Where is Steven Covey when you need him?

So, I cleared out most of the personal effects in my cube a few weeks back - as a result of a blowup with my boss the other week. The very best reason to clean your cube, right? While I admit at least part of the problem is my fault, I am also not exactly dealing with a management genius here. I get reprimanded for having a bad attitude during the same period I was battling the Three Week Cold from Hell (she said, and I quote "You walk around all unhappy, like you don't want to be here"). Um, well, HELLO -- my manager SUCKS and doesn’t even necessarily know what she is doing (when asked about her lack of skills in this area earlier this year, she replied “I can learn”). In short, bad attitude isn’t even the half of what I am feeling.

Anyway, while I am finalizing my Exit Strategy and polishing my Fantasy Manifesto, I figured it would be therapeutic to clean out my cube. And it WAS. It’s oddly comforting to be in a cube devoid of personal touches – I didn’t have much to begin with, but now I am down to the bare essentials – a calendar (I can look to the weekends for inspiration), a copy of Jabberwocky (good work meditation), a copy of an outline of the constitutional amendments (reminds me I still have rights SOMEWHERE), my world map (escapism is so unappreciated), and The Color Game (the one creative thing I am allowed do at work).

I am discovering I didn’t NEED my Mr. Bean car, pics of the Nephews, my plants, my crystal set of the platonic solids. I can still be productive without all of those things. Who knew??