Over the past few months I've dispersed all the accoutrements of my profession: books, headphones, foot pedal, software, and the enormous desk that took up half my home office. This left me with nowhere to stash my laptop and stuff, so we went in search of a smaller, more appropriate desk. None of the furniture stores we visited had anything that clicked, so phase II was initiated: Craigslist. I finally decided on a rolltop desk, since the desk would be one of the first things people would see when they entered our house, and the rolltop would hide my--ahem--untidiness. The space I wanted to use for the desk was limited and rolltops, I've come to discover, come in a multitude of sizes, shapes, and dimensions. I finally found one I liked that would fit--in Caddo Mills, TX. Caddo Mills is a tiny hamlet of just over 1,100 people about a 2-hour drive northeast of us. (Incidental info--it boasts 3 fine dining establishments: Bucky's Cafe, Subway, and the infamous Mona Lisa Pizza) The owner of the desk was a precious, 71-year-old grandmother who no longer had need of the desk and was selling it for $100. That alone made it worth the 5 or so hours we spent Sunday afternoon driving to and from Caddo Mills to pick it up, and the tankful of gas for son-in-law Dave's Suburban. It was a very pleasant drive, even listening to engineer Dave and Tony discuss solar panels and other technical matters that normally hurt my head.
The desk was in immaculate condition and it fit perfectly into its designated spot. I fell in love with it immediately, and I couldn't wait to start filling its drawers, nooks, and crannies. First things first, though--to see how the laptop would fit on the desktop.
Ever since Tony and I joined forces in 1974, we've had a running joke about the "Leo Curse". It's similar to Murphy's Law. That, combined with my innate clumsiness and absence of visionary attributes, is an almost certain recipe for disaster. Sure enough, the curse struck with a vengeance Sunday. I pushed up the rolltop, set my laptop on the desk, and opened 'er up.
I could only open the laptop about halfway before the bottom edge of the rolltop stopped me in my tracks. Of course I had never even considered such a potential problem. After all, Tony has a rolltop desk in our master bedroom, albeit a little larger than mine, and his laptop fits with room to spare. But my new/old desk is designed a little differently, and it's not only shallower from front to back than Tony's, but it is also arranged differently on the inside. There is no way the laptop will fit in its open position. We are currently trying to find a solution to this obstacle.
That's as far as the laptop will open. Sigh.
Of course, I could type with a third of it hanging off the edge of the desk, but that's not an optimum solution.
We're open to any and all suggestions. Anyone who comes up with a workable arrangement will be awarded a yummy treat from Mo's kitchen. Seriously!!
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8 comments:
From one Pollack to another here's what you do. Take a big saw and slice a section out of the rolltop to accommodate the laptop. See? Case solved. (Seriously, I almost peed my pants reading this.)
I had actually used "pollack genes" in my original post but took it out so as not to offend anyone. Not everybody knows how truly PG we are!
Ah yes. As Mr. Spock said, "It seemed like a good idea at the time." I don't have a solution for you but I do have a similar situation. My laptop sits on a small computer desk designed for a PC. One of our old tvs sits on the monitor shelf, leaving the larger surface for my laptop. There is enough room, but the screen is so low that I have to put my chair all the way down. I sympathize with you and can't wait to see your solution.
Oh, Mona!!! Looks like something I'd do!!! I love the desk. We must make it work.
OK, let's see. Maybe get a netbook ... the tiny version of a laptop? OR, use part of the back of the knee hole to place a docking station, then put a small monitor and wireless keyboard/mouse in the rollaway part? OR .... is there a way to put a table parallel behind you with a credenza, and keep only your laptop there and place your junk under the rolltop? I'll keep thinking!!
LOL!!! Well Mona...I have a roll-top desk very simliar to yours, which we bought brand new and stained it together as a family back in 1984. The top of my roll-top desk is a little higher with room to fit a laptop on...but I don't have a lap-top...lol Right now it is sitting in the dining room waiting to be put in our bedroom....its job: lookin' pretty! Hope you figure something out....I love roll-top desks! But I guess they are something of the past that the future doesn't have the same purpose it had for it before. BTW...you're story is hilarious!
Thanks, everyone, for your suggestions. I've actually had a couple more from Facebook as well. Several have suggested the "get more/different equipment" route, but that's not a viable suggestion, really. I've just spent a few months getting rid of all my cumbersome computer equipment, downsizing to the laptop that I love. I don't want to start adding monitors, keyboards, etc. Since the laptop doesn't hang over the edge by a lot, what I think we're going to do is this: we bought some lightweight foam blocks which we'll trim and glue together to make a sort of support. The support will be placed inside the slightly open top center drawer to allow the protruding edge of the laptop to rest on it when I'm typing. The rest of the time the drawer will stay closed, and the laptop will be pushed back so the rolltop can be pulled down. Theoretically it should work. If it doesn't, I'll let you know and we can brainstorm some more.
I say sit in a comfy chair with your feet up and the laptop on your lap. Use the desk to store it in at night. That's what I do. Also have the TV remote close by and a drink. Now you are all set !!!!
Jodie, that's pretty much what I do right now. But I wanted the option to use it at the desk as well. A friend from Curves is interested in the desk, and if she decides to buy it, we'll start over from scratch and take much more detailed measurements next time. If she doesn't take it, we'll go with the original plan. I really love the desk, so we're going to make this work.
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