Floor office and the sun
At the university which I joined in January, working from home some days is allowed. It was also normal in the Swedish university where I was before. At home, I feel much more productive and creative because I am in an empty space, in solitude, and can see some trees and the sea from my windows, or go for a walk around the island to contemplate. I usually go to the office when there are meetings and more administrative and collaborative tasks.
Since I live without furniture, everything I need for my work is on the floor: my laptop, phone, and this time there is also a book that students were asked to read. Usually I use ebooks, but I borrowed this one from a colleague. Sometimes I sit on the yoga mat, at other times the rug. This setting might not be comfortable for everyone, but I've lived without furniture for more than 2 weeks already (and had tried it before), so it feels comfortable and I get a lot less back ache than when I use an office chair.
It feels magical to wake up with the sun. My windows facing North-East are getting more and more sunlight now in the spring. I'm feeling gratitude and awe. Recently I messaged a friend of mine who is also in academia to ask him about the meaning of life. His response: "The sun shines, and you are feeling good. What other meaning we need?" He is right, I find much meaning in simple and ephemeral things and phenomena around me, such as sunlight and how it reflects from everyday objects. If I lived with more objects, I do not think I would have the time to honour and deeply appreciate each one of them. In the evenings, the sun (which sets behind my apartment so I cannot see it) lights up the tops of the trees that I see from my windows with a very beautiful apricot pink colour. In the picture above is a glass which a friend of mine shared with me.
