Tax Star of the Week for 2/24 - 3/2/18

[Abby Normal]

1 hour ago, BulldogTom said:

can't wait to get 3rd monitor.

Tom

I'm amazed at some of the small monitors and single monitors. I run out of room on 3 all day long.

And, maybe it's just the camera, but some of these offices look poorly lit to me. Of course, being mostly paperless, I can keep the lights down low and be fine.

[Catherine]

45 minutes ago, Abby Normal said:

look poorly lit

Nah; cell phone cameras mainly don't have flashes, that's all.  See all the windows behind desks?  They ratchet down the f-stop to make the bright parts non-glarey.

[Lion EA]

When I set up my OIH, I had an electrician come in and install four recessed lights in the spare bedroom (173 sq. ft.) I was converting to an office.  Due to some issues in the ceiling/beams/whatever, the placement wasn't great for clients sitting across the desk from me but great for me.  I added two tourchiere floor lamps in the dark corners.  And, really lit up my desk with a table lamp (I moved it from our bedroom dresser when the photographer was coming, because I needed something to fill in the space below a print hung really high on the wall from before I removed the hutch from my desk; but I liked it so much I kept it on my desk).  I have windows on two sides, so get sun from morning until sunset.  Brightness is not a problem for me.  I am running out of space, though.

[jklcpa]

Who needs light?   I didn't have any lights on except that one over the single monitor.  It was the middle of the afternoon and the office was plenty bright enough. I used the tablet instead of the camera.  

What can I say besides I'm too cheap about some things and don't care enough about other things to walk 5 feet to get the camera.

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

Here is mine. It's pretty clean, because I just got back from taking my Mom to the ER. They kept her overnight for observation. She has an infection again since she had another cancer scope and picked up a stomach bug. 

I use my calculator all of the time and I have a locked up Rolodex with tons of info, like stupid password changes. I do use a password manager, but you never know when something stupid will happen. One cat is on the desk and another is behind me on a file cabinet waiting for the printer or shredder to come alive. 

 

[FDNY]

Here is my fortress of solitude, top floor loft (plenty of light) with my new VariDesk where I stand most of the day except when I go to the other side of the office and sit and do emails.  Since I always have some quiet music in the background I've lost a few pounds from moving more.   But when the Supremes or Martha and the Vandellas come on I have to stop working (I'm a sucker for Motown),  I must be quite a sight.

[Abby Normal]

Someone's going to London.

[Richcpaman]

The light is bad in my office, and the phone camera shows that. Better light here than in my old office.  I hate fluorescent bulbs and that is what I had there.  I have two different desk lamps as well.  My office windows face north, so the natural light is muted.

I have to get one of these movable desks like Abby has.  Pick up the entire surface.

Rich 

[Abby Normal]

I have 9 LED bulbs in my ceiling, all 4000K cool white. The 5 over the work are are 100w equivalent and the other 4 are 90w equivalent. They're on a dimmer than I usually have set less than 50%. When I crank it up, you feel like you're on stage.

The total actual wattage of the bulbs is about 90 (10w per bulb), so I'm only using 45 watts or less to light my office.

I, too, hate fluorescent. We still have them in the hallway until they burn out.

[Abby Normal]

Hard to get them all in the shot.

[BulldogTom]

2 hours ago, Abby Normal said:

Someone's going to London.

Me too.....son is graduating from Berkeley this year, we are going to London for his graduation gift.   10 days.   My wife is going to find that site.   Thanks for posting that picture.

Tom
Modesto, CA

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

7 hours ago, Abby Normal said:

Someone's going to London.

Yes and I'm thrilled! My son just asked me a couple of days ago. I'm terrified to go on a flight that long, but London is tops on my bucket list. The plan is to leave after I get wrapped up with quarterly stuff with my son and his gf. It will be standby; hopefully on the direct flight out of Denver. He wants to try to get me over there and maybe even get business class. He has always managed to get business when he goes out of the country, but he is willing to fly all over to grab a seat and I just want the quickest way over there so I don't chicken out. It will just be for a few days, so I've got a bunch of travel books and Pinterest trying to find my most important tourist stops. He promised me that they will let me decide what to do, because this is his third time there and I think they only like to eat street food and drink. 

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

Abby, I would love to have LED lights. I have nasty tube lights above my desk in our lower level. I will have to ask my husband if there is any way to put recessed lights in the dropped ceiling in our basement. 

[Catherine]

@NECPA in NEBRASKA you can put LED's in regular light fixtures, too.  They even make dimmer-compatible LED's these days.

[BulldogTom]

2 hours ago, NECPA in NEBRASKA said:

Yes and I'm thrilled! My son just asked me a couple of days ago. I'm terrified to go on a flight that long, but London is tops on my bucket list. The plan is to leave after I get wrapped up with quarterly stuff with my son and his gf. It will be standby; hopefully on the direct flight out of Denver. He wants to try to get me over there and maybe even get business class. He has always managed to get business when he goes out of the country, but he is willing to fly all over to grab a seat and I just want the quickest way over there so I don't chicken out. It will just be for a few days, so I've got a bunch of travel books and Pinterest trying to find my most important tourist stops. He promised me that they will let me decide what to do, because this is his third time there and I think they only like to eat street food and drink. 

This will be my second trip.   Non-stop from SF, economy (uh!).   You must see the Tower of London.  The Crown Jewels are amazing.  St. Paul's Cathedral is awe inspiring.   If you can get to Bath, the Roman history is something to behold (and geek out over if you are a history buff).  If you are into music memorabilia, dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe should be on your list.

I hope to see the British Museum this time.  Our hotel was right across the street and we still did not have time to get there.

I hope you have as memorable time as we did 27 years ago.

Tom
Modesto, CA

 

[TAXMAN]

I found I can replace my fluorescent tubes with the new led tubes. I originally had daylight bulbs and these seem to help. My question is do you like the varidesk? How much $

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

Tom,  The Tower of London is first on my list. I am a huge history buff, so I can't wait to see all of the places that I've only read about. My sonhas been to several countries in Europe and is always amazed at the ancient buildings and sites, since out country is so young. 

We could end up in economy, but I won't mind, since it's standby. I never complain about the great benefits he receives from being a pilot. I hope that you all have a wonderful time.

Bonnie

[BulldogTom]

9 hours ago, NECPA in NEBRASKA said:

Tom,  The Tower of London is first on my list. I am a huge history buff, so I can't wait to see all of the places that I've only read about. My sonhas been to several countries in Europe and is always amazed at the ancient buildings and sites, since out country is so young. 

We could end up in economy, but I won't mind, since it's standby. I never complain about the great benefits he receives from being a pilot. I hope that you all have a wonderful time.

Bonnie

We just figured out that our vacation coincides with the royal wedding.   We planned our trip before the date was announced.   So we will be at Windsor Castle the day after the wedding.   I hope the world is not excited about this wedding and don't flood London while we are there.   We are also planning to see Dover and Canterbury while we are there.

My biggest disappointment when we went last time was Stonehenge.   If you have been to Yosemite, the rocks at Stonehenge just are not that impressive compared to El Capitan and Half Dome.   Just my opinion.

Wishing you a wonderful trip Bonnie.

Tom
Modesto, CA

[JohnH]

On ‎3‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 9:50 AM, Abby Normal said:

Hard to get them all in the shot.

I could use those in my office.  Would make it easier for my clients to see their contributions and business mileage figures when I ask about them and the client looks up to the ceiling to read off the amounts. 

[Catherine]

On 3/6/2018 at 11:33 PM, TAXMAN said:

do you like the varidesk?

My assistant and I made one for him with a literature sorter.  When he wanted to stand, he put the keyboard to the side, picked up one monitor, put both on the box.  Tilt the other monitor (which was bigger, too) up.  Ba-doom-cha, done.  Good cheap way to see if you like it, at least.

Like this one:  Fellowes literature sorter from Staples