What’s in your office?
What is the oddest, most out-of-place item in your office? Whether it’s at home or a commute away, we all end up with stuff we never meant to have.
My pet item is a can of spaghettios.
I worked at a radio station in Philadelphia and after a couple of part time jobs, and a full time job as an assistant, I got my big break. And my first office (to be truthful, it was a large cubicle). The day I moved in, it was completely empty–except for a lone can of spaghettios on a shelf. My boss and I laughed about it.
I kept it.
About four years later, I moved to Michigan. I brought the spaghettios to my new office at a station in Detroit…then to my office at a TV station, and so on. At some point the can ended up in a box in storage. I don’t know how long they were stored away, but when I finally opened the box, there was the can of spaghettios, only it was empty. A small jagged hole had rusted in the bottom, and the contents were gone. No remains at all.
I promptly called my first boss and told him the story. Two days later I received a box in the mail with a note that read, “Take better care of this one.” And so I have a new can of spaghettios on the shelf in my home office.
I was recounting this story to Heather Cohen, the producer of StartupNation Radio (click on it. Listen to it. Learn!!). Heather thought it would be fun to hear what crazy things other people have in their offices, so please share yours below.
March 2nd, 2006 at 3:52 pm
A framed album cover of HAIR, the original soundtrack. Was a gift last Christmas. Actually it’s more than the cover, the album is still in it.
March 3rd, 2006 at 1:04 pm
I just spoke with Joan and she assures me that this is weird:
I have a vanity West Virginia license plate that belonged to my dad. The plate reads: HMSLF
Dad just thought it was funny. (as if living on top of a mountain in West Virginia isn’t funny enough!)
Joel
March 3rd, 2006 at 3:36 pm
A glass jar filled with popcorn kernels. One of my students gave it to me as a gift and I keep it in my office. One day I’ll head to the kitchen, put on a pan of hot old and pop away
I LOVE POPCORN!
March 3rd, 2006 at 9:10 pm
I have a 12" paper mache Santa Claus with a fishing rod and creel standing on a shelf above my desk. Thing is, I really like him!
March 4th, 2006 at 12:12 am
I have a Slinky that I hold my business cards in…
Yesss people still hand out business cards.
And for some reason, I have many, many golf balls that my Labrador retrieves (duh) from our near by golf course, those are his business cards!
March 6th, 2006 at 2:00 pm
Kim, I love that, I have a slinky on my desk right now. It’s a tangled up, That’s why my son left it here. Now I know what to do with the part that is still coiled. Does anyone have a pair of wire cutters I can borrow!
March 6th, 2006 at 9:30 pm
I have a Mrs. Potato Head belt clip that playss quotes from the movie "Toy Story 2". Present for my birthday from my wife. I keep it hanging from the wall within eyesight. Push her lips and she says a funny saying. Always puts a smile on my face.
March 7th, 2006 at 9:11 am
Joan,
Don’t cut the slinky! Don’t cut the slinky! This can be either our "Products that do double duty" segment or our Martha Stewart segment!
I’ll bet you can decorate by inserting leaves or flower buds…or just tell people it’s a post-modernist sculpture…lol
I also have a figurine of Woody from Toy and lots of PEZ dispensers. hee hee.