Monday, April 2, 2007

I Didn't Want a Raise, But Maybe I'll Keep It

So, our group's big office move happened over the weekend, and we're here in our new digs (one building over).

The first thing I noticed is that I now have a raised desk:

My new raised cubicle.
Yes, I'm in a highchair now.

It's for ergonomic reasons, since you can stand and type as well as sit.

At first, I didn't want to keep the raised setup, but after trying it out for a little bit, I think I'll give it a shot. It's relatively easy to change (if you have a cordless drill driver on you).

This probably means I'll need an LCD monitor, since the big tube monitor is sitting waaaay too close to my face right now. LCDs are usually brighter than CRT screens, though, so if and when I get one, I'll have to make sure it's calibrated correctly, lest photos that look okay to me are too dark for everyone else.

That settled, I can now start the herculean task of unpacking my boxes:

Boxes yet to be unpacked.
Only eight boxes this time.

However, my boxes are not quite as neat as those of my cow-orker, Erin:

Since I've had many friends and meetings in this building, it's not completely new to me. However, it's only after you move into a space that you start to find out its quirks. For example, I'm right by the ping-pong table:

Ping Pong table near my workspace.
This could get really annoying.

CC2 being a new building, it was designed for computer slaves knowledge workers, so it's got stuff that you wouldn't find in our old building, CC1 (which is a retrofitted airplane hangar).

Stuff like underfloor air and cable runs, with access ports that feel like gopher holes:

Floor vent.
Macro shot of a floor vent.

Of course, that doesn't prevent things like really beige hallways:

A really beige hallway.
We're already hard at work de-beiging it.

Also, here is what a corner office looks like at AOL:

Corner office at AOL.
That's not an executive, that's a plant.

The view out the window is the intersection of Prentice and Broderick Drives.

Incidentally, looking at the aerial photo view in MapQuest, I notice that the local post office processing facility has something on the roof:

Post office roof.
I hope it's a forever-rate stamp -- it would be a hassle to repaint.

Anyway, we'll be busy unpacking things and getting settled (good things so far: full-size, working kitchen with hot water and no structural steel I-beam in the middle of it -- bad things: glare from the windows), so today looks like it's mostly going to be an "administrative overhead" day (especially since the white noise generators aren't on right now, and you can hear everything). So I'll be sticking close to the cube.

Which is kind of a pity, since it might hit 80 today and it looks really nice out.

Thanks -- Joe

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Maybe coming to visit next week! Looking forward to seeing the new space.

Anonymous said...

Ah, yes, 80F some degrees outside, windy:)   Sorry you missed it, (*I* had off) but hey, maybe you'll be raised high enough to catch a few ping pong balls ;)

Anonymous said...

Today was a glorious day in G-Burg, Joe, I'm sorry you had to miss it!

And please tell me you'll be getting a nice LCD flatscreen soon? Those CRTs make you look, well, SO outdated ;)

Charley
http://journals.aol.com/cdittric77/courage

Anonymous said...

Soon those white-noise generators will be kicking in. In the meantime, enjoy the new highchair! Let us know if the higher elevation is a good idea. My desk has the option to do that.

Anonymous said...

Even though you're from New Jersey, you should front like you're God at ping-pong...

You can carry this off by:

A) Making up complicated ping-pong expert terms... "You may as well be throwing a tennis ball off a wall if your opponent doesn't utilize the Guggenheim Paddle Method."

B) Capitalizing on being of Asian descent. While it's sad that stereotypes exist..well, it'd be sadder if one didn't work it to their advantage, no?

I'm French, and 5' tall on a good hair day... but I played hoop in college, and I'm pretty good. Whenever I started at a new school, I'd always work myself into whatever hoop game the kids were playing.

I'd make a point to try to Girl it up before the game, too... which I was chosen last for every time. "If any of you breaks one of my nails, I'm going to be very, very upset."

I'd Girl it up right until the ball got to me..even acting scared as it was thrown my way. Once I got the ball, I went straight at the best kid on the other team, or I'd try a really long jump shot. It wasn't unusual for spectators to LOL once I shifted into high gear.

In the end, I'd taught the kids a valuable lesson about stereotypes, and- if I had been truly working this angle- I'd collect bet money from the other staff members (as I'd have been in the teacher's room earlier that day going "20 points vs. $20...who wants some Dr. Stacey?"

Keep in mind... I'm proposing the opposite for you... you'll be fronting like you're excellent, when you really have no skill at all. That should be even funnier once you spring the trap.

C) Buy a paddle. Write on it. Display it in your off, umm, cubicle. Never mention it until someone asks, which is key.... but then be like "I beat Wan Xi Jun in college," then tail off. Act offended that they don't know who WXJ is... then be like "the Babe Ruth of Asia."

4) This only is funny if you can't play ping-pong at all. If you're even a little bit good, you'll end up lookin