What my computer sees when I’m not here.
Welcome to my world. My writing world. If I were sitting at my desk when I took this picture, I would be right in the middle of the photo.
This is what my computer sees. It is looking at the wall behind me. The picture tells people a bit about me. Some good, some not as good.
On the top shelf of the bookshelf (faux cabinet) is a hurricane lamp. It’s there for decoration, but hey, you never know.
Next to the lamp are each of my current books, standing tall for all the world to see.
Opposite of the lamp is a knick-knack shelf. I took a few minutes to personalize this as well. The upper tier holds books I use for research. More about them in another letter.
Under the books is a bit of me. That shelf holds coffee cups I have collected over time. Each has a special meaning or is a gift from a special person.
You can see the two exercise machines in the foreground. Yes, I still use them for more than a coat rack. I have a close, personal, and sweaty relationship with both of those devices.
What you don’t see is the mess behind the mask. I bought the cabinet doors at a rummage sale in Hitchcock, South Dakota last week. It turns out they fit over my bookshelf almost perfectly. Those doors cover a cluttered shelf that I am glad to hide.
So that’s what my computer sees when I turn on the camera. The shame of it is, most of the time, it has to look at me, too.
Richard Skorupski
Writer and Author
