Just in case you have forgotten, I work in an office with plywood walls. It's really nothing fancy, and I am ok with that. It really is what I was expecting when I deployed to Afghanistan. I have put up a few decorations, but I understand that those are really kind of like putting lipstick on a pig. But that's just me, I'm not high maintenance when it comes to things like that. Now, my BJA (Brigade Judge Advocate or my boss) doesn't see it that way.
Below is a picture of his office, which is now out of date, because the artwork that he has been waiting on has finally arrived. But you can get the point from this picture. In the back right corner is a pretty nice espresso machine (sitting on top of a refrigerator on top of an end table) that only takes whole beans as it grinds it for you without any mess whatsoever. On the left side of his desk, is a water feature (fountain). That thing is solid slate and copper. He had purchased a much smaller fountain and that just didn't cut it, so he had to upgrade. That meant that I was lucky recipient of the smaller fountain, so I have a fountain in my office too! It's unfortunate that he can't do anything about the walls, although I haven't counted out the possibility that he may pay someone to come in and dry wall them.
I was able to spruce up my office a little, although my taste just isn't as refined as his and I think my future in decorating Afghan offices isn't as bright. I did hang a big ol' Longhorns flag in my office and an Eiffel Tower poster that my mother in law sent me. I also have 2 picture frames of pics of Michael and I (which I think is better than any art you can buy). And of course, now I have a fountain (which if you look at a previous post of the picture of Michael's goodies that he sent me, it made a cameo appearance). But I now also have milk crates! Now, I know what your saying. Milk crates cannot possibly compare to an espresso machine. But I am pretty happy with my milk crates. As I have told you many times, my office floods. Sometimes I have several inches of water on the floor of my office. My predecessor in the office that a good way to combat having things sitting in water was to stack it on top of boxes of water. Cardboard boxes. If you have half a brain, you already see the problem with that. Cardboard is not waterproof. In fact, cardboard actually gets pretty gross when soaked in water for any amount of time, and eventually deteriorates. For the sake of my lungs, I decided that I probably shouldn't be breathing in moldy cardboard for a year. Plus it was really gross to look at! So, I got myself a pack of 4 milk crates right off of Amazon for $12! Best $12 I have spent since I got here. Below is the finished product. Fortunately for you, I didn't take a before, it was really gross!
And just for good measure, below is a picture of my BJA's RLB. It's pretty amazing what can be done with a metal box. I told him if the lawyer thing doesn't work out, he maybe should open up his own design firm designing small spaces. Just in case you can't tell, the 2 little painting on the right are a Van Gogh and a Renoir. And just for a little context. The only thing that came with the room, was the bed and that black little lamp peaking up from the back of the bed.
And finally, we finally got a little flair around the BDE HQ, so I thought I would stop and pose for a picture with it. This is a giant version of the 25th Infantry Division patch. It is the patch that we all wear on our sleeve. It is a taro leave with a lightning bolt in it. After all, we are the tropic lightning division.
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