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BY KAFIA HOSH
The office cubicle can be a window to an employee's personality. Most parents decorate their desks with endearing pictures of their children. Recent college graduates may adorn their cubicle walls with a picture of a movie heartthrob or a sexy Hollywood siren. And the sports fanatics often perch an autographed baseball or basketball somewhere on their desks.
While your personal workspace can reflect your interests, it's important to decorate your cubicle appropriately. Here are the most common items found at workstations, and advice on how to use the items wisely, according to "The Cubicle Survival Guide" by James F. Thompson.
PostcardsHanging up a postcard from an exotic vacation is evidence that you have a life outside of work. But going overboard with postcards looks cheesy. Go for postcard messages that are subtle and don't reveal too much personal detail.
"A general rule to follow is that postcards should depict a special place and be sent from someone else to you. Any variations on this process are highly suspect," Thompson warns.
Family photosMost cubicle dwellers adorn their desks with pictures of their friends, family and pets. These photographs help colleagues empathize with each other and relate: "Hey, you have a wife? Me, too!" But you should be careful what you say about a co-worker's photographs, according to Thompson. For example, if your supervisor's child isn't so adorable, don't comment at all. "Your colleagues do not appreciate being lied to," he writes.
Famous peoplePhotographs of Hollywood stars ripped from the pages of a magazine are a big no-no and should be reserved for teenagers. "Innocent infatuations are for the pubescent grade-schoolers who dream of actually getting phone calls and loving e-mails from pop icons," according to Thompson.
While everyone has a favorite musician or action hero, the cubicle is not the appropriate place to profess your celebrity adoration.
Screen saversJust like photographs and postcards, screen savers are another avenue for self-expression. But be careful what images you want to pop up on your monitor. Pictures of the sandy beaches of Mexico or fuzzy puppies are fine. But crass screen savers such as half-naked supermodels or images of guns and shot glasses are inappropriate, according to Thompson. When choosing a screen saver, Thompson advises, "Be yourself without revealing anything too personal or antagonizing the corporate culture of your workplace."
PlantsPlants can pump life and color into any dreary workstation. But make sure you water your plant regularly so it doesn't crumble and decay into a brown mess. And don't overload your cubicle with too many plants or a plethora of flowers. Instead, place a clean, simple and odorless plant in one corner.
Kafia Hosh: 540/735-1977