I have a question.

Maybe somebody out there has an answer.

Maybe not.

I will warn you, this question does relate in some ways to my treadmill desk, so if you’re tired of that topic, you can feel free to skip this one.

Somebody actually asked what speed I do when I’m recording.

When I’m walking and doing quiet work, reading work and emailing, that sort of thing, I’ll go 2.6.

When I’m recording, I’ll do 1.8 to 2.2.

My treadmill goes in 0.4 increments, so that’s what I do, but I have a question about my setup.

I have a question.

It’s really a construction question, or I don’t know if there’s a 3D printable solution to my problem or what, but my desk setup is 88% of the way to where it needs to be.

How can I find that additional 12?

By the way, I did that math in my head.

As I mentioned, my office is all built-ins, and when I had the office built, I had long stopped treading.

I simply stood for my desk.

I didn’t tread, so I had them build a standing desk setup and a seated desk setup.

It was a mistake.

I should have just left room for a sit-stand desk, but I didn’t.

The stand desk is great for standing.

It’s a little bit less good for treading because the lip of the part of the desk where the keyboard goes is too low, the shelf.

It sticks out.

It’s permanently there.

There are some shelves that are on pegs, but this one is like a permanently inbuilt wood or fake wood shelf where my keyboard sits, except my keyboard doesn’t just sit on it.

It sits on eight risers, two stacks of four risers to elevate it to the right height, but the lip isn’t quite far enough, and the treadmill’s head is too deep, so I’m slightly further away from the keyboard than I want to be.

What I do right now is I have the keyboard on risers, and I drag those risers to the very, very edge of the desk such that they’re nearly teetering over, and that helps me with posture, but it’s not a permanent solution, and they eventually get pushed back just by existing, and then I’m hunched a little bit, and so I feel in my shoulders the ache from walking all day just from some bad posture, which is all related to I’m leaning over too far.

So basically, the short version is I need to bring my keyboard a little bit closer to me.

I’ve been looking at a product on Amazon.

It’s 100-something bucks that can be an under-shelf mount, like a keyboard tray that people use, or it can also be an over-shelf mount, but from the photos, it doesn’t look like it goes high enough.

It would bring the keyboard closer to me, which is exactly what I need, but I’m not sure it would go high enough.

I think the keyboard would end up being a little bit low, and maybe that’s fine.

Maybe it’s fine if it’s a little bit lower, so maybe I’ll get it and try.

I don’t know, but I don’t know what the solution is.

I was thinking, I’ve been talking to Brian Warren, like could somebody 3D print an extension to my shelf, because that’s really all I need is the shelf to be a little bit deeper, a little bit longer, a little bit closer to me, but I wouldn’t have any idea, A, how to do that, B, how to attach it, and C, how to have it not look insane, but maybe I’ve got to get this weird keyboard adapter thing, because I think just getting it closer, even if it’s lower, I think would make a huge difference.

I might have talked myself into buying it while I’m talking here, but I’m going to wait a day or two to see what brilliant ideas the internet has for me, so if you have any brilliant ideas, send them my way.

Also earlier today, in fact, just before I started recording this episode, I recorded an interview on the Grammar Girl podcast, and that was fun.

I’ve long known and loved Grammar Girl, worked with her for as long as maybe 15 years ago, and to now be a guest on the show, to talk of course about my word games, that was fun.

Also, totally separate, I have 8 bajillion protein bars in my office right now.

It’s part of my focus on losing some weight and getting healthier.

I have certain protein targets to hit at different mealtimes, and so protein bars are one of the ways.

My trainer, who I’ve been working with, suggested two brands.

Lauren found some comparable stuff at Costco, then she found another comparable brand her next time at Costco that was even cheaper, and she’s like, I should buy these.

I’m like, if they expire too soon, don’t.

She’s like, they don’t expire for a long time, but there’s a bajillion protein bars in here in a beautiful basket where I have arrayed them, and I have a collection of kosher beef jerky.

So any time I need a high-protein snack, I got it.

That’s what’s up.

Anyway, happy Thursday, January 16th.

I’m going to a high school presentation of a series of one-act plays tonight for two hours, and my kid’s the second, and I have to say it the whole time, so please hold a good thought for me.

Lex.