It's something I never really dwelt on before, but it's surprising just how much more comfortable a workspace can be with even just a little personalization.
If it wasn't clear before, I have spent the last few weeks at home in Seattle for the holiday, and as I write this, it is my second day back at work for my university's IT department, where I work as a graduate assistant in video production, communications and, increasingly, marketing. While I was hired mostly to work on promotion and training for the rollout of the university's new BANNER Student Information System software (which is on indefinite hold because a critical person to that project was severely injured in the Stillwater Homecoming parade,) the department has been finding new ways to put me to use.
Otherwise, they pay me to spend four hours every morning to sit here and do homework...and write crappy blog posts.
I have a fairly roomy cubicle up near the front door of the building, wedged in between the department's HR rep and the student assistant secretary, near the CIO's office. It's not a bad spot, but last semester it felt kind of cold and sterile.
Another result of my placement up front is that to get to the restroom, water fountain or the vending machines, I have to walk through the entire building, which is basically a giant bullpen situated in a modern metal barn.
Let me tell you, some of these IT guys take cubicle decoration to the next freakin' level.
Now, one of my favorite hobbies revolves around Mobile Suit Gundam. Ever since I first saw Gundam Wing on Toonami, I was hooked. I especially love building and collecting the model kits made for the various mobile suits from all varieties of the show. I had a small, burgeoning collection of built models that I had left in a box at home, so I figured I'd grab it and bring it back with me over the break.
I couldn't find it.
I turned my room and my house upside down, but I couldn't find them. I could only find a half-finished model I started as a fully painted project which is on hiatus because some furry little bastard ate a critical part off of my work table.
Still, I was able to find some other figurines I had collecting dust, and along with a model my folks got me for Christmas (and another one bought with part of an Amazon gift card my brother and sister-in-law sent me), I was able to put something together.
Along with a Spartan, an ODST trooper, and Duke Nukem sitting on the edge of my partition wall, I've started to make this cubicle a little spot of home, adding a little personality (that thing that more than one person has accused me of not having. The Internet is full of jerks.)
Besides, when I'm freaking out over an assignment or staring vapidly at the render bar creep across my monitor, I can look over at Duke's smug grin and remind myself, even if it takes 10 years of development hell, I can still slog through it all and do something big. Even if it sucks.