Welcome to My desk!

A couple of weeks ago, Karen Posted a peek at her office and work space, and last week, Megan showed pictures of her classroom. While I sat here admiring their beautiful work spaces, I sat here with a mild case of FOMO... So, I never heard of anybody dying of FOMO, but why risk it! here is a few pictures of my work space.

We were told when I started working here that our company had an "open office" policy, meaning no cubbies, and no private offices. The thought of no private office or walls around me sounded strange, but I had worked in classrooms before, and saw no problem with this. Our office in Dearborn is all open space, the CEO sits in a desk with everybody.

Anyway, here is what I walk to in the Morning.

This is my desk

I have the biggest desk in the office for two reasons. 1. An auditor who retired years ago gave it to me. It wasn't hers to give away, but I accepted it. and 2. I refuse to give it up. I've been here as long as the other manager, so nobody argues with me on my keeping of the desk.

Closer look at my desk .. blue bucket on top is for boxtops. People at work are very kind to bring me boxtops from home and give me the ones from our work supplies. I hate boxtops! But not clipping those evil little 10 cent coupons, and sending them to school makes me feel like a bad mommy.

Any papers left between my monitors are work that needs done before I have my oatmeal.

I have 6 years worth of calendars, for when I do full file audits. And because I have to constantly be looking back 3 months, I keep 3 moths visible at all times... there is a few days that I keep 4 months visible.

 

I love my power stapler! and I'm a jerk about anybody else using it, and when I'm not here, I lock it in my drawer.

I also have a scanner on my desk, I'm the only person who has a scanner. When I do state audits, the files need to be scanned and prepared to be sent to the state offices, this can be from 10-40 pages per file. Audits tend to be 12-16  files per month.

The state demand that we use their conversion chart for minutes. In a timesheet can can't write 2 hours and 13 minutes, it has to be 2.22 hours. We have had points deducted from file audits if we don't use their conversion chart, so for a long time, we used to joke that we needed to get the chart tattoo to our legs or arms.

I keep a candy dish on my desk, but right now is empty... but Halloween is coming!

My pens have HIGH TECH ANTI-THEFT DEVICES.... I attached flowers to them. While all the pens go missing overnight, those two have been in my cup for 4 years.

 
I do not keep family pictures or many other personal things at work for a few reasons... one was that back a long time ago, an angry participant threated my family and pointed at their pictures. That scared me a lot, so I took their pictures home.

We are forced to  encouraged  to keep our personality profile at our desk. This is from a personality test we took when we were first hired. It's supposed to warn help others  on how to work better with us. Mine says that I only like things my way, that I don't talk much or *think out loud* and need time to think of a solution, that I work on multiple things at the same time and that I don't believe everything people tell me.

My favorite room in the office.

Drumroll.......

The Coffee Room! I hope the picture is capturing the closet size coffee room.

Random things that are not in the pictures, but that I keep at my desk... a set of screwdrivers, a hammer, measuring tape, pliers, all the office white out (we are not allowed to use white out, it's like contraband in our office and it always finds a way into somebody's desk), a mug full of desk keys and 48 AA batteries and a pair of pumps I can't wear.

While the colors do make me feel sad a little bit some days, I block most of it out when doing data entry and audits... with podcast, audiobooks, NPR and music, I am only physically here, my mind is somewhere else... interviewing somebody with Terry Gross, visiting Hagrid in Hogwarts or dancing in the beach. <- None of that means I don't like my job, but looking at papers and numbers can be a very numbing experience.

My biggest complaint about my desk, is that is not next to a window and I can't always see the sun.

What is your favorite room in your work space? Or at home?
Do you hide your office supplies?
Do you keep candy in your desk?
Any other anti-theft devices for pens?