I work across from a call center. I do tech support for them and the rest of the company. Their cubefarm looks like Willie Wonka’s factory did too much peyote and barfed all over the place. It’s a cacophony of desk memorabilia, tchotchkies, and other junk, everyone’s walls look like a high schooler’s, just covered in photos and hanging doodads and shit. It’s almost visually disturbing.
My cube is practically austere in comparison, with its book case full of my college math textbooks, and my toolkit splayed about on the free section.
There are low-strength boozes that are so sweet that it significantly raises their viscosity. They are yummmmmy. And they can provide wicked hangovers without even getting you drunk much, don’t ask how I know.
I don’t… actually know. My guess is it’s either that the paper cups sometimes have leaks in the seams, or you slam your cup down with such vigour in a moment of creative brilliance that some spills over the top??
But I strongly suggest to avoid sipping half a bottle in one evening. It goes down deceptively well and doesn’t trigger the I-have-enough feeling (because of too little alcohol to actually have “enough”). Which makes it dangerous.
I’ve never seen a call center where employees stuck around long enough to accumulate much bric-a-brac, or even had their very own cubicles (not shared by the other shifts) to put them in. Much more Stanley Parable than Willy Wonka. That’s probably why I got out of phone support ASAFP.
It’s not just the low strength sweet stuff that’s a problem. My sister-in-law inflicted one of those hangovers when she put a (very good and more-ish) bottle of Tawny (Australian Port wine) on the table when we were all just far enough gone on a nice Shiraz to not fully appreciate significance of the step up in alcohol and tannin content …
The call center is basically sales reps, not really support. There’s like a hundred or two of them, and they don’t seem to have too much turnover. Our company motto is “make life one long weekend”. Where we have a lot of turnover is the women’s apparel design department. Plus our executives seem to be rotated out very regularly.
But yes, as long as your desk isn’t a biohazard, the the company culture is pretty much “like, live and be happy, man”. We have some people who come in reeking of pot, bloodshot eyes and all, nobody cares because they can do their job high just fine, and it makes them more personable.
wow, Wired. jumped the shark. Sad, I used to like reading them. Now all the creatives will scram! hooray corporate amerika. “dont bring your personal stuff to the place you work, or we’ll get cops in here to mace you”
Wide mouth mugs plus walking gives you some serious wave action inside even if you are fairly gentle. If you use a lid or something narrow mouthed, spillage is rare.
Port wine! Another hangover from hell, without even being significantly drunk! Friends are still making fun of me for that one.
…we were shooting a product demo video at one’s house, and drinking, drumroll please, port wine. It was goooooood… DECEPTIVELY good! With taste that should be shouting “It’s a trap!” before you even open the bottle…
I cannot complain. Even though it’s only 11’x10’, it has a door that I can close, a first in my entire career!
I’d be a bit put out that this particular gig is ending in five weeks, except there’s a decent chance my next show will land me an even better office. And my tchotchkes and clutter go with me!
