Street. We were trying to take the office in that direction, we had a room that Bogart himself would have kicked back and rested his gum shoes. It was a nice place to work, and it was nice working with Brook for that short time.

My studio is also going to be a place I can recordmusic. I've never had a little cave to call my own...at least not one this nice. This is such a nice looking area that I want to make sure I've got plenty of sitting for friends to play guitar or have conversation. It's also good to have the sitting area because I've often had to do design work (Finlayson Concept & Design) with clients in the room looking over my shoulder. I can't count the times J and I have pulled all nighters working on campaigns together. It's going to be nice having a studio that is adapted to the way I will work and play.

I've already cleaned up the room and moved what little furniture I have into it. I pulled my old Yamaha FG-180 off the wall and played for a little while in my little empty room. I've still got to finish work in there but I already love the atmosphere. Maybe I'll have my work finished by the end of next week. I have a lead on a used desk...so maybe I'll have a desk by the end of the week. One thing I would like is a love seat or perhaps a decent couch. I don't have the money for one right now. I have the perfect spot for it. I also need some wooden blinds. I think that will be a nice finishing touch.

I'll post some pictures of my studio when I finish up with the sanding sealer. Can you tell that I am excited? I am excited.