When OCD Strikes
... it's not a pretty picture.
Yes, I fully admit I am Obsessive.
And Compulsive.
And Disorder-ly.
No, check that. I am quite Orderly. Too Orderly. So Orderly that I have to have everything neatly arranged at all times.
Especially at work.
For nearly 30 years, I've enjoyed the privacy of my own office. My very own haven to sort, priorize and file. And not only does the paperwork need to be put in it's place, so does my desk. I always position it so that I face the door.
Until I moved two years ago to a new building that is. With smaller offices and HUGE desks. Desks that were set up already... and gah! Facing The Wall!
And ever since, it has irritated me to no end that my back is to the door. Every day I deviously scheme on how the heck I can move it without anyone noticing. Or caring.
So yesterday I got it into my head that dammit I had enough. I was going to turn it around.
But in order to do THAT, I had to move my four-drawer file cabinet out of the way. And my shelving units. And take all my binders and toys off the shelves of the desk. And extract the desk drawers, remove everything from the desktop, unplug my computers (yes, two), printer, scanner, speakers, aquarium, yadda, yadda, yadda.
So no one could watch (and laugh), I did all this during lunch behind my locked door, manuevering everything inside my office like some kind of huge slider puzzle. I'm excellent at slider puzzles.
I was finally ready to move the desk.
So I grabbed one end to push. And failed.
Epic Fail.
I heaved. I yanked. I swore.
And that monolith moved a total of two inches.
Crap!!!!!
I had to resign myself to the fact that before I:
1) Somehow broke the desk
or
2) Somehow broke me,
I gave up and spent the rest of the quickly-dwindling lunch hour putting everything back.... cursing to myself.
And I returned to work, sweaty and still facing that damn wall.
Nope. It wasn't a pretty picture at all.
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Drat! I hate having my back to the door too. I can't stand the thought of someone sneaking up behind me. Or just standing in the doorway staring at my back. Maybe you need a big mirror in front of your desk. ;o)
I really don't know what to say here - but I have got used to my desks facing the wall.
Even at home I have to admit.
At work my desk faces sideways along a window that looks out into the factory. It's a large room actually shared by 5 of us.
Maybe you could have asked some nice young man (men) to help you heave that monster to the other side of the room.
Other trick: you can buy some of those little sliding pads, that you can wriggle under the legs of your desk with your foot, while you strain your back trying to get that colossal beast half an inch in the air. Once you've got four of those pads underneath, you may be able to move it on your own.
But I'd look for some strong young backs to assist you.
Rats! Sorry your plan did not work out. Maybe you could install a small rear-view mirror on your desk so you can still keep an eye on the door, even when your back is turned!
I think it awful having to face a wall all day! I would definitely get some men to move it for me. Don't accept defeat, show it who's boss!
Damn that sucks!!! I don't like having my back to the door either. See if you can find someone to help you move the thing. Unless it's bolted to the floor and/or wall.
Get some slider thingys from a hardware store. They used them where I work to move big heavy shelves without taking all the product off. (Slider thingys or hydrolic jacks....-grin-)
Yeah, back to the door is bad feng shui. Maybe you could get someone to do it and keep the secret. Bribery and/or threats usually work for me.
Bummer.
Couldn't you have found a kid to help you move that thing? There's always a young guy around somewhere. Or Hang a big mirror so youcan see who's coming up behind you. That is terrible sitting with your back to the door!
Don't you have maintenance staff to assist you? Can't you put in an official looking work order to have your desk moved?
I too HATE having my back face the door. Especially since people are always coming in to steal my scissors or pens.
Oh, it's awful when our finely laid out plans fail so miserably and we have to undo the part that we did manage. I know what you went through, because I am of a similar disposition. I must force myself to leave everything the way it is now and to only move around the things that can easily be carried with one hand. In other words, the decorative elements. I must find enough joy in that. No more hauling big furniture around.
Maureen:
OOh, ouch! I know what you mean. It's hard to move desks, and it's bad on the back.
Everything changes.
Happy trails.
i agree with the other commenters, you should just bring in some home-baked cookies and offer them to the first couple of able-bodies co-workers who might be able to lift the beast.
i totally understand your pain though, in lab our boss' office opens onto the rows of desks along the wall, and the one desk who's back faces his door curiously never seems to be chosen by incoming students. he comes shooting through that door and would have his face in your computer screen in no time, exclaiming "I'd rather be blogging? What kind of stuff are you looking at on my time anyways?!"
you've got to find a way to incorporate some chemistry so i can claim this is a relevant and important use of my time :o)
I don't blame you. I would hate to have my back to the door as well. It freaks me out when people sneak up behind me (as my newest post proves my point)
Do you have a close co-worker who you can finangle into helping you move that bohemith?
Office furniture is deceptively heavy....for some reason.
Bwahahaha!!!
That's me cracking up over the huge difference between how your workspace looks compared to mine.
Heather: Ha! I DO have a small mirror...
Jaffer: I know, I am spoiled rotten. But I am so used to working alone in my own office, so I hate it when I am disturbed.
Be.Bart: The only men in our office are doctors. And I'll bet none of them have lifted anything heavier than a coffee cup in years. Ooh! Those pads sound like a great idea! Thanks!
Daisy: I just may have to... "Warning! Objects in the mirror are far more obnoxious than you realize."
Beetle: Now THAT's the spirit. I WILL get it turned. Somehow. Someway.
JoJo: It's not bolted... but that sucker IS heavy.
Noner: Slider-thingys! I shall have to ask for those at our local Home Hardware methinks.
Carol: Exactly! Bad Feng Shui. Definitely.
LadyBanana: Yes, I am lucky, I know. A brand new office that I get to decorate any way I want. Even housekeeping compliments me on how neat I keep it. I guess I make their job easy.
Ed: Agreed.
Retro Kimmer: No young bucks, unfortunately, and I would hate to ask any of the girls to even try; me getting myself injured is one thing, it's another to submit others to pain because of my OCD.
CurlyGlamourGirlie: I have placed a call into our "Movers" department, but I really wanted to take care of it without a big fuss. Oh well. No luck there.
The Finely Tuned Woman: Yes, I have to admit I am getting older. Used to be it was nothing to push around furniture and file cabinets. Now it's discouraging to discover my limits.
Swubird: Luckily I came to my senses BEFORE I hurt myself.
Ashley: HA! I shall have to post a "chemistry-related" post for you. Now that WOULD be funny!!!!
VegasPrincess: Well, I am still awaiting my distress call to be answered by our "Moving" department... so we'll see if I can get this done with the least amount of embarassment... "What do you mean you want to TURN your desk around???" Gah.
Bruce: Must be all the glue holding the faux "wood" together.
Jeff: You mean yours is cleaner and more organized than mine??? I want photographic proof please ;)
I'd be trying to do the same thing! Now...could you move the furniture a couple of inches a day and perhaps get it where you want it by the end of the year? :)
Toners: Ha! I wish! But that DOES sound like a plan..... ;)
I hate when my back is to the wall. It invariably means that my computer monitor is also facing the door and anyone can see that I'm not working and instead happily blogging or playing solitaire. Find a good co-worker who won't spill the beans and ask them to help next time ;)
I have Gumby and Pokey at my desk too. Yours are saying "50 bucks she pulls a back muscle" while they are smiling and waving at you...
I've done the "secret lunch hour slider rearranger" thing as well - but once, when I had a 3 ton desk I had to recruit a secret helper... it worked out... but I had to buy them lunch...
hi there--I love the look of your page and enjoyed your blog.
my desk faces the wall too--trust me, the room probably looks larger that way. I hung a picture of the beach on the wall in front of me so I can pretend I'm looking out the window. :)
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