I’m on a teleconference, sorta (nod to Amanda, who recently commented that I seem to post a lot while I’m on a teleconference, and shouldn’t I be paying attention? To which I respond, I can multi-task like a mofo.). It’s 8:21 in the a.m., I logged in promptly at 8:00, but the “other side” (the Oregon site where most of the attendees “sit”, and have a conference room where they have gathered) are having technical difficulties. So they muted us five or six people on the phone while they sort out their stuff, and probably talk about us folks who aren’t there and can’t hear them.
Every Damn Time they come back on the phone I jump a mile, because the silent telephone sitting next to me while I browse e-mail (or type this) suddenly erupts with noise from a bunch of hyper, over-caffeinated conversationalists. Even better, Zoe jumped up next to me to snuggle a few minutes ago, and she sat directly on the phone. When they came back on-line, she practically beat herself to death trying to get away from the SUDDENLY TALKING COUCH. I ’bout died laughing.
I’ve been wanting to use this icon since I made it. Poor Milton. There are one or two things from my desk that I feel as passionately (well, not quite) about as his red stapler, that the company owns. My flat screen monitor, for one. And my laptop, which has become so personalized that it doesn’t really even belong to AcronymCo anymore (that’s my story, anyway). Everything else that I care about (my maps, my postcards, my hands-free headset, my pictures) already belongs to me. I’ve feng-shui’d the heck out of my cubicle in order to make it tolerable, since I spend so much time in it. And I’ve accumulated a LOT of stuff over the going-on-fourteen years that I’ve worked at AcronymCo.
I actually kind of like the little space I call my own, in the vast acreage of grey-walled cubicles. I’ve become fond of my office – I think it’s because it’s the one space that’s all mine (at least, for as long as AcronymCo keeps me around). I wouldn’t mind if it wasn’t right across the isle from my boss, though. Not that I misbehave at all, but his proximity does tend to stifle any juicy conversations Jen and I would like to hold. Heh.
What would YOU want to keep if your company threatened to move your desk to the basement?
Snerkology 
If they take my toy motorcycles (like the Yamaha FJR1300 sitting on top of my CPU as I type)…stock up on marshmallows.
My favorite thing about my workspace is the huge window I sit facing. Even though it’s only the parking lot, there are huge trees and I’m able to monitor the weather all day long. It’s great. I’m in search of a nice picture to hang on my wall right now – I don’t know what I want exactly, but I’ll know it when I see it. My least favorite thing is my angry, crazy officemate. Thank God there is a half wall dividing us so I don’t have to see her mean crazy face all day long. It’s bad enough I have to hear her talk on SPEAKERPHONE and hang up on people all day. I’m in the process of trying to get my own space, but I’m not holding my breath.
I’m not that attached to my work office. I don’t even get a laptop 😦
we don’t have a basement.
if it was warmer than where we sit, I’d be game though. It’s not like we can really see out the windows anyway!
Laura – I’m just jealous that you get to do these teleconferences at home in your PJs 🙂
I think a basement would have been alright with me, though obviously not the first choice. I would have covered the walls in bright colored butcher paper and had the children make paper mache suns to hang from the ceiling. I love the organized chaos of a classroom. I love the words and colors everywhere, the deep comfort of a ‘print rich environment’. When I was teaching I had so many lovely piles of paper all over the room, and finished work on the walls, manipulatives in their own bins, and bookshelves–full bookshelves–yes! I am a project-lover so they were all organized and lined up ready for the next step in the lesson plan. In the breaks between classes I would sometimes refocus by restacking.
TB – Oh HELL NO, they ain’t keeping the motorcycles!
Kim – You’re lucky, I have to walk about fifty paces to even get to the nearest window – which is why any kind of weather occurance is met with surprise. Heck, we’re ALWAYS surprised when it rains here.
K – I sorry u. 😦
Jen – I promise to get a new battery for my clock. Does it help when we have proof that it’s cold?
Amanda – 😀 Just giving you a hard time because I can!
Megan – Now, that just sounds lovely. Care to come over and decorate?
I’m really not attached to anything that the company owns. I don’t put personal stuff on my laptop there and my personal laptop smokes the hell out of anything any employer has ever given me to use so, not that. I feel the same about the cell phone situation. So there’s really nothing I’d go Milton over.