"All I can say is that any man whose identity and self worth is shaped by cartoon characters and TV sitcoms bloody well gets what he deserves. "
Injecting Yourself Into Your Workspace
I think we all take something of our personalities to work and inject it into our workspace, be it an office, cubicle, or pickup truck (A friend of mine who runs a contracting business has little pictures of his kids taped to the rearview mirror of his pickup so he'll think about them all day).
So here's my question: what have YOU done to make your workspace your own?
Here's what I've got in my cubicle; keep in mind that I'm a programmer, so eccentricity is expected:
-2 framed photos (my wife and I, and a whole family portrait)
-12 additional photos tacked to the wall (my kids, my dad, my brother and sister, and my wife)
-2 Nebraska Cornhusker pennants (and 1 bumper sticker)
-the last Nebraska license plate my parents ever received before moving to Washington
-a Fender guitar bumper sticker
-a cheap 3/4 guitar, laid atop a hanging cabinet
-a Larry Boy bookmark (from VeggieTales)
-a Mountain Dew label
-a Napoleon Dynamite keychain with push-button catchphrases ("My lips hurt real bad!")
-various "Dilbert" and "Pearls Before Swine" comic strips (some framed under glass)
Lastly, I have the following picture on my wall. It's the cover of a birthday card that my sister sent me several years ago, and I crack up every time I see it. I think EVERY man can relate.
"But I wonder what it does...maybe just a quick flip..."
So here's my question: what have YOU done to make your workspace your own?
Here's what I've got in my cubicle; keep in mind that I'm a programmer, so eccentricity is expected:
-2 framed photos (my wife and I, and a whole family portrait)
-12 additional photos tacked to the wall (my kids, my dad, my brother and sister, and my wife)
-2 Nebraska Cornhusker pennants (and 1 bumper sticker)
-the last Nebraska license plate my parents ever received before moving to Washington
-a Fender guitar bumper sticker
-a cheap 3/4 guitar, laid atop a hanging cabinet
-a Larry Boy bookmark (from VeggieTales)
-a Mountain Dew label
-a Napoleon Dynamite keychain with push-button catchphrases ("My lips hurt real bad!")
-various "Dilbert" and "Pearls Before Swine" comic strips (some framed under glass)
Lastly, I have the following picture on my wall. It's the cover of a birthday card that my sister sent me several years ago, and I crack up every time I see it. I think EVERY man can relate.
"But I wonder what it does...maybe just a quick flip..."
Tags: office, personality, workspace
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Michael J. Austin on -
Unfortunately I work in a shared environment and the only injecting I do into the work space's is leaving my DNA on 1 of the 14 computers. We travel between the data center and print floor so none of 12 of us have a true home. I miss being a "cube rat" and having my own space to make mine.
-
Permalink Reply by James Wells on -
I normally mark my presence in other people's chairs that way!
-
Permalink Reply by Yankee Cowboy Bob on -
In Cubicleland, we have the Cubicle Nazis that made people who have been working for The Company for over a dozen years take down trinkets that were not harming anyone off from the tops of the dividers. Old girls with their porcelain teddy bears from special vacations, decorations that mean something to the user, plants and so forth — nothing can be on top, or on a shelf so that it goes over the top of that wall. I expected any resemblance of personality to be removed altogether, but one Upper Management guy that is actually approachable told me that it's "playing the game", someone gets their panties in a bunch, makes rules, we play the game for the "inspection", and return to normal for the most part.
I personalize my desktop background, hang up occasional pictures on the wall, have my own custom-made name plate with my nickname on it. Here is an old shot, before my department was eliminated and I was given a better job at the same desk. This is a center shot in the corner, I won't bother you with the left and right.
-
Permalink Reply by Leif on -
At an old job, I had personalized my cubicle with some pictures of my nephew, a few book and coffee mugs, Then I got laid off and had to schlep that stuff out. At my current job, I've nothing other than my lunch bag and my sense of humor.
-
Permalink Reply by Yankee Cowboy Bob on
-
Quite a few of us have the approach that we only keep what we can remove in five minutes. Or, because the company gets snotty, there is nothing we bring that we would be broken hearted to leave behind.
-
Permalink Reply by Mike Hostetler on -
My company has some wacky rules about workspace but they haven't been enforcing them lately. Some of my things are probably against the rules but since I've never seen the official list of rules, it must be okay.
I have:
- a self-portrait of my daughter
- a Dora father's day card (from said daughter)
- a photo of my daughter and me when she was two
- a talking stick, from my 7 Habits for Highly Effective People class.
- One Pears Before Swine comic and 2 XKCD comics (here and here).
- various papers thrown about.
I'm moving cubes in a couple of weeks, so I've been slloowwwllly trying to clean it up a little. Cleaning is not my forte.
-
Permalink Reply by Yankee Cowboy Bob on
-
My last clean-out was a purge. Going out of state for a funeral and the Cubicle Nazis were acting up again. Plus, I was not sure that I was going to return — ever. Everything went into a box except the ultimate minimums. After things became tolerable again, I gradually brought things back in. Some things stayed away, however.
My point is that pulling it all down and rebuilding later can be a very good thing.
-
Permalink Reply by Native Son on -
No cubicle Nazis, but I've been physically relocated three times in the last year (promotion & reorganizations), so I know about pulling it down and putting it back later. Really made me appreciate Thoreauvian simplicity.
-
Permalink Reply by Mike Hostetler on
-
I forgot to mention -- my emacs reference coffee mug.
Latest Activity
Jack Bauer replied to Matthew L Weiss's discussion Sorry Doesn't Cut It"Probably a good idea ... if your wife has the mind of a 5-year-old. Are these wives really too dumb to figure there are risks associated with coal mining or warfighting? Any soldier that hasn't discussed with his wife the…"
Luxinator replied to Allen's discussion Identity limbo"Well said about the absence of high heels on the necks of men.
Its more about a gentlemanly stepping aside, and in a liberal spirit men in previous generations have allowed the women to place their high heels on their necks. It was a manly…"
Liam S. commented on Brad Bortz's group Cigars, Cigars, Cigars"There is a group on Tobacco, but none specific to cigars, that I know of. Welcome. "
Cigars, Cigars, Cigars
I've just joined Manliness and don't see a group dedicated to cigar aficionados.Any cigar smokers out there? Let's share experiences, nice smokes, etc.Looking forward to hearing from all of you!See More
Todd Serveto commented on Leif Gunnar Selberg's blog post should I help younger brother become smoker?"Forgive me, but I'm having a hard time deciding whether or not this is a serious post on three counts: First of all, you call yourself a "proud smoker"...what's to be proud of, Leif? Tobacco addiction is a costly,…"
© 2013 Created by Brett McKay.
Powered by
