My favourite boffice (bed/office) desk is a yoga bolster given to me by Chrissi many years ago.
I searched for ages on the internet for a good bed laptop desk, and even bought a couple of expensive ones to try out. But none are as comfy and versatile as the old yoga bolster.
In ergonomic terms, it is ideal. It rests securely on my thighs, at just the right height and distance so that my shoulders are relaxed.
And I can use a mini mouse on one end of it. The fabric makes a perfect mouse-pad.
It’s thick enough to protect my legs from frying from the EMFs and the heat from the laptop.
I can lean back into a mass of cushions and pillows andf feel fully supported, and I can keep re-adjusting my position so I don’t get locked into a stiff or damaging posture, so there’s less back pain and strain.
My bolster bed desk or laptop desk is easy to move to the side when I need to get up to get something that’s not in reach... altho with the whole bed area available, I can have a lot of things around me while I work.
And when I’m finished with working on the laptop, there’s no problem of where to store my desk (as with the other big ugly laptop desks) - as it looks great and blends back in as part of the furnishings. Or I can take it outside and use it for some yoga stretches.
This is the view (or one of the views) from my ‘Boffice’.
A ‘Boffice’ is a bed-office -- a word coined by Amy Kinnear and sent to me by her mother-in-law Dallas.
I love my Boffice (or Voffice - van/office) and am finding it extremely comfortable. It’s light and breezy even on hot days, as long as I park somewhere that I can open up the door and the windows.
I can make myself a cup of tea or lunch, go for a walk... have a little nap, or just lie back to have a think. Close the curtains for privacy or have them open to the view. And with the back curtain closed behind me, and my tinted van windows, there’s no glare on the computer screen.
Hey there,
This is my new blog about my journey in Australia living in a campervan.
Quick update: sold the house and moved into the Van (Betty) two months ago, and am currently sitting outside in a caravan park on the Gold Coast, under my awning, enjoying the sea breezes.. and typing this on my new Mac (yes, major religious conversion after the unexpected sudden death of my pc laptop).
Not always so idyllic, but I am learning the ropes of van-life and gradually working out how to have a mobile office.
I've joined Fitness First, so I can stay overnight with friends then disappear off to the gym in the morning, where I struggle through a class (the only pumpkin in a room of string beans) and use their lovely showers, sauna and hairdryers. Followed by a Sumo-salad or something yummy in the food court...
In fact, after a lifetime of loathing them I have at last discovered the pleasures of huge air conditioned shopping centres. (So much so that some days I feel a bit like Kath and Kel having their holiday at the airport...)
I also now have street directories for each of the major east-coast cities, so I can find a park and some trees to chill out in the van and do some work during the day. (I also have a no-names ebay GPS, but that's another story.)
It's all been challenging, and interesting... not, perhaps, as much 'fun' as people keep telling me I'm going to be having (or should be having).. but I'm old and slow and doing it alone, and I'm getting what I need from it, and it's early days yet. And the aim was always 'major life makeover' / 'see what eventuates' rather than 'fun' anyway. (Altho hopefully both.)
I think most of all I'm learning to live in the present a bit more, so if I come to visit and can't remember what I did last week or have done so far.. please don't panic that I've got dementia but accept this as a good sign and let's move onto more interesting topics... (Like what you've been doing.. or what fun things we can do while I'm visiting... Or where's the nearest luxury shopping centre, or best free camping spot..)
I've been in Brisbane for a bit, and am now heading back to Melbourne for early December, with a stopover in Sydney to coincide with my birthday on the 14th (November). I'll send evening-soiriee/bbq invites separately to Sydney folk, but if you are from elsewhere and happen to be in town that weekend, let me know.
It was my Sydney 50th birthday week of fun and friendships-revived that was the kick start to divesting myself of my Creswick house and garden (and ever-increasing solitude) to take to the road... so it seems fitting to have the one-year-on 51st do there too.
Huge thanks to everyone who's given me a spot in their lives and driveways or just been encouraging and loving. My mother keeps saying (when I ring her from a new place every few days), 'How come you have so many friends??'... and I have to say, it certainly is wondrous.
lots of love,
xxx Beth
