Six of one

We have been in our new "green" office building for a couple of weeks, and it is starting to feel like home.  The staff keeps tweaking what they can, but there are some major design flaws that may be expensive to correct.  We'll see how it pans out in the long run. 

Where I sit, on the third floor

The current progress report: 

• It is still too cold in here, but the clamminess seems to be gone. 
• I have rearranged things in my pod so it feels less claustrophobic.  With three monitors, it feels like command central. 

This is "before"; I don't have an "after".

• I tend to sit forward in my chair, as though it were one of those ball chairs, which has proven good for my back. 
• They gave me (and everyone?) a new keyboard. 
• Still no headset for the phone.  However, I can forward my calls to my home phone.  Since I work at home one or two days a week, I now don't have to keep checking my office voice mail for missed calls. 
• I've grown use to the printer noises, but there is also overt pressure to reduce printing in general.  The door to the stairway, on the other hand, bangs. 
• Trays for paper were delivered, which helped clear my desk top. 
• The "new office" smell seems to have dissipated, so no more daily headaches. 
• The post next to my pod blocks my view to the left, but since I am on an aisle, also blocks my view of people walking by. 

View to my left

• The toilets have two flush modes, one for "liquids" and one for "solids".   Apparently, toilet paper is a solid.
• The minimal number of "sit down" facilities for the men has proven not to be a problem.  Or so they say.
• For some reason, the third floor bathrooms are not handicap accessible.  Was this on purpose? 
• The single-cup coffee makers in the pantries produce coffee that is no worse than what was available in the cafeteria and vending machines. 
• The ice/water machines now have ice. 
• "They" tried actively discouraging people from eating at their desks, using all kinds of made-up excuses (companionship? really?), but I think the real reason is they don't want us slobbing up the new pods.  BTW, their efforts are coming to naught. 
• The vending machines and microwaves are in the cafeteria.  The cafeteria is the only space large enough for large meetings.  We are not supposed to use the vending machines or microwaves while a meeting is in progress.  This has produced complaints. 
• There is no barrier between the serving area of the cafeteria and the sitting area, which means some meetings have to put up with the sounds of food preparation.  This has produced complaints. 
• People in some parts of the building are discovering that there can be too much natural light.  Mine is not one of them. 

View to my right

• The acoustic ceiling seems to be doing its job dampening sound.  Or maybe it is the "white noise" of the PA system.

Stand up, sit down, fight, fight, fight!