This week I finally got my office decorated the way it will be for a long time. I've got my diplomas on the wall, and I've spent the decoration allowance given to my by the firm (and then some).

I decided to focus on artwork for my walls, and specifically artwork that somehow revealed who I am and artwork that I like and Shelly doesn't necessarily like. See, my office is a place that I don't have to compromise with Shelly about.

That's why I moved my Henri Matisse print to the office as soon as I started work. Shelly doesn't like it. She put up with it in our apartment in Cambridge, but even then her tolerance was conditional only on my agreement that I would move the picture to my office as soon as I got one.

I really like this painting. It's entitled "Icarus" from the collection "Jazz," published in 1947. To me, it symbolizes passion and joy and flight and spontaneity. It's the perfect mix of the classical (Icarus) and the modern (jazz). The bright red heart and the assymetrical stars make me think of focusing my life on the things that are important to me. It's great to look at in the office or anywhere.

But then it got difficult. I started thinking about who I am and where I'm from and the images that would convey that. I first turned to Al Rounds because I grew up a few blocks from him, went to school with his daughters, am good friends with his niece, and he paints historical Utah scenes, which demonstrate my heritage. But he turned out to be too pricey, even for the firm's generous budget.

So then I thought of James Christensen. He's an art professor at BYU, and although I don't have any personal connections to him and he doesn't paint anything that has to do with me or my heritage, I really like his work. The fact that he's from Utah is good enough for me. But he's usually even more expensive than Al Rounds. In an ideal world, I would have his painting "Six Bird Hunters" in my office. If anyone wants to lavish a very expensive and non-practical gift on me, this would be it.

When I went to Utah for Christmas, though, I found a James Christensen calendar. That would be good enough, I thought. I eagerly paid the $14, not even caring that it didn't have all of my favorite pieces in it like "Lawrence Pretended Not To Notice That A Bear Had Become Attached To His Coattail" or "Poofy Guy On A Leash." Instead, I now have framed calendar pages of "Fishing," "Piscatorial Percussionist," and "Balancing Act."

"Fishing" has to be my favorite. Not only is it just plain silly, it symbolizes the futility of continually fishing in the same bucket. So it's fun to look at and it's got a message. "Balancing Act" seems to be more symbolic than artistic for me. Its strong message tackles the challenge of balancing all the different things we have to do in life: work, love, family, church, hobbies, education, etc. Not the coolest painting to look at, but it goes well in a law office, I think. "Piscatorial Percussionist" is just the opposite. There's nothing profound about it; it's just silly.

But because I got the calendar for so cheap, that didn't fill out my budget. Also while in Utah for Christmas, I stumbled upon a store in the University Mall that specializes in the art of Eric Dowdle. After a much shorter time than you'd think for such an important purchase, I decided to buy matching framed prints of his "Temple Square" and "Washington, D.C." The lady in the store gave me a really good deal on framing and shipping, so I'm sure I got these for less than I should have.

I hadn't really been familiar with Dowdle's work before, although I had seen it. I like the folksyness of it, and I like that I can have one painting of my hometown and one of my new town. I like that there's now a prominent image of the Salt Lake Temple in my office (positioned such that I look at it every time I walk through the door). And I like that everyone else who comes in can relate to the DC picture. Rumor has it that all 43 U.S. Presidents are in the painting somewhere--it's like Where's Waldo.

So that, plus my Harvard Law School diploma and my two BYU diplomas, is what my office looks like. I really like it. I think it says a lot about who I am and what kind of things I like, and meanwhile it's tasteful enough for a professional office. And best of all, I can enjoy all this great art that Shelly wouldn't dream of allowing in the house.

Come and visit anytime.