Settling In

Setting up an office away from the office is not just about the technology. There are all kinds of other considerations, some anticipated, some not.

For example, at home I have a big 20-inch monitor on my desk, adjusted to the right height, a proper ergonomic task chair, a full-size keyboard and mouse. Here I have my laptop with its 13-inch screen and a little travel mouse (albeit a very good one: Microsoft's Mobile Memory Mouse 8000 - a wireless mouse with a dongle that doubles as a 1GB flash drive). My office furniture: the Ikea utility table our landlord kindly lent us and a chair from the apartment's diningroom. Would it be a problem?

On Monday, I was a little sore at the end of the work day, but that may have just been a hangover from humping bags while in transit. I also commandeered a small cushion from the livingroom which turned out to be perfect for providing lumbar support. That helped. Yesterday, I felt fine.

And then there is the business of re-establishing routines or creating new ones. At home, I get up at 7 - plus or minus 45 minutes. After breakfast and exercise, I work through until 5:30 or 6 with a half hour break for lunch. Here it doesn't make sense to quit that early because the people I do business with don't even start work until 3 p.m. my time - and the left-coasters not until 6 p.m.

So I'm taking it bit easier in the morning, going out shopping with the V.P. Finance - we went to the great open air market today - blogging, etc. And then working through until more like 7 or 7:30. So far so good.

When I first arrived, I was concerned about exercise, which is vital to my routine - my caffeine in the morning, and my prozac too. Could I do my lying-down stretches and strength exercises on a hard tile Italian floor? Could I run on the uneven and slippery-when-wet cobbled streets?

Non è un problema. I improvised a yoga mat with a folded blanket on the hemp carpet in the livingroom. And this morning - beautifully sunny and about 60 degrees - I went for a glorious run all along the sea wall around the island of Ortigia, with waves crashing and salt spray cooling me.

Yeah, I think I can adapt to this.