# What other little diversions do you have around your desk?



## MrKowz (Sep 25, 2008)

Aside from using your computer, what other things do you have around your desk that you like to either tinker with or play with while you pretend to work?  Be warned: easily amused people may lie ahead!

I have a slinky that has given me hours of fun...

Also, I like to find paper clips and unfold them so they make a triangle with two parts overlapping a bit.  Then i pull the paperclip open so it makes something that resembles a single layer of a spring.  Carefully position the two arms so they are pressing against eachother, wanting to spring apart, and then drop it on the desk.  It goes flying!  Sometimes as high as 10 feet if you have a good enough paper clip!


----------



## arkusM (Sep 25, 2008)

I have a magnetic sculpture thingy, a wire puzzle and a daily dilbert calander, not to mention lurking in the lounge! These are among the top diversions...


----------



## TMDInc (Sep 25, 2008)

Am a big fan of the paperclip trick also. Usually I try and direct its flight path to land in the next cube. Not all design engineers have a great sense of humor...pick your targets carefully.

Another good one is to find an older retractable pen and take it apart and insert the spring inbetween the two plastic components and then jam it back togerther with the ink tube, press the button on top, and presto, a little mini launcher!


----------



## Patience (Sep 25, 2008)

Yeah - I have a slinky too. 

Now I am in a job with a computer, procrastination is quite easy, so I don't have to be too creative.  However back in the days when I worked in a camera shop (that never attracted any cutomers, and therefore went bust a couple of months back) we devised several ways to pass the time.

The favourite would be to get a plastic film canister, fill it with compressed air, leave it, and wait for it to explode. It would take a short time to do so, so you could be really lucky and have it blow its top just as the days customer walked in. 

Then of course there was electrocuting yourself with dismantled disposeable cameras.


----------



## TinaP (Sep 25, 2008)

I have a couple stuffed animals, a tv and clay which I knead when pondering the logic of a macro.  I also have a hammer.

Most of the time, though, I lurk in the lounge.


----------



## MorganO (Sep 25, 2008)

I have a several 3D puzzles that I occasionally play with, but my primary diversion is a set of juggling balls.  I pick them up from time to time to get away from the contstant blare of back-lit letters on my retinas!  

It's even more fun when a coworker picks the balls up off of the desk and I won't let them leave until they've at least attempted to juggle a bit!


----------



## gingerafro (Sep 26, 2008)

Having seen this post, it has become the general excuse for downtime in our office.
http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1591293&postcount=3


----------



## Expiry (Sep 26, 2008)

I spin my mobile phone around. Whenever people buy a new mobile, they choose the one with the best screen, the best camera, some swish colours or something, but you should really be checking how smoothly it spins around when it's laying on the desk. 

It's probably the most important feature of any phone, and helps get you through the day when no-one's actually calling you on it.


----------



## Domski (Sep 26, 2008)

I used to have a great view between my screens of a rather lovely lass from HR admin but alas the whole section moved to the floor above on Monday. I have no other diversions and it's been a very long week!!!


----------



## MrKowz (Sep 26, 2008)

gingerafro said:


> Having seen this post, it has become the general excuse for downtime in our office.
> http://www.mrexcel.com/forum/showpost.php?p=1591293&postcount=3



HAHAHAH!  I have found myself using that excuse a few times.  "My macro is running"


----------



## Lewiy (Sep 26, 2008)

My desk used to face out of a big window looking over Sandbanks and Poole Harbour, sadly I now have one of those “middle of the office” desks which faces a filing cabinet…..not so many boats floating around there.


----------



## Colin Legg (Sep 30, 2008)

Lewiy said:


> My desk used to face out of a big window looking over Sandbanks and Poole Harbour, sadly I now have one of those “middle of the office” desks which faces a filing cabinet…..not so many boats floating around there.


 
Wow! Now THAT is a nice view.... you must miss it; demand to be moved back to your old desk!!


----------



## Long Nose (Oct 1, 2008)

Anyone else put up Halloween thingys, or is that thingies?


----------



## Domski (Oct 1, 2008)

Almost certainly thingies.



> Anyone else put up Halloween thingys, or is that thingies?


 
It's hard enough getting permission to stick up Christmas decorations working for the council! I'm sure it would be presumed (probably by a union rep) that Halloween decorations would offend someone (alive or sadly departed).


----------



## Long Nose (Oct 1, 2008)

Domski said:


> Almost certainly thingies.
> 
> 
> 
> It's hard enough getting permission to stick up Christmas decorations working for the council! I'm sure it would be presumed (probably by a union rep) that Halloween decorations would offend someone (alive or sadly departed).



Well, I guess on the bright side you won't gain 10 lbs from all the sweets of Halloween, Christmas, Valentines, and Easter.  Just today I had an office mate plant 5 Hershey Kiss Candy Corns on my desk while I was at lunch.  Don't even ask about the food orgy around Christmas, its completely insane.

Right now I'm staring at a 4 ft. black cat silhouette complete with three bats hanging on my glass door.


----------



## MrKowz (Oct 6, 2008)

My slinky died today... *mourns the loss of the slinky*  Now I will need to find some other diversion around my desk.  I need to get a Rubik's Cube badly...


----------



## TinaP (Oct 6, 2008)

RIP Slinky


----------



## Patience (Oct 7, 2008)

I am very sorry for your loss.


----------



## cornflakegirl (Oct 7, 2008)

May I recommend an Everyman cryptic crossword?


----------



## MorganO (Oct 7, 2008)

I always wanted to get one of those 2x2x2 Rubik's Cubes, the 3x3x3 was way too complex for my poor mind!

Owen


----------

