Haunted desks are hard to find these days, and I suspect the one that I just threw out (after ten years?) was mildly haunted/possessed. It was starting to slope in the middle, probably because it was not made of real wood, but rather some sort of plastic/cork mixture, and I thought the slope in the middle would lead to a hand that would reach up and wave at the very least. This bonus feature (the mysterious slope) led to all kinds of exciting writing, but alas, I needed to let the desk go—and the hand hadn’t even materialized yet.
It was time to get rid of that desk. It had more than a few scratches, and I had this habit of pulling away the trim from the front when I was trying to think of ideas to write about.
Also, I sit a lot. I sit for my job at work, and I sit for all my writing projects/hobbies after work, which means, if “sitting is the new smoking,” I’m a super-hot mess. My back has begun to ache just enough that I sometimes need to take prescription-strength ibuprofen-like medication—which comes with lots of additional health warnings, such as this one: “Your stomach may bleed at any moment, without warning.”
At work, we have adjustable standing desks, and I decided that since I work at home just as much as I do at work, I will need an adjustable standing desk for my home office, so I ordered one. I read the reviews carefully, and sadly, no one mentioned “hauntings,” but I’m pretty happy with the desk I found.
It arrived in a big box, and Nate put it together last weekend. He said it would take about three hours, so I factored in five to ten hours. But I was wrong! It took exactly three hours—and the instruction manual was more than the usual two-page “flyer,” double-sided with tiny print. It was an actual booklet. Well done, Nate!
The desk is a joy to use. It plugs into the wall, and whenever I feel my back tightening, I just push the control panel on the side to move it up, and I work standing. When I’m tired of standing, I can push the control button to take the desk back down. If it ever gets stuck, Nate said there’s a way to work it manually—with a crank or something. (I need to read the instruction manual.)
Ah, if only it were haunted. It would raise and lower without electricity—a kind of back-up generator during a power outage.
So, no hand that waves to me from a slope in the middle, but it’s got electric-powered legs with plenty of kick.
Your Turn: Where do you like to write or work?
Fixin' Leaks and Leeks 
I’m still using my dad’s old 1920’s-era wood monstrosity of a desk. It’s so heavy, you could crush a small village with it.
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It sounds solid, though–which is a great feature for a writing desk. Cheers!
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It’s solid, all right, with plenty of battle scars. When I first acquired it, I planned to refinish it, then decided to keep the battle scars.
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Perhaps it could go on a small-village-crushing play date with my solid-wood Heywood-Wakefield desk. LOL!
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Ha ha! 😀
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I like working in the corporate office where I have a decent seat and two large monitors. Working from home is convenient but not as comfortable. Nothing haunted for me though…
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It’s just as well–haunted is a hassle.
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I also have a standing desk and am typing this there now! Congratulations on finding a desk that makes you happy, despite no mysterious hand. 🙂
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Outstanding! I really like these kinds of desks a lot. Cheers!
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HA I see what you did there. 🙂
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I have an adjustable stand-up desk in my office and love it. It’s very utilitarian, though. Yours looks great. Too bad the hand didn’t make an appearance. 😉
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These kinds of desks are so convenient–I’m really loving mine–and maybe someday a hand might appear–who knows?
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Hi. You and the new desk were made for each other. It will serve you well. And maybe at some point you’ll discover that it is in fact haunted!
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Thanks! And, I’m crossing my fingers 🙂
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I had no idea such a thing exists! That’s rather spectacular. I’m quite happy for you and proud of Nate. Good on him for taking that three hours to put it together for you. Lo siento for the lack of haunting, but I guess we can’t have everything. Maybe some day a ghost will move in. We can always hope!
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True–there’s always hope. 🙂
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I love how weird you are. 🙂
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My old desk wasn’t haunted but it did a little magic sometimes, like I’d leave a bunch of grapes in a cubbyhole and next time I remembered them, a month or so later, they’d be gone!!! But the desk would leave me some raisins instead, pretty cool.
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Oh, now that is a great trick! As the magic develops over the years (as magic is wont to do), the raisins might become wine.
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Cool! I’ll remove the half-filled coffee cups and put a small carafe in there somewhere. ☕️🍷👍
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That was the thing I really hated about working from home—I spent all day at a desk and then moved to another desk to write. If I hadn’t retired, I would have invested in a sit/stand, haunted or not!
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I’m weird. I’ve always loved desks–even when I was a child. I pretended to have a teacher’s desk at the front of my bedroom, and I’d boss all my stuffed animals around and make them color–because apparently, that’s what I thought teachers did.
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I have a thing for old roll top desks with cubbies—that’s what I have😊
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The new desk looks great! I’m sure it’ll eventually acquire its own haunting. Or maybe they didn’t list it because they want it to be a surprise, and the haunting is still a bit shy!
As for where I like to write, currently, I’ve stolen the little table mom bought for when we want to eat by the couch, because then I can write and listen to the TV at once… or record long messy voice notes on my phone while walking around the parking lot of my condo! Either way works!
I hope you’re doing well! Cheers!
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I love the idea of writing and listening to TV at the same time–happy writing 🙂
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I used to believe I needed peace and quiet to write… I’ve learned I write better with some video playing on the background and my brother’s dog by my side. I wonder if that means I must steal the pup… Happy writing for you too!
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If I ever find steady work, I”ve considered getting one of those standing desks, for sure!
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They are quite helpful!
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Yes I love my standing desk too, for exactly the same reasons, minus the haunting factor.
I have actually had to start a strengthening program for my back and quads because it got so bad at one point. Now I have turned the corner I can put some cool music on Spotify and dance while I am cogitating at my desk!
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Yes–strengthening exercises have been great too–I’m just not coordinated enough to do them while writing LOL. Cheers!
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Haha. Strengthening exercises while writing would be a big challenge!
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There is a book that just came out recently called Gothic in which the main character buys a cursed desk and becomes a fabulous writer but at a terrible cost. Maybe you should read it lol… Seriously, you’re a great writer and I don’t think you need a haunted desk to bring it out in you. Funny post as usual. 😆
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Now I have to read it! And I’m sure you’ve got a delectable recipe inspired by the book as well 🙂
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Maybe…….😉
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I have a room all to myself … the old bedroom of my younger son, who doesn’t live here anymore. I’m lucky: my desk, my computer, my books …
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That sounds wonderful! Happy writing 🙂
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My husband made me a standing desk (unfortunately, it’s a bit too high, so I have to use my late dad’s Reebok step to be tall enough for it) but standing while in front of a computer is much more comfortable in the long run.
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That’s so cool that your husband was able to make you one! Yes–in the long run, it’s nice to take that pressure off the lower back. Cheers!
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