Raw Drip

I’m known around my workplace as “the creative one” or “the one with all the flair”.   When someone needs something to look nice, they come to me. I’m the fixer when it comes to sexing up technical documentation.  Coming from a bunch of humorless finance and awkward technology geeks, I take their description of me as a compliment – an acknowledgement of my right brain superiority.  

If you asked me to pinpoint the moment when I first stood out as different from the rest of the pack, I couldn’t name it.  I’m not sure how I ended up with the creative rep.  My wardrobe isn’t particularly showy or interesting.  If people are judging me by my cubicle decor, they certainly wouldn’t see anything creative going on there, either unless “hodge podge” has been misconstrued as “creative” by people whose only cubicle ornamention is a collection of dirty coffee mugs and empty Mountain Dew bottles.  Since my team leader has made it clear that enthusiasm and creativity are not valued traits in employees I make an effort to remove flair from my work.  I’m really at a loss to explain how my flair is showing. 

But now that I’ve been outted as having flair, I’m thinking I should just embrace the rep and own all the quirky stereotypes.  Looking out a the sea of beige flooring and the grave yard of soulless cubicles surrounding me, I see no better place to start flashing my eccentricities than in my cube.  The temptation to decorate the hell out of my cubicle is oh-so-alluring.  I can’t afford to  go decor crazy at home, but in my little prison cell?  Heck yeah!  I’m thinking mid-century modern…or, maybe Hollywood Regency.  Or, maybe I should I go full-on asian zen? 

Here’s my inspiration from DiddlySquat.com.  This blogger/Cubicle Decorating Genius cleverly uses an Ikea picnic table cover & inexpensive accessories from Target & Michaels to great effect. 

BEFORE…

Before: Blah & Bland

 

AFTER…

After: Chic & Cozy

As they say on HGTV, "great accessories really make the space."

 

Then  again, maybe I’ll just eff around with all the uptight geeks here and work on morphing my image from quirky, frustrated artist to complete nutjob…

 

And in case my insanity isn’t entirely clear, I’ll add a few of these…