I’m Stephen, an amateur runner, coffee enthusiast, and aspiring creator.
I’ve worked in a corporate setting for the past 14 years, and my current role focuses on risk management.
I enjoy what I do because it draws on my experience as a business analyst and gives me the opportunity to develop continuous improvement initiatives, including some programming and automation.
While I’m grateful for my career and the professional skills I’ve developed over the years, it’s merely a role I play — just one part of who I am.
As I’ve gotten older and work continues to occupy an outsized amount of my time, I’ve become increasingly focused on diverting more of my energy and soul towards things that define and drive me.
I grew up with a keen interest in writing, photography, drawing, and exploring. One of my earliest jobs was developing photos for the local newspaper, contributing as a journalist, and working with the editor to learn how to craft headlines and structure articles.
Over the past year, I’ve tried to lean into my passion for creating and writing by building a website to highlight some of my personal projects.
The genesis for creating a personal website was a desire to take more ownership and control over the content I create.
While social media has given us all an incredible opportunity to connect and showcase moments from our lives, we ultimately have little control over how platforms operate or how others interact with our content.
I’m still in the early phases, but if you’re interested in the musings of an elderly millennial on coffee, technology, growing older, and living more intentionally, check it out!
For a pocket of time during Covid-19, I was able to work from home, and while my company has since returned to the office full-time, that experience planted the seed of what it might be like to curate a working space in my home.
I was fortunate to have a spare bedroom in a quiet corner of my home, and over the past few years, I’ve designed and iterated on a space that feels cosy, productive, and reflective of my interests.
The main workstation is built around a 6 ft Husky adjustable-height workbench.
My height rules out most standing desks, but I did want something that would allow me to dial in a comfortable seated position.
In addition, as my room isn’t too large, I was OK with a worktop that had a slimmer profile.
While it may not fit the bill for those who want the largest possible surface, at 24 inches deep, it’s sufficient to hold my essential items.
Lastly, the solid wood top and heavy-duty steel legs make it nearly indestructible.
One way my setup may differ from many others I’ve read on this site is that I do not work from home, so my use of this room is strictly in the evening or on weekends.
Because of this, I haven’t leaned as much into tailoring the equipment to accommodate long hours (see the Apple keyboard).
That being said, I’ve invested in some pieces such as the Ergotron monitor mount and airCentric3 task chair — both feature-rich and ensuring I don’t feel worse for wear after a few hours of work.
Rounding out the room, I have a couple of Husky tool chests that double as an amazing space to organise my photography, tech gear, and gadgets, as well as an additional worktop.
I’m an automotive enthusiast and grew up modifying my car and competing in import car shows, so I really appreciate the industrial, sturdy, and functional aspects these pieces bring to my space.
In keeping with this theme, you might notice the blue metal pegboards throughout the room, made by a company called Wall Control.
While these are typically marketed towards garages or commercial kitchens, I absolutely loved the variety of colours they come in and how well they complement the rest of my furniture and décor.
Speaking of colours, you’ve probably also noticed I’m not afraid to highlight a variety of hues throughout my space — whether through the artwork I’ve collected over the past years, or the functional pieces like the gloss blue tool chests and teal bookshelf speakers.
A lot of the décor in the room, including the replica Eames Lounge Chair and artwork, was collected over the past decade.
These pieces have been enjoyed in other parts of my home and have a special place in my heart, so it’s felt amazing to bring them together in this smaller, more personal space.
