Thursday, December 25, 2008

Random Articles Found In My Desk Drawer

I don't know if it is true that you can tell alot about someone by what you find in their desk drawer. I know my desk at work has some rather disparate objects however nothing overly embarrassing in case someone else had to access my desk for some unknown reason, maybe looking for something important.

I have a junk drawer in my top left drawer where unusual things tend to collect. Sometimes things just get shoved in there when there is no place else to put them at the time. I also put things in there that I might need during the day. There is always a piece or two of candy preferably Reece's P'nut Butter Cups, breath mints; hey you never know when you're going to do some close talking. Chapstick and also lipstick which is sometimes applied when the lips get dry or on special occasions that added little smudge of color to the lips. A pair of dominoes left over from a board game I no longer know which one. A small measuring tape which actually has been used at times to measure the space on my desk so that I could buy a file organizer which is also a catch all now for memos I have read that might (or not) be important. Extra paper clips; the big kind and also the small kind. Extra eraser heads for my pencils. Rubber caps that are colored which you put over the tops of keys to distinguish which ones open your desk and office door, etc. A stick pin of a Husky dog which I wore on my blazer lapel one day. Extra ID "chains" to hang my official work ID on. (As if someone in my office doesn't know who I am) An electronic dictionary - word speller to help me with my atrocious spelling, I use it daily. It also has a calculator button so I can add up my comp time hours earned or taken. Birthday candles in case it is some one's birthday and on short notice you can stick a candle in "something". Tylenol, doesn't everyone have it nearby? An extra pair of eye glasses, disposable eye glass cleaning wipes. An electronic dictaphone which is used to dictate reports and spare mini tapes. A comb and small pocket sized mirror. Rubber bands, not too many though because you don't want it to look like you obsessively collect such things. White out which is out dated in our world of computers, just hit the delete button. Hand cream and also hand sanitizer. Small broken pieces of things I no longer remember what they are a part of. A nail file which I never have time to use. The directions on how to program my telephone. Spare change for the vending machine.

My right hand top drawer is more serious containing writing implements, some of which no longer have any ink, including dried up Sharpies. I confess that I have quite a collection of various sized blocks of post it notes. The smaller post its are plastered all over my appointment book of things to remember. Scissors that are not pointy on the ends in case I have to use them around a kid. More lists of projects and things I'm trying to do.

While I'm at it I might as well describe the articles hanging on the bulletin board over my desk. I like to stick things up there that are pleasant reminders of fun things I have done so when I'm having a bad day I can glance up there and adjust my mood. Sometimes people will lean over when they see something of interest. I have concert tickets from the Almond Bros.,Steve Miller and Neil Young, a picture of Steven Tyler in the "got milk" advertisement. Baseball tickets when the Red Sox played Toronto (date unknown), Hockey tickets Clarkson Univeresity ECAC Playoff games. Various cartoons that are innocuous however twisted. Thank you cards regarding various occasions, pictures of my daughters doing interesting things (not overly personal), staff extension numbers, billing codes. If you think about it you spend approximately seven or eight hours per day at your desk so it is kind of nice to have pleasant remembrances to gaze at. Someone once told me we tend to erect "shrines" and that is likely accurate at least in my case.

What this is all about is the random stuff that tends to migrate into our drawers when we don't know where else to put things. You have to be careful as mentioned earlier because if for some unknown reason someone has to unlock your desk you don't want to appear too weird but I forgot they probably already know that about me.

2 comments:

underOvr (aka The U) said...

GAF85,

The Borg eliminated the need for personal identity, via assimilation. I was recently relocated to another Borg IT colony and have not even concerned myself with unpacking the boxes which rest quietly under my desk. I have no need for telephone numbers, if you are not in my IM list, I have no pressing need to contact you. If you don't know how to reach me via IM, you're SOL.

While this new Borg colony is tranquil, I find myself missing the days when there was more resisitance and conflict; those epic clashes with "The Federation" are passe now.

Listen to me going on incessantly about days gone by as if there were no more worlds to conquer, no one else to assimilate. Be warned species gaf85, "The Borg are Coming, soon!"

Best wishes for 2009!

underOvr

gaf85 said...

U, I "confess" that there have been moments when I have simultaneously been blogging and watching Star Trek episodes on the television.
Let's hope the Borg do not try to assimilate us.