Thursday, September 01, 2016

And we're back!

And it's great to be back!

The August respite was less vacation than it was getting my sea-legs for the new gig at New Leaf Literary & Media. (For the scoop on how I got to New Leaf, here's the story on my Facebook page)

For reasons that can not be explained by logic, I decided to forgo using a moving service. The old office was on 29th and Sixth Ave. The new office is at 40th and Sixth. 11 blocks. Hell, that's walkable!

Well, I didn't try to walk my stuff to the new place, but I did think I'd just load up a suitcase or two, and then get on the bus. A couple round trips, lickety split, done deal.

Pause here for y'all to recover from laughing so hard coffee snorts out your schnozz.  Yes, I was delusional.  BUT if you want to be Very Popular with NYC hobos, move your liquor cabinet via suitcase on the bus.  Oy.

35 trips later (in July, in New York!) I got it done just in time to realize I'm now at a  hot shot vibrant agency and man oh man did I need to strap on my skates and get MOVING!


Here's a look at the new Lair!

This is the row of desks you'd walk by to get to my office, all the way in back. I believe a poll was taken and "get that lady a door, she shrieks on the phone a LOT" won.




 The entrance to the Lair.
I had to have three extra filing cabinets brought in for all my stuff.
And yes that sign does say "beware of the attack shark."
The one above it says "welcome to the playground of the fearless" which a client gave me years ago and I love love love.





This is Danielle.
Her office is right next to mine, and thank goodness, because Danielle is the glue that holds this place together, and I was coming apart at the seams my first few days!





This is my desk, untidied, I'm sorry to confess.
The sign says "do no harm, but take no shit"
And yes, that is a shark hat eating my calendar holder.
The view isn't all that great, but it's a view, and given I spent close to six years in windowless offices, I'm not complaining about the kind of view I have at all.




This is the view to the right of my desk. Yes, those red baskets are filled with file folders! Yes, that's in addition to the three file cabinets. Yes, I need to get some sorting and tidying done.

I'm working on what kind of curtain to hang in the windows. I think I'm going to go with some sort of sheer because I really love the light, but I need to cut the glare.  THREE windows is a bounty of light!





 Directly behind my desk is a bookshelf, and with the alots perched on my books, it now feels like home!




And yes, oh yes, how I missed y'all!

96 comments:

french sojourn said...


Welcome back, we missed you dearly as well. Congrats...go get em!

Adib Khorram said...

Congrats on the beautiful new digs!

I myself work in a windowless office which is why I end up hovering around the desks of people who do have windows. Nothing beats a little sunlight. Plus, you now have THREE options for a thoughtful staring spot (plus two to offer guests).

nightsmusic said...

Welcome back! Yes, we missed you, but the pets were a reasonable substitute ;)

How far is the new office from your apartment? 11 blocks is a long NYC walk!

I need that sign...I really need that sign...

Kitty said...

WELCOME BACK!

Lisa Bodenheim said...

Yay! Welcome back. We missed you too. It's great to see pics of your new digs and glad Danielle kept your seams glued together. I really enjoyed reading through New Leaf (non-obsessive, non-stalkerish, of course) and look forward to hearing more about your new job.

Now, about the alots. I'm not remembering anything. Can someone clue me in?

Jennifer R. Donohue said...

We missed you too! And you DO need rollerskates, look at that place! (though it does seem like you're near the kitchen, if that's a fridge I spy? That could be awesome) But anyway, Sherlock Holmes taught us the importance of having hobos on one's side. You could have La Sharque's irregulars or some such.

Congratulations on the new digs, your office is amazing. I understand the windowless office deal, that's my situation at the library. But, a picture from the surface of Mars really spruced up one of the walls in that regard...

InkStainedWench said...

What an eventful summer you've had! So glad you're back.

Susan said...

Congrats again, Janet! Love this sneak peek of your new digs--love the locker and the "do no harm but take no shit" sign. That last part needs to become my motto.

Where's your glorious pen collection?

Unknown said...

Congratulations on your move to New Leaf. It certainly does seem to be a hot shot agency. Full of incredible talent.

Timothy Lowe said...

We missed you as well. Congrats on the new digs!

Colin Smith said...

Lisa: Here's the alot story: http://jetreidliterary.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-got-alot.html. I remember that post when it went live. Man, I've been here a long time. Not as long as some, but still...!

Janet: It's been lovely meeting pets, but it's wonderful to have you back on my daily blog schedule. And thanks for the tour of your new pad. *Waves to Danielle* I'm looking for the portal to Carkoon... you know, when you make your inspection visits. Is it in one of the filing cabinets?

:)

Carolynnwith2Ns said...

Okay, so here's the big question...when does the painting begin?
OR
Are the big cheeses, in charge of the big cheese with a fin, not allowing such common attempts to brighten one's world.

But really, new starts can be pretty difficult. (I'm in the midst) Good luck and welcome back.

Colin Smith said...

2Ns: "Big cheeses in charge of the big cheese with a fin"?? How could you even suggest a thing! The cheese with the fin rules the refrigerator--you should know that by now. No other cheese is gouda enough. :D

E.M. Goldsmith said...

Welcome back. We missed you so much. I love the new digs. I have no windows at my day job so I envy you all that light.

So I was checking out New Leaf website, you know for query guidelines and well... Say someone wanted to query you, are these the guidelines? Because that subject line for that query is going to be long

Query, Her Imperial Majesty, Janet Reid, Attack Shark and Queen of the Known Universe, Dino Erotica in Haiku

I'm asking for a friend. Naturally.

AJ Blythe said...

I nearly made it to bed. Then, just as I was about to shut down the computer saw our beloved QOTKU had posted, so I had to stop and read. I think I would have gone mental without a window, so I'm hoping the 3 you have now make up for the 6 years you had without. Love the peek into your new digs.

Really need to get to bed now...

Joyce Tremel said...

I'm glad you're back, Janet. Your new place looks absolutely wonderful!

Mallory Love said...

Welcome back. Love your office, especially your sign: "Do no harm, but take no shit." I think I know what my next Pinterest project will be.

Anonymous said...

I'll add my voice to the cacophony--Welcome back! Love the new digs, and the signs are just fabulous. I particularly love the "Playground of the Fearless!"

Congrats and all best. You'll be back up and tormenting, oops, strike that, I meant running in no time.

Celia Reaves said...

Welcome back, and the new place looks AMAZING. "Do no harm but take no shit" - a motto for all of us. Enjoy the creative chaos of change. It's always challenging, but always inspiring.

Donnaeve said...

WELCOME BACK!

The new "lair" is super impressive! What shiny floors you have. What a charming little minion you have. What a nice view (b/c you have a view) you have.

Back in the day, when I was working at Nortel, I used to work in an area they called the "Dungeon" because it held all the servers, the mainframe, and all the backup tapes. There were days I'd go in and it would be sunny in the a.m., and by the time I left, it would be pouring down rain. It always made me feel like I'd somehow entered a time warp or something.

Colin That was downright cheesy. :)

Ann Bennett said...

A window with sunlight streaming in will take some getting used to. I worked in a windowless environment and it was such an odd feeling when I walked outside and weather was happening. My insulated cave of a classroom made me forget there was a world outside. I hope you enjoy your new office and workplace.

Cindy C said...

Welcome back!

Steve Forti said...

Welcome back and congrats on the new gig!

S.P. Bowers said...

So good to see you again. I know you said never to send food to New York offices because of cockroaches, otherwise I'd send you some homemade baklava as an office warming gift. (no, this isn't bribery, you don't represent what I write) I hope your new job is full of all the good things you deserve.

DLM said...

Congratulations, my Queen, on the bounty of LIGHT! That sounds splendid. Do love the bit about the hobos. :)

Welcome back, your move was your ticket out.
Welcome back to that same old gang that you laughed about.
Well the names have not changed since you hung around,
But the dreams have remained and they're still as loud.
Who'd have thought you'd need us?
"" ""
Back here, where we need ya?
"" ""

Sorry about that. I tease ya a lot, coz you've come back to your spot. Welcome back.



In a side note to my fella babies around here (oops, wrong sitcom) - yesterday, I found my MDQ. MOST interestingly, it is not what I thought it was. (Also, a title, though probably not *the* title. Still exciting.) Squee!

Theresa said...

What a beautiful light-filled office. Congratulations!

John Davis Frain said...

The pens! Where are the royal pens?

Oh, okay, welcome back and all that happy. But so many questions. Like, who is that framed person in the shelf above the alots? Who's across the street that you get to spy on like Jimmy Stewart in Rear Window? Why -- okay, okay, I'll wait my turn...

I love Playground of the Fearless. Might have to swipe that for my own office.

My day feels complete again, stopping here on my way to work like I'm getting a cup of coffee. Even if I don't drink coffee.

DLM said...

John, the framed person appears actually to be a book cover. Penguin, unless I am mistaken. :)

Colin Smith said...

John/Diane: Yes, it's THE CASE AGAINST SATAN by Ray Russell, foreword by Laird Barron.

Now excuse me while I go get a life... ;)

jerrianneh said...

Welcome to your new place! Loved the dogs, but missed your advice. (Is there a story behind the checkered flag?)

Megan V said...

SHE'S BAAAACK *Happy Dance* Welcome back QOTKU! *happy dance* And Congratulations on the new shark cave. It's amazingly shiny.

The Noise In Space said...

Welcome back! The office looks gorgeous!

Donnaeve said...

John Davis (MS) Frain, (and advance apologies to all...)

I thought your first line said, "The penis!"

What does that say about me? I'm not sure.



Colin Smith said...

Donna: It's that exclamation point at the end; it looks like an upside-down "i", which your brain then inverted and transposed between the "n" and the "s"... ok, I tried. Sorry, Donna, you're on your own with that one! ;)

MA Hudson said...

Now that's a lair with flair. Congrats!

E.M. Goldsmith said...

Donna, It wasn't just you. ;)

I wouldn't read too much into it. Symptomatic of being writers I think - I hope.

Colin Smith said...

Donna/Elise: At least it wasn't sentient. ;)

Barbara Etlin said...

Now I've got that song on my brain radio. Thanks alot, DLM. (Ha! I had to type that twice to make it one word.)

Yes, welcome back! Nice digs.

Colin Smith said...

We just spent a month oo-ing and awww-ing over pets, weeping over stories of loss, laughing over funny animal antics...

... Janet's back and with a few hours we're talking about sentient doo-dahs!

I guess life must return to normal at some point... ;)

Maggie Maxwell said...

Congratulations on the new digs, and welcome back!

RosannaM said...

Thanks for the little peek into your world, and I am so happy for your new window status. The skin on my arms gets a little itchy with claustrophobia when I cannot see outdoors.

DLM-great new lyrics, but I will be singing Welcome Back Kotter for the rest of the day. Sigh.

BJ Muntain said...

Welcome back! Wow. A corner office with three windows!

I've worked in windowless offices before. I've worked in an open office area designed so us lesser workers supposedly received some of the light from the offices of our betters. I've spent more years than I care to remember in cubicles, some with windows, some with shared light, some windowless and lonely. I've learned that having one's own window is truly a privilege.

But given a choice, I would never move myself. I moved house often enough on my own as a youngster. You *think* an office is smaller than a house, until you see everything you've crammed in the drawers and all the personality you've added to your desk. And books! Books are wonderful - easy to pack - but they're darn heavy to move.

So glad you're now getting settled in!

DLM: Yes, I sang that whole ditty with you.

Craig F said...

Yes my Queen, welcome back. Enjoy all these welcomes and let us know where you are settled. I have to ask a few things, like is there to be a moratorium on discussing NORMANS now that you are at an Agency that advocates them?

Sherry Howard said...

Welcome back! I've already mentioned that it wasn't quite the same, although the creatures were all adorable!

The window was the first thing I noticed! I'm so claustrophobic, that was always the first thing I checked on with job changes. My "best" promotion had no windows in my office so it felt like a demotion. Mind you, I was principal, so I could wander an entire campus. Not the same.

WINDOWS ROCK! Congrats on your new digs, and they are lucky to have you!

DLM said...

Hee. I'd apologize for giving you all the brain worm, but ... I mean, come on, it's such a great song! :) If you need to cleans the words, you could always hum the Hawaii 5-0 theme, or Sanford and Son's.

70s sitcom theme songs. It's what's for dinner.

I am not taking on a move, but in a few days, at last, my basement waterproofing job will commence. Two days of jackhammering, new-system-ing good fun ... and then, I shall have a new basement, basically. I have plans to do some power washing, painting, and finally moving everything back into place that has been clustered about the center of the cellar for a few weeks now. There will be a New Storage Paradigm (for my entire house!), and y'all, I cannot tell you how exciting it all is. This will affect my kitchen, too, for which I have cabineting and tiling plans.

I mean, yeah, yeah, taking care of a 66-year-old home, making sure it is in good shape, resale value, blah. But STORAGE, Y'ALL. Don't even tell me you're not jealous. :)

Colin Smith said...

Craig: Of course, Janet can, and might well address your question... and you probably want to hear an answer straight from the Shark's mouth. But when has that ever stopped me flapping my lips? :) Nevertheless, here's my thought:

Janet has not been quiet about her disdain for the practice of NORMANing. There are well-established folks at New Leaf who cut their agenting teeth at Janet's feet, and so are probably quite aware of her preferences. Janet has said more than once that there are many agents for whom she has the highest regard who NORMAN. I don't think she anticipates changing their practice, and they probably won't try to change hers. Now, if they tell her she can't paint her office, there might be fireworks... ;)

LynnRodz said...

Welcome back! I missed you, they missed you, we all missed you. What can I say, you have been sorely missed!

Angelica R. Jackson said...

We really have missed you!

Ooo, ooo, what about this fabric for curtains? It comes in several weights and in cotton, silk, etc

http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/696201-sharks-by-loki_and_lamb?src=g&gclid=COTg7bqr7s4CFYqBfgodYPcKVw

Colin Smith said...

Angelica's curtain link:
http://www.spoonflower.com/fabric/696201-sharks-by-loki_and_lamb?src=g&gclid=COTg7bqr7s4CFYqBfgodYPcKVw

Andrea said...

Congratulations, and welcome back!

I'm back to work today after a month off, starting the new school year, and I must say I feel refreshed and ready for my new class of eager six-year-olds. I hardly did any writing during my summer holidays, just a good bit of reading when I wasn't travelling/sightseeing and I think that contributed to feeling refreshed. The problem with writing in my time off is that I sometimes forget I'm meant to relax and rest during my time off. Writing doesn't pay any bills (yet) but it certainly isn't just a hobby.

Unknown said...

Welcome back, Janet! (And hi, everybody!) It's great to get a peek at your new office.

Dena Pawling said...


Danielle looks like a very nice person. Hi Danielle! *waves*

I'm on vacation this week, and last week the people in my office predicted this would be a quiet week, because I'm very loud on the phone, even WITH a door.

Congrats on your view!

My question for you – You have Lair written twice, both with capital letters. Did you have to backspace over the final “d” both times?

Welcome back =)

Carolynnwith2Ns said...

Colin 7:44, hahahahaha.
Sometimes I'm just a perfect 'ass'-iago about this stuff.

Carolynnwith2Ns said...

Oh, are we talking about John Frain's naughty bits again?
I read the same thing. Sometimes seeing the best in men just keeps popping up.

Anyway, OT about me.
Janet, I have a whole new sympathy for you moving in the city because I just moved 2.2 miles down the road in the country. We filled a 12 yard dumpster with all the stuff we once had to have, took four pieces of furniture to the dump and donated eight more to Goodwill.
Finally settled (sort of) and back to writing. Whew!

Change is invigorating and exhausting all at the same time.

Donnaeve said...

Colin I tried that rationalization as well. It worked for about two secs. Sans sentient...and still, that's what I read.

E.M., 2N's Phew! Glad it ain't just me.



DLM said...

Elise, I want to thank you here and publicly, because YOU are responsible for my breakthrough yesterday. I read the blogs here, clicking on everyone's IDs to see what they have to say (though Google's popups of late are stopping me dead in my tracks; I'm just closing out of that, so for those of you whose profiles go straight to the Google ID, something to think about). Anyway, your blog in particular has been about your recent burst of productivity, and I have to admit rather a long period now of *not* working on my wip. It's really not a WIP if you're neither "working" nor "in progress", though ...

So I opened it. I stared it down. And something happened. I blame you. :) And am immensely grateful. You got me over the very greatest hurdle.



And THAT, ladies and gents, is what this community does.

Unknown said...

WELCOME BACK, JANET!

Claire Bobrow said...

Welcome back! Hope you had a great August, not withstanding the schlepping of the beverages. Your new office looks wonderful, but it seems to be missing a cat tree in the corner :-)

Claire Bobrow said...

...and that would be "notwithstanding." Argh.

Joseph S. said...

Does your new job mean you are curtailing your agent activities?

A nice thing about teaching at an old charm Southern university is a roomy office with high windows and great views (and nice people to work around). The downside is that I decided to give writing my main effort and quit teaching. It was okay until the Dean said they needed my office. Cleaning out that nice roomy office is going to take forever. I filled one recycle bin and barely made a dent. I’m waiting for an empty recycle bin (and the time and inclination to get back to the office).

E.M. Goldsmith said...

Diane, glad it helped. I just wish I could turn off the world until I am done with my WIP. I hope great things for you. Borrow a minion if needed.

Terri Lynn Coop said...

Welcome back and, wow, the literary world needs to watch out, the magic is coalescing in the lair of New Leaf.

When I was with a company we'll call "Mondo-Corporation," they had a hilarious floor plan. The offices were all in the interior racetrack - windowless and on the main traffic lane, so leaving doors open was a constant parade of noise. The enormous banks of windows, overlooking the leafy green campus all belonged to the admin staff, all assigned half-height cubicles to remind them of their lesser status.

So, the suits were in dark, dank, noisy, bland windowless cells and the staff were in bright airy social communal workspace.

Sheers or light-filtering blinds will cut that glare. In one of my apartments in Virginia, I went only with lace sheers because the light was so magnificent. And a good idea until I came out of the back one morning in my robe to see guys in a bucket truck hanging the city Christmas lights on my building.

Wish I'd been there to help you with the transit-system move.

CynthiaMc said...

Welcome back! Love your new space! Danielle looks like a sweetheart.

I need that sign - "Do no harm but take no ____." Between bwing a Southerner and all those years of Catholic school, I suspect I take way too much ____.

Congrats!

CynthiaMc said...

It's supposed to be "being" - apparently my spell check took off early for the holiday. I hate having flyby lunch half-hours (which turn into 20 minutes by the time I get out o the building). Catching some fresh air before Tropical Storm Hermine dumps more rain on us.

Laura Moe said...

Welcome back! Don't you love the new office smell?

Anonymous said...

Congrats again on the new job and welcome back! We missed you ALOT.

Donna said...

Welcome back to the blogosphere! We missed you.

Hermina Boyle said...

Welcome Back! Congrats on the new job and office space with a view!

Unknown said...

Thank you for coming back.
Now all is right with the world, at least this piece of it-sigh of relief.
And New Leaf? Kudos, Congrats, and Huzzah!

roadkills-r-us said...

Congratulations and welcome back! You were certainly missed. Dogs are cute, but nowhere near as interesting as sharks in my book. Especially the Queen Shark.
It's been a month of Missing.
I missed your sharkly posts.
I missed the FB post on the new job.[1]
I missed a chance at a window cubicle, for reasons no one can explain. So much for seniority.

OTOH, the WIPs are coming along nicely.


[1] If you still feel the meed to use that baseball bat, please take it to the FB algorithms that show me so much fluff and so little of what I want to see.

Karen McCoy said...

Welcome back! Love the new digs. And the alot. Oh, the alot!

Jennifer: What is it with libraries and no windows? At least two of the libraries I've worked in had no windows, and one had people in the basement with fake clouds and sky covering the florescent lights. No one was fooled.

Cheryl said...

DLM: Those Google+ teaching popups are annoying, aren't they? But having clicked them once you shouldn't be getting them again, as long as you keep your cookies.

And oh, hey, hi Janet. Nice to see you again.

Lennon Faris said...

The office looks like it has a good 'feel' to it. So glad to have you back!

Panda in Chief said...

Just wanted to add my welcome back to all the other voices!
The pet pictures were a lot of fun, but missed the regular posts!
Your new office looks spiffy-do!

Huzzah!

Lisa Bodenheim said...

Thank you for that link, Colin. And it jiggled memories loose. I'd been there before. I'm going to blame my stomach for my lack of alertness. It's been waking me up at midnight so my caffeine is being curtailed.

And wow, what a welcome back. (there goes the song again, thank you Diane!) 75 comments already.

Kate Larkindale said...

Welcome back! The pets were great, but I was starting to miss your daily pearls of wisdom.

Leanne Sowul said...

Congratulations, Janet! I'm a client of Suzie's at New Leaf, and after reading your blog for years, I'm very excited to read that you're part of the team!

Anonymous said...

Welcome back and congratulations on starting your adventure with New Leaf! With all that light, be careful not to dry out your royal sharkskin. ;)

I enjoyed the animal pics, especially Missy Kay soaking wet in the wading pool! I had a great laugh and went back to look at her daily, just because I couldn't help but smile. Thanks so much for posting such wonderfully themed entertainment during your hiatus.

Brigid said...

Welcome home! The blog is home, right? I'm not going to overthink this. Just, welcome, we missed you.

Janet's back, I have Kari Lynn Dell's Reckless in Texas waiting for me at the library, and a good friend spending the week here but without actually staying in my house. Life is good.

Melanie Sue Bowles said...

What fun to see your new work space. And windows! YAY. There's a doe and two spotted fawns right outside mine. Welcome back and congratulations on this exciting journey with New Leaf.

Michael Seese said...

Wow. Big changes. Enjoy the new opportunity.

Michael Seese said...

PS: I smell a 100-word contest:

New
Dig
Suitcase
Whisky
Hobo

Just Jan said...

Welcome back, Janet! Hope you're enjoying your new position at New Leaf.

The Penultimus said...

Two words: More Minions!
Two more words: Welcome back!

Laura said...

Welcome back and congratulations on your new adventure! I missed this blog EVERY SINGLE DAY! Not that the dog pictures weren't cute, but I reading your normal posts are a highlight of my day! Please never stop writing this blog. Ever. Thank you. The end.

Marie McKay said...

Congrats on the new position. It all looks wonderful.

angie Brooksby-Arcangioli said...

Congratulations. The lair looks wonderful. 35 trips in July NYC heat? LOL!

Madeline Mora-Summonte said...

Welcome back, Janet! And congrats on the new position!

JulieWeathers said...

I said I was going to do the Hemingway thing and do nothing before I got my writing time in this morning, so where am I? Janet Reid's blog.

I very much enjoyed the pets last month. Boy, did it go by fast. I'm sure it didn't for Janet who was toting those barges and lifting those bales.

While I want to think Janet would definitely paint, the time to do it probably would have been before she moved in.

Boy, that's a big office and Janet's individual one looks great with all that light. I'm thinking skateboard or hoverboard to get around.

Maybe she needs a flying shark to keep an eye on everyone.

I'm glad Miss Janet is back as I'm sure everyone is, but wow, the thought of making that many trips to move on public transport makes me cringe.

Claire Bobrow said...

Julie: I, too, have flunked the Hemingway test. You see where I am.

I flunked because I just watched a 5 minute video about a flying shark :-(

But on the other hand, I just watched a 5 minute video about a flying shark!! With some cute guy named Jared! :-)

Joseph S. said...

The Flying Shark is the coolest thing. That video will be shared. I hate the sad ending though, but I do understand the Museum kindly asking them to leave. I could see the giant dinosaur bones crashiing to the floor.

JulieWeathers said...

Joseph,

I cringed at them taking the shark in the museum. Of course, I am a save the dinosaur girl. I'm still hoping my dinosaur egg will hatch.

Claire,

I know. I have no self discipline. However, I am getting reading to do the "What's in your pocket" writing exercise. I think it will be what's in a dead man's pocket. It might change before I get there. My mind this morning.

Kae Ridwyn said...

Yay! You're back! *happy dancing*
And yay to the enormous comment trail that I get to tack myself to - late, as per usual...
:D

Catherine Vignolini said...

Nice digs!
I see I'm not the only one whose eyes went immediately to the fridge. Hello famous Danielle. 60 desktop icons, impressive. Mystery eggs in the bucket--well worth the rigorous move. And a shit sign--seal of approval in my book.
Great office vibe!
Congratulations Janet!!
(thank you for pet month.)

Beth Carpenter said...

Late to the party, but want to add my welcome home, too. Love the office - so fun and comfy and light. Glad you're here again.

Gypmar said...

We missed you for sure! Looking forward to following your adventures at New Leaf. It sounds fantastic. Moving your office 11 blocks yourself via public transportation sounds insane. It also sounds like something I would do. Welcome back!