We thought it would be interesting to dig up some history on the workplace dungeon cubicle and see how it has evolved over the years. Like all of us, the cubicle has sure grown up over the years. Hope you enjoy the read….
The cubicle creator - Inventor Robert Propst set out to revolutionize the American office. He succeeded with his 1968 design for furniture manufacture Herman Miller called Action Office. While his intention, outlined clearly in his book, “The Office: A Facility Based on Change,” was to create a more dynamic and flexible workspace, his invention inadvertently paved the way for today’s cubicle culture. Propst, who passed away in 2000, ran Herman Miller’s research division for many years and helped the company evolve from an upscale home furnishing manufacturer into one of the nation’s leading industrial design firms.
1965 – First Try In 1964, Propst and architect George Nelson unveiled an early prototype of Action Office. The concept, a set of freestanding units intended to act as room dividers in large, open office spaces, didn’t catch on. But Propst refused to give up and used this first attempt, with its frost file bin and slanted vinyl desktop as a building block for what would eventually become Action Office. Read the rest of this entry »
In case you weren’t aware, Boss’s Day is tomorrow (October 16, 2008)! This is the one time of the year when you can really let your boss know how much he or she means to you. While some may opt for greeting cards, coffee mugs, or chocolates… I go for the eco & budget friendly e-card. Some sites I found with free e-cards for every any type of boss: Egreetings.com (funny), Cards.123greetings.com (cutesy or professional) Hallmark.com (variety).
Today, shopping for small quantities of cubicles is a real headache. Most cubicles currently offered on the market are complicated and expensive furniture systems that have to be laid out by brand-expert space planners and installed by product-specialist installers, not to mention they are generally not available before 3 months for delivery.Cube in a Box™ offered through Costco is designed to satisfy small office and home office needs with quality, in stock, easy and reliable solutions.
A good friend created a new online store www.rocketfist.com that offers limited edition art and character toys from a variety of artists. You’re sure to find a unique, crazy, or hilarious toy to get everyone talking such as Mr. “Dookie-Poo” to the left. Who doesn’t need a toy at their desk? so go check it out already and let us know what you think.
Have you ever wondered the cost of your daily commute to the office? A new website www.drivepricing.com allows you to enter a start/end location, your car’s average MPG, the zipcode where you buy gas, and the gasoline grade you use, and voila! The news might be depressing enough to start a carpool. And while we have your attention, please support rideamigos.com as well.
Going green in your cubicle is so easy and highly rewarding. Before “going green” referred to saving energy, green was (and still is) predominately associated with plants in nature. While plants don’t save energy, they do suck up CO2 and provide you with clean oxygen. Why not have one of these little air producers near you while type away? While someone obviously went a little too overboard to the left, there are numerous examples of dreary cubes brightened up with plants and/or flowers. Check out some submissions and get yourself a plant already!
Here is a little garden with 10 or so plants, quite impressive…
Here is your basic cube with 1 huge addition… AWESOME FLOWERS! Much more of a delightful setting for 8+ hours of work.People trust us, put a little effort into your cube by getting a plant and it will pay off in the long run. Just like those people that say buy an expensive mattress since you spend 1/3 of your life sleeping, you should style your cube since you spend some unfortunately high amount of your adult life working in a cube. So “Go Green” already by getting your first or your next little piece of nature for your cube.
Poor Jennifer, first she has to work on her dreaded 30th birthday and then she walks into work to see this. Talk about adding insult to injury. This is clearly another reason everyone should get their birthdays off, or at least take it as their floating holiday!
More pics are posted in the Cool Pics section…Thanks to Tammy for the photos and everyone please keep ‘em coming…
If you want to add some color & life to your cube consider creating a theme. An easy way to get things started is to check out a party supply pack from somewhere like Target. Party packs such as the “Hollywood Stars” have party favors which could easily serve as cube decoration or inspiration if you’re a do-it-yourselfer… Everything is coordinated– from cups & plates, which can be stapled to bulletin boards (use the leftovers for afternoon snacks) to coordinating ribbon & streamers. Also, you can surprise a co-worker on their birthday by creating a themed party. Other cool theme kits we found included: “1950’s Party Supplies”, “All Star Baseball”, “Spider Man”, “Star Wars”, “Penguins”, “Tiki Lounge Party”, and “Crazy Monkeys” ??!!… Well, there’s a ton of choices out there, so go out & get creative!
Another common complaint among cube dwellers is the feeling that they’re getting “cube body.” What kind of effect does long-term sitting have on you? Mary Ann Pavlides, a registered nurse and massage therapist, says her clients have experienced:
Lower-back strain due to poor posture and sitting too long.
Upper-back strain from scrunching neck and shoulder together while talking on the phone.
Shortened pectoral muscles from leaning into a desk to type on a computer.
Sluggish circulation in their legs from prolonged inactivity.
Fortunately, combating these problems is easy. Pavlides recommends the following exercises for relief:
Get up and walk every half hour. This keeps your circulation going, gives your eyes a break from your monitor and lets your whole body move.
Stretch your arms back over your head and arch your body into a “C.” This helps reverse the hunched-over posture you may sit in.
Stand up and roll back and forth on your heels and toes. This stretches leg muscles that cramp from too much sitting.
Find a doorway and place your forearms against the frame. Lean into the doorway to stretch your pec muscles. Don’t hold this position too long, though, or you might strain yourself.
Make sure you have an ergonomic chair with armrests you can raise and lower to get the right fit. Adjust your desk or table to a comfortable level.
The cubicle creator - Inventor Robert Propst set out to revolutionize the American office. He succeeded with his 1968 design for furniture manufacture Herman Miller called Action Office. While his intention, outlined clearly in his book, “The Office: A Facility Based on Change,” was to create a more dynamic and flexible workspace, his invention inadvertently paved the way for today’s cubicle culture. Propst, who passed away in 2000, ran Herman Miller’s research division for many years and helped the company evolve from an upscale home furnishing manufacturer into one of the nation’s leading industrial design firms.
1965 – First Try In 1964, Propst and architect George Nelson unveiled an early prototype of Action Office. The concept, a set of freestanding units intended to act as room dividers in large, open office spaces, didn’t catch on. But Propst refused to give up and used this first attempt, with its frost file bin and slanted vinyl desktop as a building block for what would eventually become Action Office.
In case you weren’t aware, Boss’s Day is tomorrow (October 16, 2008)! This is the one time of the year when you can really let your boss know how much he or she means to you. While some may opt for greeting cards, coffee mugs, or chocolates… I go for the eco & budget friendly e-card. Some sites I found with free e-cards for every any type of boss: 
Today, shopping for small quantities of cubicles is a real headache. Most cubicles currently offered on the market are complicated and expensive furniture systems that have to be laid out by brand-expert space planners and installed by product-specialist installers, not to mention they are generally not available before 3 months for delivery.
A good friend created a new online store 
Have you ever wondered the cost of your daily commute to the office? A new website 
If you want to add some color & life to your cube consider creating a theme. An easy way to get things started is to check out a party supply pack from somewhere like 
